New York Jets Battling Three Other Teams For Spot in AFC Playoffs

The New York Jets are down, but not yet out of the playoff picture.

Oct 31, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) throws a pass against the Houston Texans during the first half at MetLife Stadium. / Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images

The New York Jets finally got back into the win column this past weekend after a five-game losing streak, but was it enough to keep them alive in the playoff hunt?

Answering that question is tricky. Becuase yes, they are still technically eligible for a postseason spot, but they also have a long way to go make it in.

In overlooking the current playoff picture, Gene Menez of CBS Sports figured that there is a four-team race for one slot in the AFC postseason. This included the Jets along with the Denver Broncos, Indianapolis Colts and Cincinnati Bengals.

New York currently sits with a 3-6 record. The Buffalo Bills look like they are going to claim the East yet again, leaving the Jets to look for the Wild Card to send them to the postseason.

They are desperate to win while they have Aaron Rodgers in town. While this season started about as poorly as anyone could have imagined, a second half run isn't out of the books at all.

The team is mostly healthy, though the secondary has taken a beating. Their big trades are at least finally on the field. Davante Adams had his first big breakout game and Haason Reddick at least made it to the quarterback in his most recent game.

It isn't as simple as just winning the rest of their games, either, as their slow start does not afford them that luxury. They will have to go through a handful of intriguing teams to make the postseason.

The Broncos are currently leading the pack of teams with a surprising 5-4 record.

Sean Payton is figuring out how to win with Bo Nix. While they have won a handful of games, including one over New York, they have crumbled against their better opponents. The Jets could anticipate them not keeping pace and falling out of contention in the second half. They still have to play the Kansas City Chiefs twice, after all.

The Bengals may be the only team on this list underperforming more than the Jets right now. Even with their defensive deficiencies, their roster is too good to be 4-5. They would make the most sense to catch fire down the road and be difficult for New York to catch.

Unlike the other squads, the Colts sitting at 4-5 and just outside the postseason seems to fit. Anthony Richardson is still undergoing massive growing pains. The offense is too uninspiring to expect a hot streak down the stretch.

The Jets will have to fight, especially to stay ahead of Cincinnati, but this seems like a group that they at least have a chance to jump ahead of.