SI:AM | Jets’ Season Teetering on the Brink After ‘MNF’ Loss

They’re 2–4 and staring down a tough three-game stretch.

Rodgers and the Jets need to turn things around quickly. / Lucas Boland-Imagn Images

Good morning, I’m Dan Gartland. I wonder if adding Davante Adams will be enough to save the Jets’ season.

In today’s SI:AM:

😬 An ugly MNF game
✈️ Reinforcements for the Jets
🔄 What the Bills need

They’re running out of time

The New York Jets had hoped that firing their head coach and demoting their offensive play-caller would turn around a season that got off to a disappointingly sluggish start. After a frustrating loss to the Buffalo Bills on Monday Night Football, the Jets are still waiting for that turnaround to start—and running out of time to get their season back on track.

There were some signs of improvement, at least. Aaron Rodgers threw for a season-best 294 yards and the Jets put up 393 yards of total offense, their second most in any game this season and over 100 yards more than they had averaged in the first five weeks of the season. But those steps forward were undone by costly mistakes and missed opportunities. New York committed 11 penalties for 110 yards, although the impact of those flags was offset by the Bills being called for 11 penalties for 94 yards. The Jets also failed to score a touchdown on three of their four red zone trips. Two trips ended with made field goals by kicker Greg Zuerlein (from 22 and 34 yards) but he also missed a 32-yard attempt in the fourth quarter that would have given the Jets the lead. He missed a 43-yard attempt on the next Jets possession.

Zuerlein shouldered the blame after the loss, saying, “I’m not holding up my end of the bargain.” But he shouldn’t take responsibility for the defeat. For one thing, high winds in the New York area made the kicking game difficult. (Bills kicker Tyler Bass missed an extra point and a 47-yard field goal attempt.) In conditions like that, it’s especially important for the offense to convert on third downs in the opponent’s half of the field and at least move your kicker closer to the goalposts.

Despite Zuerlein’s late misses, the Jets still had a chance to win the game late in the fourth quarter. On a third-and-16 from New York’s 40-yard line just before the two-minute warning, Rodgers fired a deep pass toward an open Mike Williams more than 40 yards downfield. But Williams slipped and fell to the ground, allowing Taron Johnson to intercept the pass. That final blunder allowed the Bills to run out the clock.

WELCOME BACK, TARON‼️

📺: @ESPNNFL pic.twitter.com/9s9ZTphPBQ

— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) October 15, 2024

“We need to get going,” Rodgers said. “This was a golden opportunity. Some games you win in the NFL and some games you give away. This was a giveaway.”

The Jets really do need to get going. A win on Monday would have put them in first place in the AFC East. Instead, they’re 2–4 while the Bills are in first at 4–2. A team that began with Super Bowl aspirations now faces an uphill climb just to qualify for the playoffs.

And the Jets’ schedule isn’t doing them any favors. They have to travel next week to face the Pittsburgh Steelers, who boast one of the best defenses in the league. A week later, they have a road game against the struggling New England Patriots, but that’s followed by a Thursday night game against one of the best teams in the league, the 5–1 Houston Texans. Those aren’t the kind of teams you want to be facing when you need to turn your season around. Firing Robert Saleh was a last-ditch effort to spark the team. It might not be enough.

Can Adams (17) make a difference in New York? / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The best of Sports Illustrated

• Conor Orr wrote about how the Monday Night Football game was marred by horrendous officiating.

• The Jets are reportedly getting some help on offense and trading for disgruntled Raiders receiver Davante Adams to reunite him with Aaron Rodgers.

• Speaking of trades, Matt Verderame believes the Bills need to acquire a star receiver if they’re going to be Super Bowl contenders this year.

• Carlos Rodón kept control of his fastball and his emotions in leading the Yankees to victory in Game 1 of the ALCS, Stephanie Apstein writes.

• The Mets evened their series against the Dodgers behind—who else—Francisco Lindor. Tom Verducci has more on how Lindor has been New York’s catalyst all October.

• The AP men’s basketball preseason poll came out on Monday and Kevin Sweeney pointed out a few of the most interesting aspects of the rankings.

• Oregon coach Dan Lanning confirmed that he intentionally sent 12 players on the field in the final seconds of the Ducks’ win over Ohio State.

The top five…

… things I saw last night:

5. Garrett Wilson’s footwork to secure a touchdown catch.
4. Josh Allen’s 42-yard bullet on the run.
3. Brock Nelson’s goal while sliding on one knee.
2. Aaron Rodgers’s successful Hail Mary at the end of the first half.
1. Mark Vientos’s reaction to seeing the Dodgers were intentionally walking Francisco Lindor to load the bases. Vientos proceeded to hit a grand slam to give the Mets a 6–0 lead.