Before you tell me…I know. Really, I do. We’re in just Week 6 of the 2022 NFL regular season. Talking about either the Jets or Giants (or, gasp, both) qualifying for the playoffs is early. But still, you can’t tell me you haven’t at least dreamed about it while both teams have been rolling in recent weeks.
I mean, it’s only natural to have your mind wander after the way they’ve started. Plus, if the season ended today, each would be in the NFL Playoffs. This fact alone is something not many were expecting in the middle of October.
But here we are. That’s why they play the game, folks. At this point, we’ve already enjoyed both squads owning winning records for the first time since Week 9 of 2015. Could it actually get better from here, though?
Even with all the optimism in East Rutherford right now, we wanted to bring some stats and percentages to the table.
Looking at the Jets’ playoff chances
The Jets are heading to Lambeau Field for a Week 6 showdown with the Green Bay Packers. Robert Saleh has his squad entering this matchup with a 3-2 record while riding his first two-game winning streak as a head coach. That has to feel good, especially as he collects receipts.
As mentioned before, there’s a long road ahead, giving teams plenty of time to show whether they’re a contender or a pretender. Which bucket do the Jets fall into?
Football Outsiders gives New York a 29.7% chance of getting to the Wild Card round and a 6.4% chance of advancing from there. If we want to look at betting odds, Sports Betting Dime pegs the Jets with +380 odds to make the playoffs and -475 odds to miss them.
According to Tankathon, the Jets have the 15th-strongest remaining schedule, with their opponents currently owning a .508 winning percentage. The toughest games left for them to play? Two against the Bills, one against the Dolphins, one against the Vikings, and this weekend’s game against the Packers.
Looking at the Giants’ playoff chances
Before the Giants won a shocking Week 1 road matchup against the Tennessee Titans, it’s fair to say the confidence level for this team wasn’t high. The coaching staff was looking good, but many knew this was going to be a process.
Well, here they are with a 4-1 record. Football Outsiders gives New York a 39.2% shot at reaching the Wild Card Round and a 2.9% chance of getting to the Divisional Round. Sports Betting Dime has the Giants’ odds of making the playoffs at +105, while their chances of missing them are -125.
With a cumulative winning percentage of .548, the Giants currently have the seventh-toughest remaining schedule, according to Tankathon. Their most formidable opponents include the Eagles (twice), along with the Cowboys, Vikings, Colts, and Ravens, who they’ll be playing on Sunday.
The odds are still long for both the Jets and Giants to reach the playoffs. But hey, considering where preseason expectations were for their respective performances, this has been a welcome sight.
Matt Musico can be reached at matt.musico@xlmedia.com and you can follow him on Twitter: @mmusico8.
