For the third consecutive year, the New York Jets are trying to bounce back from a last-place finish. So how could they win a division title in 2019?
We see it on an almost annual basis and it was the case twice in not only 2017 but a season ago as well. One year after an NFL club winds up in the basement, they rebound for a first-place finish. In ’18, the Chicago Bears and Houston Texans rebounded from last place in their respective divisions the previous year to capture division crowns. One season earlier, it was the Jacksonville Jaguars and Philadelphia Eagles that turned the same trick. And the latter wound up hoisting a Lombardi Trophy after defeating the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LII.
When it comes to the AFC East, it’s been more than a decade since such a turnaround occurred. Back in ’07, the Miami Dolphins bounced back from 1-15 to 11-5 and wound up in first place. Since then, the New England Patriots have won a record 10 consecutive division titles.
So can the New York Jets manage such a one-year turnaround in 2019? It’s a team that owns a combined 14-34 record the past three seasons and is coming off a 4-12 campaign. There’s a new head coach in Adam Gase, late of the Miami Dolphins. And if this new-look club can improve in three vital aspects, could a division title be in the cards?
3. Create impact plays on defense
While the Jets’ offense has struggled in recent seasons, the defense has let down the club as well. During the first two years of the Todd Bowles Era, the club was more than respectable on the latter side of the football. But the team has not produced in terms of the pass rush and conversely, there have been very few impact plays created by this unit.
In 2018, the club rolled up 39 sacks and came away with 20 takeaways. But it’s worth noting that the Green and White forced 13 turnovers in their four wins compared to just totaling seven takeaways in a dozen losses. The Jets were ranked 25th in the NFL in total yards allowed, finishing 26th vs. the run and 24th vs. the pass while surrendering 45 offensive touchdowns.
New defensive coordinator Gregg Williams hopes to change all that. He should bring a more aggressive approach to a team that added inside linebacker C.J. Mosley via free agency and defensive tackle Quinnen Williams with the third pick in April’s draft. A year ago in Cleveland with Williams at the controls, only the Bears (36) forced more turnovers than the Browns (31).
Next: No. 2
2. Establish a consistent ground attack
Common sense says that the addition of free-agent running back Le’Veon Bell ensure that the New York Jets’ running game should improve dramatically from this past season. In 2018, only six teams in the league gained few yards rushing than the AFC East basement dwellers. The club totaled fewer than 100 yards on the ground in 10 of their 16 contests.
Bell inked a four-year, $52.5 million contract this offseason after sitting out all of ’18 when the Pittsburgh Steelers gave five-year pro the franchise tag for the second straight year. When last we saw the talented performer, he was part of a team that fell at home in the 2017 AFC Divisional Playoffs to the Jacksonville Jaguars, 45-42. As for that season, Bell touched the ball a total of 406 times, rolling up 321 carries for 1,291 yards and nine scores while finishing second on the team with 85 receptions – good for 655 yards and two touchdowns.
It’s that attempts total that may prove to most significant. The Jets also added versatile running back Ty Montgomery this offseason via free agency. He joins a backfield that includes Elijah McGuire, who carried 92 times for 276 yards and three TDs. The Jets also made a trade with the Oakland Raiders to obtain powerful guard Kelechi Osemele.
A reliable ground game would not only do wonders for second-year quarterback Sam Darnold but the Jets’ defense as well. Look for Adam Gase to make this a priority this summer.
Next: No. 1
1. Learn how to win within the division
Sounds obvious but this has been a particular sore point for the Green and White as of late. And in case you are curious, the last time the Green and White posted a winning record vs. their AFC East rivals was back in 2010 – the last time the franchise reached the playoffs. The Jets finished a combined 4-2 vs. their three division neighbors and for extra measure, knocked off the New England Patriots at Foxborough in the Divisional round.
Since then, the club is a combined 17-31 vs. the Bills (8-8), Dolphins (7-9) and Patriots (2-14). And since finishing 3-3 vs. their AFC East foes in 2015 (the club’s last winning campaign), New York owns a very dismal 5-13 in divisional matchups.
This past season was particularly disturbing if you were a member of the Jets. Yes, the team rallied for a 27-23 victory at Buffalo in Week 14. But in their other five games vs. the Bills, Dolphins and Patriots, the club was outscored a combined 139-44 in five setbacks. Meanwhile, in his three seasons at the helm of the ‘Fins, current Jets’ head coach Adam Gase owned a combined 10-8 record vs. his division brethren – including a pair of wins over the Pats each of the past two seasons at South Florida.
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Will that success by Gase translate this season with the Green and White? It’s far too early to tell. But the coach’s knowledge of the division is certainly a positive.