The New York Jets may be on their bye week, but there’s plenty to watch for as they try to end their decade-long playoff drought.
There is good news for a team sitting at 3-3 on the season – they are in the thick of the AFC Playoff race with plenty of teams ahead of them dealing with some difficult matchups ahead. In a week like this, it may be difficult to decide who to root for when your team isn’t on the schedule.
The good news? AMNY takes you through every game and guides you on who to root for to better serve the Jets’ long-term goals over the next few months.
Cleveland Browns vs. Indianapolis Colts – 1:00 pm – ET
This is a difficult one to judge. The Colts have surprised some people with their play this year while the Browns defense is the best in football. To me, with Cleveland holding two losses, getting them to the same amount of losses is important for Gang Green. That matchup late in the season could decide the playoff race.
Buffalo Bills vs. New England Patriots – 1:00 pm – ET
Not many times do you hear fans of the Jets root for the Patriots, but here we are. New York trails Buffalo by just a single game for second place in the AFC East and is well within striking distance with the tiebreaker. A loss to their rival would give the Bills two divisional losses and hurt their chances for the division race. This is a big one for Gang Green.
Detroit Lions vs. Baltimore Ravens – 1:00 pm – ET
Any AFC-NFC game should see the Jets root for the NFC side – particularly in this one between the Lions and Ravens. Detroit is trying to keep pace as a top team in the NFC North and NFC while the Ravens are competing for the division in the AFC North. Simple stuff – root for Detroit to lower the overall chances of dealing with Baltimore in a playoff race.
Las Vegas Raiders vs. Chicago Bears – 1:00 pm – ET
It may be crazy to think, but the Raiders are going to be competing for a playoff spot in the AFC with the Jets. Even without Jimmy G at quarterback, the Raiders are expected to beat a weak Bears roster. Another loss to an AFC West team will only help New York’s chances.
Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Los Angeles Rams – 4:05 pm – ET
The Steelers and Ravens are competing for the top spot in the AFC North. While the Jets should want the Steelers to win the division due to being an easier competition for a playoff game, don’t overthink this matchup. A Rams win will help their chances.
Green Bay Packers vs. Denver Broncos – 4:25 pm – ET
This is the one NFC-AFC matchup that would be beneficial for the Jets to have the AFC team win. With a Denver win, that will improve New York’s strength of victory – one of the tiebreaking factors when it comes to the playoff race. A win from the Broncos, while minuscule in the grand scheme, could be very helpful.
Los Angeles Chargers vs. Kansas City Chiefs – 4:25 pm – ET
It’s far more likely that the Chiefs will be winning the AFC West again than the Chargers will at this time. That means that the Jets should hope for as many LA losses as possible ahead of their matchup in a couple of weeks. This should be an easy task considering how poorly they have looked as of late.
Miami Dolphins vs. Philadelphia Eagles – 8:20 pm – ET
Speaking of divisional opponents, after giving the Eagles their first loss of the year last week, the Jets will be hoping to see Philadelphia give a second loss to the Dolphins on Sunday Night Football. A loss for Miami would be their second overall and give the Jets a small cushion overall. This is a big game for New York.
