The New York Jets may have lost four of their last five games but that doesn’t mean they are out of playoff contention.
The truth is, however, that their recent skid has not only diminished their ability to get into the postseason for the first time since 2010 but also means they will need a lot of help to even get into that position.
Thursday night’s game against the Jaguars is just the tip of the iceberg for the Jets in their second season under Robert Saleh. We have a full rooting guide here for all Jet fans to understand who they need to root for and against over the weekend.
Jacksonville Jaguars (6-8) vs. New York Jets (7-7)
We’re certainly getting to the point in which the Jets will need to win out to even have a chance to make the playoffs.
Cincinnati Bengals (10-4) vs. New England Patriots (7-7)
The Patriots own the tiebreaker over the Jets which will be a major factor in the race for the playoffs. The good news is that the Patriots are coming off one of the worst losses in franchise history and now play a team that is red-hot in the Cincinnati Bengals.
In short, this is a very positive start for the Jets if they can win on Thursday.
Green Bay Packers (6-8) vs. Miami Dolphins (8-6)
More good news for the Jets. The Dolphins do not own the head-to-head tiebreaker with New York with one more game to go against both teams. The Packers are also desperate and need to win out on their own. With Aaron Rodgers at quarterback, it’s not far-fetched to see Green Bay pulling off the upset here.
If Green Bay can win on Sunday, and the Jets win, they’ll be back in the playoff bracket with two games to go.
Los Angeles Chargers (8-6) vs. Indianapolis Colts (4-9-1)
The Colts are set to start the former Super Bowl MVP Nick Foles on Sunday. At the end, that offers a unique and helpful addition to the Colts when they take on a Chargers team that is starting to find ways to win games.
If the Dolphins were to lose on Sunday, this Monday night game won’t mean as much, but it’s still important to help the Jets gain any sort of ground here.
New Orleans Saints (5-9) vs. Cleveland Browns (6-8)
The Jets own the tiebreaker against the Browns, but any additional game helps. New York leads their race by over a game but Cleveland has Deshaun Watson back. In short, everyone around the Jets needs to lose, and they need to win.
Las Vegas Raiders (6-8) vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-8)
This game won’t help the Gang Green make the playoffs, but it could certainly hurt their chances. In the end, it’s about choosing the lesser of two evils. For New York, that means they want Pittsburgh to win.
The Steelers lost to New York earlier this year which means they won’t have the tiebreaker, but they could bury the Raiders who are making a late-season push for the playoffs.
