Predicting the 2024 New York Jets Regular Season
Predicting the 2024 New York Jets Regular Season
The 2024 NFL season is one of the most hyped up seasons for the New York Jets in over a decade.
A top notch defense lead by Quinnen and Quincy Williams, along with lockdown corners with Sauce Gardner and D.J. Reed, mixed with an offense filled with talent like Garrett Wilson, Breece Hall, and Aaron Rodgers, has Jets fans hyped up for an expected playoff push in the coming season.
That being said, this season is anything but guaranteed. If injuries are limited and certain things go our way, the sky is the limit for this team and more specifically the sky is the limit for Garrett Wilson. Without further-ado here is my prediction for the 2024 New York Jets season.
FYI: While this is a Jets based blog, this blog in specific will focus heavily on other teams to give context to Jets fans to understand why they will win or lose these games.
Week 1: MNF @San Fransisco 49ers 0-0
Photo from: newyorkjets.com
This is by no means a friendly matchup for our Jets to start off the season. Going into the Niners stadium under the lights of primetime football is not the ideal first game. Not to mention the Niners are arguably the most complete team in the NFL with monsters like CMC and Deebo on offense and a stellar defense with stars like Fred Warner and Nick Bosa. I think it will take a few games for the offense to truly click despite what we've seen in training camp thus far. That being said I think Garrett gets active in this one and gets his first touchdown of many for the season. Ultimately though I think the team ends up defeated in their season opener losing 24-14 in primetime. Don't fret though, the season has tons of winning ahead of us.
Hot take: CMC gets plenty of yards in this game but doesn't find the end zone despite 24 points
Week 2: SUN 1:00 p.m. @Tennessee Titans 0-1
After losing our season opener on the road the Jets will head right back out to Nashville for a second consecutive road matchup. The AFC south as a whole is being slept on this year and the Titans are most definitely included. A second year Will Levis who has shown flashes of being a decent QB has some added weapons with Tony Pollard and Calvin Ridley. I truly thing that the Titans offense will be better than expected by most fans this season. However, no matter the offense, the Jets defense will stop most teams in their tracks this year. On the contrary, the Titans defense is going to be a problem for them this season. L'Jarius Sneed is a huge edition for them from the Kansas City Chiefs, along with new addition Chidobe Awuzie will establish a strong secondary for the Titans. Where the problem comes in is their lack of pass rush. The Titans had an already lackluster pass rush last season, ranking 27th in the NFL last season according to bleacher report. Their main edge rusher, Denico Autry lead the group with 11.5 sacks but left the team in free agency this offseason. A lack of edge rushing means two things: opportunities for big runs from Breece Hall, and time for Arod to sling the rock. The slept on Titans offense will put up some points for sure, but our offense will overpower their defense ending with a final score of 28-13 Jets and our first win of the season.
Hot take: Breece Hall gains two rushing touchdowns in this one dismantling the Titans pass rush.
Week 3: TNF New England Patriots 1-1
The Jets first home game finds them facing long time rival New England Patriots; however, these aren't the Patriots of the past though, and they shouldn't be a problem this season. With questionable QB play with rookie Drake Maye, and a rough receiving core featuring guys like Demario Douglas and Ja'Lynn Polk, the Patriots offense will struggle all season. Where the Patriots have some strength is their defense. Despite losing Matthew Judon to the Falcons, the Pats will still have a top 15 defense with a top 10 ceiling. That being said, the Jets offense will still blow up New England's D, and the Jets defense will lock the pitiful Pats offense up. This will be one of two matchups these two teams will have this season and spoiler alert, they will both end up the same way. Jets win this one 31-6, winning this matchup in a dominating fashion, making a statement on primetime TV.
Hot take: The Jets defense smothers the Pats, their only points coming from two field goals.
Week 4: SUN 1:00 p.m. Denver Broncos 2-1
Back-to-back home games find the Jets taking on back-to-back inferior opponents. The Broncos are going to be one of the weaker teams in the NFL this season and the Jets are going to be part of this reputation. Bo Nix was just announced the starter of the Broncos an honor that isn't too great considering the QB competition in Denver (shoutout Jets alumni Zach Wilson). That being said, I am higher on Bo Nix than most but his situation will still be rough. Jerry Jeudy is gone and it feels like we've seen all we can really see from Courtland Sutton. The RB room isn't too much better with Javonte Williams and Samaje Perine. The offense has a few breakout candidates with receiver Troy Franklin, Nix's number one receiver at Oregon; and RB Jaleel McLaughlin who could find himself in the RB 2 position on the team. Where the Broncos will fail is their defense, one of the worst in the National Football League. The only bright spot on this defense is of course superstar cornerback Pat Surtain II, but one man isn't enough to save this defense. They did trade for John Franklin-Meyers who had a pretty decent career on the Jets, and added Cody Barton and Levi Wallace. While these additions are decent, they also lost a key piece of their secondary in Justin Simmons who also finds himself in Atlanta with the Falcons. Besides Surtain II this defense has no standout stars and is going to be walked all over. Similar to the Pats, I don't think the Jets will have any problem with a rebuilding Broncos team. Jets will take this one 37-10.
Hot take: While Surtain II is busy with Garrett Wilson, Mike Williams will shine as the WR 2 and haul in two receiving TDs. Tyler Conklin will also haul in a touchdown as well.
Week 5: SUN 9:30 a.m. @Minnesota Vikings 3-1
Be sure to set your alarms for this one as it's an early morning in London. The Vikings gotta be one of the most unlucky teams in football right now. Losing rookie QB J.J. McCarthy to a torn meniscus is a tough blow, even though Jets 2018 3rd overall pick Sam Darnold was set to be the starter. Jordan Addison is another big hit with both off the field issues and a hurt ankle. One of the Vikings biggest blows is star tight end T.J. Hockenson who will miss anywhere from four to eight games because of his knee surgery back in January. All of these injuries mixed with Sam Darnold at the helm of the offense has me super low on the Vikings offense this season. The Vikings defense isn't much better, falling to the lower half of NFL defenses. Defensive coordinator Brain Flores wants to lead a blitz style offense, but with the loss of Danielle Hunter, this gets a whole lot harder. Now Jonathan Greenard is promising but won't have the same impact Hunter had on defense. The 17th overall pick in this year's draft, Alabama linebacker Dallas Turner, also seems to be a good scheme fit for what Flores is trying to run. That being said, I still put the defense in the bottom half of the league, and the offense in the bottom third despite superstar receiver Justin Jefferson and new RB addition Aaron Jones. With all this being said, I have the Jets winning this one 23-13 closer than some might expect but still one in the win column.
Hot take: Justin Jefferson and the Vikes come out hot and put up 10 in the first quarter, defense locks in though and holds them to 3 for the rest of the game, shutting Darnold down.
Week 6: MNF Buffalo Bills 4-1
I'm glad our primetime game against the Bills is at home because despite what most NFL fans think, I still think the bills are going to be a problem this year. Yes they lost Stefon Diggs but they picked up a receiver with tons of potential in the 2024 draft, that being FSU star Keon Coleman. Not to mention an up and coming receiving threat in exciting tight end Dalton Kincaid. Also, although Mitch Morse has left the offensive line, Connor Mcgovern and and David Edwards keep this line a top 10 unit in the league. Josh Allen is one of the best quarterbacks in the league and his legs mixed with James Cook expected jump will make the Bills offense one to be reckoned with. In terms of defense the Bills aren't too bad their either. Their impact player Matt Milano is out of course due to a torn bicep and that is certainly a blow to this defense. The Bills also don't have their stars like Jordan Poyer and Leonard Floyd which certainly brings them down. Of course they also don't have the talent they used to have at cornerback with the absence of Tre'Davious White. That being said, the big boys up front with Greg Rousseau and Ed Oliver will still make an impact and get through some offensive lines. But additions Tyron Smith and Morgan Moses along with breakout guard Alijah Vera-Tucker should be able to hold them down. If our offensive line does their job and takes care of Oliver and Rousseau, we should be able to take down the Bills over the top, as well as on the ground. The Bills will be a problem though and primetime will put more pressure on the boys in green. Final score of this one is going to be a one possession game, 30-28 Jets in a nail biter to the end.
Hot take: Garrett Wilson's strong campaign will continue, he'll tear the Bills hurt secondary apart going for 150+ yards and a touchdown.
Week 7: SNF @Pittsburgh Steelers 5-1
The Steelers of course have been involved in some offseason drama with everyone wanting to know if 49ers receiver Brandon Aiyuk will join them. That being said we should all know at this point that the Steelers ceiling is 9-8 and their floor is 9-8. All jokes aside, the Steelers have an opportunity to be a solid team this year, in fact the main thing holding them back is that they are in one of if not the toughest division in football with the AFC north. The Steelers have to decide who will start at QB but either way they should have a mobile quarterback behind a solid offensive line unit with young talent like back to back first round offensive line picks, Broderick Jones from Georgia (2023) and Washington O lineman Troy Fautanu (2024). They also have solid guard play lead by Isaac Seumalo who struggled to start the season but ended up as the pro football focus 12th rated guard. Also included in the Steelers offense is emerging receiver George Pickens and a dangerous runningback tandem with Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren. Not to mention, the Steelers defense is full of stars like defensive player of the year candidate T.J. Watt who had 19 sacks last season, along with Minkah Fitzpatrick who holds down the secondary alongside breakout star cornerback Joey Porter Jr. who was drafted out of Penn State back in 2023. The Steelers are outshined in their division by the Ravens and Bengals, but should not be underestimated. This will be a defensive game as both offenses could struggle against top rated defenses. This could be one of the toughest defenses the Jets face all season, and I believe this game will end with a low score. The Jets will find the win 14-10 against a Steelers team that is being overlooked way too much this season.
Hot take: This is a gritty game against Pittsburgh and it's going to be won in a gritty way. Neither stars on either side are the ones to score, Breece and Garrett will have solid games but won't score same with Pickens and Aiyuk if he ends up going there.
Week 8: SUN 1:00 p.m. @New England Patriots 6-1
Photo from Sim League TV Youtube channel
The second of two Patriot matchups this season, the first repeat opponent of the 2024 season. The game being at Foxborough and the second meeting between the two teams will make it slightly tougher on the Jets. But the Jets are flipping the script this season and sweeping the Pats is part of it. The Jets defense will show no mercy to Drake Maye (if he's even still starting) and the offense will still tear them apart. I do think it will be hard to keep the Pats out of the end zone this time. The Jets will still win convincingly against the Pats winning 31-17, getting the Jets offense back on track, while the defense stays hot.
Hot take: Our Western Kentucky draft pick Malachi Corley cements himself as WR 3 notching two touchdowns in this one with 7+ targets.
Week 9: TNF Houston Texans 7-1
A spooky Halloween game will be a spooky one for the Jets. The Texans are one of the scariest teams in my opinion with little to no weak points. Lets talk offense first. A receiving room of Nico Collins, Stefon Diggs, and Tank Dell is one of the strongest in the league. Tight end Dalton Schultz and new addition RB Joe Mixon are also good receiving options for second year QB C.J. Stroud who is coming off an insane rookie season. The O line could use some work but Laremy Tunsil and Shaq Mason are two veterans that will hold the line down barring injuries while teaching the young guys on the line technique and skill. One of the strongest offenses in the league is also backed up by an under appreciated Texans defense. Foley Fatukasi and Denico Autry are two defensive line free agents that should help the pass rush. Jeff Okudah, C.J. Henderson, and Derek Stingley round out a secondary with a relatively high ceiling and an above average floor. Danielle Hunter is another addition that can only improve the defense as well. Barring any major injuries the Texans are going to be a big problem in the AFC and will also be a problem for the Jets in this one. After a major winning streak the Jets will fall to the Texans in a shootout 34-24.
Hot take: If Tank Dell stays WR3 he is going to cook Brandin Echols and go for 100+ yards and a pair of touchdowns. C.J. Stroud will also have a rushing touchdown in this one as well as at least two passing touchdowns.
Week 10: SUN 4:25 p.m. @Arizona Cardinals 7-2
The Cardinals are an interesting team in my opinion, on one end Kyler Murray, James Conner, and rookie WR Marvin Harrison Jr. all give the offensive immense upside. The only problem is, the Cardinals have one of the worst offensive lines in the league and in my opinion the worst defense in the National Football League. While their aren't any glaring issues with the Cardinals O line, according to PFF there aren't any above average players. In terms of defense, were talking about a unit that ranked 31st in scoring defense as well as EPA per play according to Bleacher Report. Essentially this means expected points added on a per play basis. Defensively this means that the Cardinals defense ranked second to last in performing to their expectations last season. Now they did add Justin Jones, Bilal Nichols, and Sean Murphy-Bunting for some veteran presence but that is not going to be nearly enough to bring this defense up from the bottom. Budda Baker is not the player he used to be and isn't showing signs of returning to that form. The offense is going to be the reason for any wins by this team, and the offense has Kyler Murray coming off an injury last season as well as their star running back who has an injury history as well. Rookie RB Trey Benson will be a good candidate to step up for Conner in the event of an injury and MHJ has wide expectations ahead of him as the highest rank WR prospect in recent history. Assuming the Cards offense stays healthy I think they put up a bit of a fight against our defense, but our offense should dismantle them, as we put up our most points this season, winning the matchup 45-24 and getting back into the win column.
Hot take: We dominate offensively, and Garrett establishes himself as a top 3 receiver in the league with a three touchdown performance, and over 200 yards.
Week 11: SNF Indianapolis Colts 8-2
Photo from: facebook.com
The Colts are another one of these AFC south teams that are going to be incredibly dangerous this year. A healthy Anthony Richardson and a healthy Jonathan Taylor behind a highly rated offensive line could be a major problem for the league. They have a decent receiver core as well lead by Michael Pittman Jr. and supported by second year WR Josh Downs and rookie Adonai Mitchell. But as listed before the running work of Richardson and Taylor will be the anchor of this offense. The O line is held down by a strong tackle duo of Braden Smith and Bernhard Raimann, and is also stocked with strong guards like Quenton Nelson and a veteran center Ryan Kelly who is coming off his best season. The Colts have potential to be one of the stronger offenses in the NFL, the problem lies with the defense. While the pass rush had many sacks, they still only had a below average 19.6 percent pressure rate according to bleacher report. The Colts have two strong D linemen with Deforest Buckner and Grover Stewart but this doesn't push them over the edge to become a top defense. The Colts did improve their defense in the draft with the drafting of Laiatu Latu with the 15th overall pick, this will begin to improve the pass rush and increase their chances of breaking out but the secondary still has work to do. Luckily for the Colts the secondary is built up of young players that could breakout, but for now this is a relatively week unit. I do think that the Colts defense gives the Jets D more trouble then their ready for, but I think that the Jets still get the victory, winning 28-24, a close game that brings the Jets back to reality after the Cards game.
Hot take: Michael Pittman Jr. gets absolutely clamped by Sauce and is held to less than 40 yards and 3 receptions.
Week 12: BYE
A late bye week for the Jets, crucial to prepare for a second half of the season that is much harder than the first.
Week 13: SUN 1:00 p.m. Seattle Seahawks 9-2
After failing to meet expectations last season, the Seahawks are poised to bounce back with Mike Macdonald at head coach and Ryan Grubb as the new offensive coordinator. With these staff changes a strong receiving core lead by DK Metcalf is sure to be stronger as Grubb is looking to pass the ball more. Kenneth Walker is also expected to be the workhorse back with young RB Zach Charbonnet expected to be more involved on offense as well. The major hole for the Seahawks is of course their bottom ranked offensive line. Starters Evan Brown and Damien Lewis are gone and they are replaced by inexperienced back-ups: Anthony Bradford and Olusegun Oluwatimi. Laken Tomlinson is a past first round pick and Jets player who failed to meet expectations. They did have two rookies shine last season on the line with Charles Cross out of Mississippi State University and Abraham Lucas out of Washington State University, and they will need to lean on them to anchor this poor offensive line. In terms of defense the Seahawks had a pretty poor showing in almost all regards defensively last season. That being said, they now have a defensive-minded head coach in Mike Macdonald who made the Ravens defense a powerhouse last season. Signings, Jerome Baker and Tyrel Dodson help the scheme for sure and 2024 16th overall pick out of Texas, Byron Murphy II should help it as well. Tariq Woolen is also a standout on this defense of course. If the Seahawks can turn it around defensively under Macdonald they could be a sleeper team in the 2024 NFL season, but I honestly have low faith. Jets are gonna keep on winning beating Jets veteran Geno Smith and company 31-14.
Hot take: Jets get a pick six in this one and Breece joins Garrett as a top offensive player with one rushing touchdown and one receiving touchdown
Week 14: SUN 1:00 p.m. @Miami Dolphins 10-2
A divisional matchup for the boys in green in Miami. Miami has one of the stronger offenses in the league with a lightning quick RB tandem in De'Von Achane who broke out last season as one of the most efficent running backs in NFL history, and Raheem Mostert who sported a career high 18 rushing touchdowns. They also have two of the quickest receivers in the NFL with Tyreek Hill who led the league with 1799 yards and Jaylen Waddle who would be WR 1 on most teams. Despite what Brian Flores said in the past (if you know you know) Tua is a good enough quarterback to get the ball to everyone and his biggest strength is his release time. Tua's quick release time is important as their O line could use a bit of work after injuries and aging to their stars, the Phins have some work to do. On the defensive side of the ball the Dolphins didn't do nearly as well as expected last season, their defense unfortunately was plagued with injuries. Injuries to Jalen Ramsey and Xavien Howard led the Dolphins secondary with some key holes. Injuries to Bradley Chubb, Jerome Baker, and Jaelan Phillips hit them hard as well, especially in the pass rush. This offseason, Baker, Howard, and star defensive tackle Christian Wilkins were all lost to free agency. But Chop Robinson, a rookie linebacker, the 21st overall pick, and free agent pickup Shaq Barrett should fill those holes nicely. The Phins also acquired Jordan Poyer from the Buffalo Bills to help improve the secondary. The Dolphins are going to be the Jets main competition for the AFC east, and we'll see that in this game on their home turf. The Phins are going to take this one 27-21 in a heartbreaking loss that will be lost on the final drive.
Hot take: Sauce holds Tyreek to 85 yards and a touchdown, but Achane rushes for 75 yards and a touchdown on few carries.
Week 15: SUN 1:00 p.m. @Jacksonville Jaguars 10-3
This is an unfortunate year to play the AFC south because each team in this division has the potential to breakout and really be a problem. The Jaguars of course have a tandem of Travis Etienne and Tank Bigsby as their main offensive weapons. Trevor Lawrence has Christian Kirk and Evan Engram to sling the rock to as well. But perhaps the most interesting part of this Jags offense is 23rd overall pick Brian Thomas Jr. out of LSU. As NFL fans, we know that if a receiver comes out of LSU, they're most likely going to be a problem and Thomas Jr. is no different. He is lighting up defenses in preseason and will most likely surpass Kirk for the WR 1 position if he stays healthy. This is more than a competent replacement for Calvin Ridley who went to the Titans this offseason. The Jags do have some struggles in the O line despite the entire front five being first or second round picks in their respective drafts. The Jags signed Mitch Morse from Buffalo and hope that he can hold down the fort for the interior of the offensive line. On the defensive side of the ball, on paper, the Jags last season had a top 10 defense but this didn't show on the field. The addition of Arik Armstead and the return of Josh Hines-Allen will be surefire ways to improve this defense, especially after Allen's 17.5 sack season last year. Ronald Darby was a great addition for the secondary from the Ravens who should pair nicely with underrated Tyson Campell on the corners. The biggest improvement to this defense however is the firing of defensive coordinator Mike Caldwell, who failed Jaguar expectations given the roster he was working with, and hired Ryan Nielsen who mainly focuses on press coverage. This AFC south division is going to be tricky this year, but the Jaguars in my opinion will be the weakest of the four teams, and the Jets will take them down 17-7 in a defensive battle.
Hot take: Jermaine Johnson builds towards a record season in his young career and bullies the Jags O-Line ending the game with 3.5 sacks
Week 16: SUN 1:00 p.m. Los Angeles Rams 11-3
If the Rams build on their 2023 campaign they are going to be one of the top teams in the NFL. They are lead by a solid quarterback in Matt Stafford. Stafford has the privelege of throwing to 2021 super bowl MVP Cooper Kupp, who says he feels the healthiest he has ever felt, along with Puka Nacua who broke the record for most receiving yards by a rookie in NFL history with 1486. They also had Kyren Williams breakout at running back rushing for 1144 yards and 12 rushing touchdowns playing 12 games. Lets not forget that both offensive groups got stronger with the rams drafting Blake Corum, the star RB out of Michigan, and Jordan Whittington, a WR who is literally being named the next Puka. Someone has to figure out how the Rams scout so well. The O Line isn't too bad either. Kevin Dotson, traded from the Steelers last season put together a campaign that listed him as the second best guard according to PFF rankings. They also acquired Jonah Jackson in free agency who is expected to beef up an already decent offensive line. In terms of defense, the major hole is of course the retiring of hall of famer Aaron Donald. This significantly weakens the Rams defense. Rookie Kobe Turner had himself a solid rookie season with nine sacks. The Rams also began to rebuild the hole that is Aaron Donald by drafting defensive end, Jared Verse out of University at Albany with the 19th overall pick. Tre'Davious White of course is a question mark but if he can get his health under control that will improve the Rams secondary. The Rams defense is young, but this isn't necessarily a bad thing given what we've seen from the Rams younger players these past few seasons. With all this in mind, despite the lack of Aaron Donald, I think the Rams defense holds on enough, and their offense slightly overwhelms us, resulting in a 28-17 loss to the Rams.
Hot take: Kobie Turner builds on a strong rookie campaign and shuts the run game down, a crucial point in the Jets offense.
Week 17: SUN 1:00 p.m. @Buffalo Bills 11-4
Photo from: Sim League TV Youtube channel
In our second matchup against the Bills, we find ourselves in Buffalo on a cold afternoon. We already discussed that the Bills offense is underrated and at this point in this season every single game is going to matter especially if the AFC east turns out the way I think it will. I think that the Bills will finish third in the division but they will be close behind the Phins for that spot. That being said, the Bills are going to use every ounce of home field advantage they can and take down the Jets in a true heartbreaker. After winning the home matchup 30-28, I think that the Jets will lose in Buffalo 24-20, two one possession games, two outcomes and the first set of consecutive losses for the Jets in the 2024 season.
Hot take: Four minutes left in the fourth it's 17-17 we go down and make it 20-17, Bills go down and rely on Josh Allen to clutch up with his legs and makes the game 24-20 with less than 10 seconds to go. Aaron Rodgers will try to come up with a miracle but fall short.
Week 18: TBD Miami Dolphins 11-5
Photo from: NFL Throwback Youtube Channel
After losing our first matchup to the Phins earlier in the season in Miami it is time to take them on at home. I predict this now, this will be the Jets most important win of the season as the winner will be the winner of the division in my opinion, something the Jets haven't done since 2002. Both teams will be 11-5 at this point and whoever wins will clinch. Aaron Rodgers is clutch, he has proven it in the past and will prove it again in this one. This will be the game that defines the Jets entire season and I truly believe we will win it in a dramatic fashion. This will be a high scoring and big play game ending in a 35-33 Jets win, and an AFC east division title going 12-5.
Hot take: Aaron Rodgers turns the clutch gene on and all 5 touchdowns are passing touchdowns.
So there it is, my 2024 season prediction for the New York Jets. Now yes, I am a long-term Jets fan, and as Jets fan we have some hope every year. But this feels different, it finally feels like everything has come together and this is the year we rewrite history. Follow along with this blog for more Jets news and weekly game recaps when the season begins. J-E-T-S JETS JETS JETS!
Sources used:
https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10119392-ranking-every-nfl-defense-after-the-2024-draft
https://www.pff.com/news/nfl-2024-offensive-line-rankings-detroit-lions-penei-sewell-frank-ragnow
-Braydon
Definitely a playoff year, good predictions and justifications behind game results
ReplyDelete