The Jets delivered a win to fans for the holiday season, allowing folks to celebrate both Christmas and Victory Monday. But what did we learn from Sunday’s 30-28 win over the Washington Commanders? What are some takeaways as the Jets moved to 6-9 on the season with just two games left, one coming this Thursday in Cleveland? We’ll touch on some of those topics here before beginning to turn right around and get ready for Week 17.
The Jets may have been bad, but they weren't Washington bad
The Jets nearly blew a 27-7 lead. That is true. But it’s also true that the Jets had that 27-7 lead, which was more an indictment on how bad the Washington Commanders are. They looked like a team that had already phoned it in for the season and are ready for a fresh start. One of the league’s worst-kept secrets is that Washington is cleaning house after the season. Head coach Ron Rivera and general manager Martin Mayhew will be gone. It might have happened after last season had the team not been for sale.
So yes, the Jets were pretty bad this season, leading to yet another losing season and another year without a postseason appearance. But they weren’t nearly as bad as the Commanders, who have a ton of questions to answer and a lot of holes to fill this offseason.
In case you forgot, Breece Hall is pretty darn good
Parts of this season have been a little rough for Breece Hall, the Jets’ second-year running back. Before Sunday, Hall had a stretch of nine straight games rushing for 50 yards or less. A game against the Commanders’ last-ranked defense is just what the doctor ordered to get Hall right again. His 95 rushing yards were his most since his 177 against the Broncos in Week 5. Hall totaled 191 yards and scored two touchdowns, including a 36-yard touchdown run.
Hall also caught a season-high 12 passes. He has at least five catches in five of his last six games. Hall is up to 65 catches for 537 yards. He is second on the team in catches and third in yards. When things are clicking, Hall can be an explosive running back that can add another dynamic to this offense.
The 2024 season unofficially began Sunday with Woody Johnson's announcement
The Jets made headlines Sunday before even taking the field against the Commanders. Owner Woody Johnson confirmed to Brian Costello of the New York Post Sunday morning that head coach Robert Saleh and general manager Joe Douglas are returning for the 2024 season.
As such, this meant, in a way, the 2024 season got underway Sunday. The Jets can use these final three games to evaluate the roster to see what holes they need to fill in the offseason as long as Douglas and Saleh know they’ll still oversee this roster next year.
We know what the quarterback situation will be, at least at the top of the depth chart. Sunday showed that it’s anyone’s guess who will be behind Aaron Rodgers. Overall, the team can begin self-evaluation and get a head start on next season.
As a reminder, here’s who the Jets will face in 2024:
HOME
Buffalo Bills
Miami Dolphins
New England Patriots
Houston Texans
Indianapolis Colts
Los Angeles Rams
Seattle Seahawks
AFC West same-place finisher (currently Las Vegas Raiders)
AWAY
Buffalo Bills
Miami Dolphins
New England Patriots
Jacksonville Jaguars
Tennessee Titans
Arizona Cardinals
San Francisco 49ers
AFC North same-place finisher (currently Pittsburgh Steelers)
NFC North same-place finisher (currently Green Bay Packers)
It was really good to see Israel Abanikanda get some work in
The Jets currently only have two running backs under contract for 2024: Breece Hall and Israel Abanikanda. It makes plenty of sense for the Jets to give Abanikanda more work in these final weeks to get him more acclimated in the offense and a springboard into 2024.
The Jets did just that Sunday as Abanikanda saw nine rushing attempts. He looked good in those attempts, going for 43 yards (4.8 yards per carry) and showing burst. He can be a good complement to Hall next season and the Jets can find bodies to fill the rest of the depth chart. The Jets do also have Xazavian Valladay and Jacques Patrick on the practice squad.
The Jets still have a top-10 draft pick even with the win
When a team is eliminated from playoff contention, it’s natural for fans to want to tank the rest of the season to improve their draft positioning. Even with the win Sunday, the Jets are still in the top ten of the draft order, sitting at No. 9. A top-five pick may be out of the question but being in the top ten looks very likely, which should nab the Jets an immediate impact player. That could still include Penn State’s Olu Fashanu or Notre Dame’s Joe Alt. Don’t rule out a trade up as well.
