The New York Jets (2-1) head into Week 4 of the NFL’s 2024 regular season fresh off a 24-3 win over the New England Patriots last week.
Coming into the year, many were all over the place when ranking how the Jets stacked up against the rest of the league. But, after a few weeks it appears New York have put the NFL world on notice.
Here’s how the Jets fare in national media power rankings polls heading into Week 4:
USA TODAY
QB Aaron Rodgers never threw a TD pass to a first-round wideout during his 18 years in Green Bay … but now he has Garrett Wilson. Speaking of ex-Packers passers, Rodgers became the first NYJ QB1 to beat New England under the lights since … Brett Favre 16 years ago.
Pro Football Talk
Aaron Rodgers is all the way back.
Pro Football Network
12) New York Jets (2-1; LW: 14)
Are the Jets as good as they looked Thursday night, or were they just facing an inferior team dealing with significant injuries? The answer probably is somewhere in the middle, but if Aaron Rodgers continues playing as he did against the Patriots, the Jets could be contenders in the AFC.
Bleacher Report
Last Week: 16
Week 3 Result: Won vs. New England 24-3
There aren’t many NFL franchises that have wandered the quarterback wastelands longer than the New York Jets. The list of moribund signal-callers who have led New York’s offense over the past two decades is equal parts long and depressing.
The Jets brought in Aaron Rodgers last year in an effort to end that drought, only to see Rodgers tear his Achilles tendon four plays into the season. Two relatively rusty starts into the 2024 campaign, Jets fans were left wondering when they might see the “real” Aaron Rodgers—the future Hall of Famer who has been named the NFL’s MVP four times.
Well, Thursday night that Rodgers made an appearance, dissecting the New England Patriots for 281 yards and two scores in a game the Jets dominated from start to finish.
After the victory, Rodgers told reporters it felt good to post a Rodgers-esque performance.
“It felt great,” Rodgers said. “I was feeling real good out there. I felt good in pregame. I told you guys after Week 1 that it’s going to be a process and I’ll continue to extend plays once I feel more comfortable. This was kind of a first step in playing like I know I’m capable of playing. I felt like I was, you know, myself.”
The Jets ran the ball well, racking up 133 yards on the ground. The defense was stout, allowing just 139 yards of offense. With Gang Green playing balanced football and Rodgers playing at a high level, New York could be a real factor in the AFC East.
NFL.com
13. New York Jets (-)
Aaron Rodgers turned back the clock last Thursday, especially for a short-week game, and he most likely enjoyed the mini-bye, but the Jets also want to keep this offensive momentum going. They’re starting to develop something interesting on that side of the ball, with at least half a dozen capable skill-position producers and an offensive line that can withstand injuries for now. Defensively, the competition level rises with this next string of games, but Thursday also was the best performance this group has enjoyed this season. The Week 1 struggles against the 49ers still linger in our minds, but we at least know this unit is capable of turning in a quality performance, even if it came against the offensively challenged Patriots.
CBS Sports
If Aaron Rodgers is slinging it like he did against the Patriots, the Jets will push for a Super Bowl. The run game is good and the defense is back to being dominant.
Yahoo! Sports
The Jets looked great on Thursday night. It will be interesting to see if that was their step forward or the Patriots being exposed. Up this week is a great one-on-one matchup as receiver Garrett Wilson takes on the Broncos’ Pat Surtain II. The Denver CB helped limit Mike Evans to 17 yards on Sunday.
The Athletic
Last week: 16
Thursday: Beat New England Patriots 24-3
Surprise: Braelon’s Allen debut
Aaron Rodgers had his second-highest passer rating (118.9) since September of 2022 against the Patriots, and that’s a relief for Jets fans, but it’s hardly a surprise. The man is a four-time MVP. What is a surprise is running back Braelon Allen. This was supposed to be Breece Hall’s backfield, but Allen, a rookie fourth-round draft pick, is averaging 5.1 yards per carry, almost a yard and a half more than Hall.
Up next: vs. Denver Broncos, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
The 33rd Team
Previous Ranking: 12
The offense finally clicked for the New York Jets in Week 3, and Aaron Rodgers had his best performance in years. He was accurate and moved well in the pocket, which was a big concern coming off of the Achilles injury.
The Jets still have some concerns on that side of the ball, but their run game looked fantastic with the new duo of Breece Hall and Braelon Allen. New York’s schedule continues to be pretty soft, and it could start stacking up wins early in the season.
Next Game: Sunday, Sept. 29 vs. Broncos
ESPN
14. New York Jets
Week 3 ranking: 16
Biggest issue on offense: WR Garrett Wilson’s lukewarm start
Fifteen receptions in three games is fine — that’s an 85-catch pace — but more is expected of Wilson, who raised the bar with two strong seasons. Wilson and quarterback Aaron Rodgers aren’t clicking yet, as Wilson hasn’t exceeded 68 receiving yards in a game. Their past two opponents, the Patriots and Titans, had their top cornerback travel with Wilson on almost every play — Christian Gonzalez and L’Jarius Sneed, respectively. That, plus a heavy dose of split-safety looks, has prevented Wilson from having a breakout game.
