The 2017 season is over for the New York Jets, but a new year brings new hope that this team can turn it around in 2018.
Five-and-eleven in any given season isn’t exactly ideal, but for New York Jets fans, five wins were a lot more than many were expecting during the 2017 season.
It’s only the second time in history the Jets have finished 5-11, but with that comes a premium pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. Before the season started, there were two kinds of Jets fans:
- The traditionalists
- “You play to win the game”
- The Jets need to try and win every game and said Jets fans would be okay with a 7-9 or 8-8 season.
- The tankers
- If this team isn’t going to make the playoffs, then they might as well suck as bad as possible.
- Let’s get the best pick possible to help this team get back to the playoffs.
I struggled with where I’d lean. The media was telling me that this team may not win a game this season. Candidly, that started to wear on me, but we sort of received the best of both worlds.
Six of their losses were by one score or less. They were competitive, so Jets fans were privy to scenarios to cheer about, but ultimately, they lost the games. In 2017, The Jets had the second worst point differential in football during the fourth quarter. They were outscored in the fourth quarter, 140-64.
The Jets tanked successfully:
They did their part by losing to the New England Patriots, but they also got some help with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers who upset the New Orleans Saints. Jimmy Garoppolo remains undefeated as a starting quarterback (9-0) which helped the Jets.
While the Jets could’ve moved up one more spot with a Denver Broncos win over Kansas City, this has to feel pretty sweet for Jets fans.
The top-8 picks in the NFL Draft:
1. #Browns
2. #Giants
3. #Colts
4. #Browns
5. #Broncos
6. #Jets
7. #Bucs
8. #Bears— Dane Brugler (@dpbrugler) January 1, 2018
Here is the history with the sixth overall selection with the Jets, which has been a popular pick over the years:
#Jets will be picking 6th – team has taken Jamal Adams, Leonard Williams, Vernon Gholston, Richard Todd, Carl Barzilawskas and John Riggins at that spot.
Unless they can get Cousins, think it's safe to assume it'll be a QB there this year.
— Connor Rogers (@ConnorJRogers) January 1, 2018
Other Jets News, Stories:
- Patriots hung extra thermometers to remind the Jets of the cold (Jay Busbee of Yahoo Sports).
- Jets can’t finish, but they’ve built a foundation (Rich Cimini of ESPN New York).
- Would Kirk Cousins be worth the price tag? (Darryl Slater of NJ.com).
