No reason the Jets can't beat Miami, Pitt and Cleveland. That leaves stealing one of the other 2 games against good opponents to make it to 4-1. I don't think they will have enough for Cincy especially since Cincy will want to avenge last year's game, so I think the Bal game will be one of the games the Jets pull out of their ass. Harbaugh will have Zach running for his life, but I see a wild improvisatory shootout with the Jets winning 41-38.
Hard to say…I feel like our talent has definitely improved…I like our Offensive skill players a lot….will depend mostly on Zach, but I guessed 2-3 Ravens @ Jets 0-1 Guessing L here…they have no receivers right now but a great TE and Jackson will drive us nuts….I don’t think we have an answer for him…I’m expecting plenty of disappointments when we get them into third down and he’ll just run for a first 9 times out of 10. And their defense is always tough. I’d be shocked and elated if we somehow win this game. Jets @ Browns 1-1 Hoping for a W here…Their defense is still very good and our OL will be tested for sure but this is a game we have to win if we start 0-1…we’re looking at Jacoby at QB instead of Watson and they no longer have OBJ or Jarvis…we should be able to compete here. Bengals @ Jets 1-2 Guessing L here, but a W is not impossible … I just don’t think they will overlook us this time…would be a huge win but I’m guessing we don’t shock them two years in a row. Jets @ Steelers 1-3 Guessing L here because just like the Ravens, we NEVER beat this team. Yes I get their QB is a mess and if this was in NY I’d say we have a decent chance to win it, but in Pitt? I just don’t see it. Their defense is still very good. They are always well coached. Unless whoever is at QB for them (Trubisky, Rudolph, or Pickett) really shits the bed, I’m not feeling it. Dolphins @ Jets 2-3 I’m guessing W here…we HAVE to beat them sometime…these games are often competitive regardless of team records, and while I’m sure Hill will get his, I think we can rise up and win one here. we’ll see soon enough…
I'm going 3-2... 'cause why the fuck not. I'm going out on a limb by predicting the defense will improve to mid-pack level.
We have heard the same thing for years and every year the consensus here overestimates the team's improvement.
No, listen, I hear you loud and clear and I respect your hesitancy in not buying in until you see the results - I think most of us feel n the ways you expressed. But objectively, in comparing some of those previous teams that may have been over hyped, I think when you compare and contrast this current iteration of the Jets roster with those aforementioned teams, there is no doubt in my mind that we have tangible proof that the talent base now far exceeds those clubs of the past. We have a top shelf WR corp currently. Our running backs are diverse and deep in numbers, our offensive line (biggest question mark to me entering the season), if it remains healthy, possesses two of the better tackles in the league, and our guards and center are either above or league-average players. Defensively I cannot wait to see this unit jell. There are dogs all over the field, our health on the d-side of the ball has come back around, and I believe for the first time in a long time we'll see a semi-consistent Jets pass rush. The back end of the D has playmakers all over it. The leadership inside the building is legit, there seems to be an accountability present inside the room, the players seem hungry and motivated and out to prove something. If Zach Wilson finds his stride this year, with what I feel will be a much better team offensively and defensively, I can realistically see this 2022 Jets team playing a brand of football that allows them to go into most 4th quarters with a real chance of winning. I think this will be a team that gets better as the year goes forward and that coming down the home stretch with their last 6 games to be played, that the Jets will be in a position to play games that will determine their post season chances...or not? I'll put it this way to conclude for now. Anything less than an 8 win season would be a failure as I see it. But I think they;re better than an 8 win team. I won't be surprised if the Jets finish 10-7 and find themselves back in the tournament for the first time in a long time. In fact, I'm practically expecting them to do this...while being the team nobody saw coming. We have more authentic talent right now than we've had in many years prior with those Jets teams who in reality were nothing more than fools gold.
There is no such thing as tangible proof until real games are played. Period. Stop. Carve it in stone. It's the same story every year and if you scrolled back to August of every single year you'd see what I am talking about. You could go back to the day this forum opened and every day you would find guys writing what you echo today with a thousand reasons why that year's team was going to be the one that broke the pattern. Optimism is fine - as an opinion. Even irrational exuberance is okay if you believe in it, but please don't try to pass that off as tangible proof of anything. Your prefacing your Zach Wilson sentence with "If" says it all and the same is true at every position. I've repeated the same caution here for ten years but I always seem to overestimate the number of wins the team will end up with. I guess I get caught up in it too.
Honestly it's how they look. If they go 1-4 but every game is competitive and they look great that's a step forward to me. If they continue to look like they can't move the ball and we can't string drives together consistently like we have for years now that's going to be disheartening.
The first 5? That makes no sense. The first 9 is a virtual murderers row. That's the ultimate determining factor of how successful the Jets will be. And isn't that the point of everything? I disagree with Vegas win total of 5.5. That doesn't make any sense to me either? It's like Vegas is saying Saleh and the CS is terrible and won't be able to get the players to come together as a team. I disagree. They're in their second season. It's not and it can't be about lacking talent. I think if the Jets can go at least 3-6 through the first 9, then they'll be in good shape to go something like 8-9 on the season. The Jets are still a little thin at linebacker, Safety, and backup swing tackle. Mitchell is not ready to be thrown in. Now, if the Jets acquire another Safety and OL I'll start to wonder where the holes are on the roster. The fact is, and I can't emphasize it enough, this Jets team is WAY more talented since about 2010.
They will win between 0 and 2 of those games. I think the best chance at a win is Cleveland, second best chance is Pittsburgh. Not beating the other 3 teams imo. I could see 0 wins and could also see 2 wins, but 2 is the most imo.
I have no idea. But I will say this: while we need to see a lot of improvement and progress, I do have faith in the how this team is being built and I like the energy around the team. I think this has a chance to be the foundation of a very good team and organization. I like Saleh, LaFleur, and want to see what Ulbrich does with a drastically improved unit. I want this regime to have a chance and don't want to call for heads if they have a bad start. I really want to give this thing some time, within reason. Of course, it will depend how they look and what's wrong if they do get off to a bad start. If they're losing close games and playing competently, one thing. If they're getting blown out like they did in many games last year, problem. So I'm hopeful but also aiming to be reasonably patient. Especially since this is a damn tough schedule. The one game I feel strongly about is Cincy. I think they're going to lose. After Cincy's embarrassing loss last year I think they get revenge this year. But I really can see anything from a pleasantly surprising 4-1 start to a worrisome 0-5 start
Let's take a look at the new starters we have this year compared to last: Tomlinson at G Hall at RB Wilson at WR Uzomah/Conklin at TE Lawson at DE Alexander at LB Sauce at CB Joyner at S Whitehead at S Reed at CB So 4/11 starters on offense and 6/11 on defense. That's pretty significant. I know we always overestimate how good we're going to be during the offseason but this team looks a lot different than last year assuming guys stay healthy. If we combine these new additions with a (hopeful) step up from Zach then it's plausible we might finally surprise to the upside this year. I would also add that we upgraded starters at 2 premium positions on offense and 5 premium positions on defense.
Ravens: 0-1. The defense is better this year, but I doubt their ability to contain Lamar Jackson's running ability, which will open up the passing game. Also, we've only beaten the Ravens twice since 1997. Browns: 1-1. The Browns are a mess and will be without Watson in this game. There should be no excuse to lose it. Bengals: 1-2. We did beat them last year, so I think this game will be close, but I'll give the edge to the Bengals. Steelers: 2-2. We always lose to them in the playoffs, but we've been pretty evenly matched in the regular season against Pittsburgh as of late. They have no QB to speak of at the moment either, unless Pickett hits the ground running or Trubisky has a season that puts him in contention for comeback player of the year. Dolphins: 3-2. The Dolphins are also rebuilding and they're experience a lot of team conflicts, which I think will make them weak this year. I'll give this one to the Jets.
I will say 2-3 or 3-2. None of these games will be easy. The Ravens will probably contend for the North. Even with the Watson situation the Browns have a solid roster. As for the Steelers game it will come down to the Jets stopping Najee Harris. Their QB shouldn't beat them. If they can stop Harris and avoid any costly turnovers then they should be in the game. Of course winning at Pitt is never easy. All 5 of these games will be tough. It will be a good early season test for the Jets to see how much they have improved. My guess is 2-3 or 3-2. I think they will do better than 0-5 or 1-4. If not the pitchforks and knives will be out for Saleh's head with the media and fans. I don't think they are good enough yet to where they can go 4-1 or 5-0.
As Railbird said we don't know what we don't know. We know that the Jets added significant talent in the off-season, and the 2nd year players should take a big leap across the board. Football is a contact sport and the Jets have been devasted by injuries the last couple of years. The Jets won 4 games last season (Should have won 5) with a Rookie QB and the last ranked defense in the league. There is a reason for optimism especially if we stay healthy. As in every season teams we think will suck will be good and vice versa mostly because of injuries. Go JETS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Keep in mind we will be starting 5 new players on offense in Becton, Tomlinson, Uzmoh, Hall and Wilson. We will be starting 5 to 6 new players on defense in JJ, all 4 DBs and possibly Kawon at LB. The OL will not only have 2 new players but AVT will be playing a new position. It will take the OL time to gel. These 1sr 5 games will be rough especially for a young team. I don't see a game in the 1st 5 where we should not be considered significant underdogs.
