New York Jets Writer Shares Tough Prediction for Team in Second Half of Season

The New York Jets have a chance to get on track in the second half, but one writer believes they will fall short of their ultimate goal.

Oct 31, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Jets interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich coaches against the Houston Texans during the fourth quarter at MetLife Stadium. / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The New York Jets picked up a season-saving victory in Week 9 when they defeated the Houston Texans on Thursday Night Football 21-13. That win snapped a five-game losing streak, improving their record to 3-6 on the season.

With the NFL trade deadline now behind us as well, we know the team that the Jets will be rolling with in the second half. It won’t include wide receiver Mike Williams, who was traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers in exchange for a fifth-round pick.

That was the only move New York made on deadline day, as the prediction so things being quiet came true. They made their biggest move already, acquiring Davante Adams from the Las Vegas Raiders, which led to the Williams speculation.

Now, the focus will solely be on the field. And there were some real positives in that regard against the Texans.

After being shutout in the first half, they scored touchdowns on all three of their second-half possessions. Aaron Rodgers was in a rhythm, as things clicked on all cylinders with Adams and Garrett Wilson both torching a talented Houston secondary.

Defensively, the presence of Haason Reddick was felt.

He made his season debut the previous week against the New England Patriots and you wouldn’t have known it with the lack of impact he had. That was not the case on Thursday night, as he was a one-man wrecking crew.

Despite not recording any sacks himself, the Jets had eight as a team and the veteran was living in the backfield. He made life miserable for C.J. Stroud all evening, as he completed only 11-of-30 passes for 191 scoreless yards.

With things seemingly beginning to click, is there enough time in the season for New York to climb out of this hole? Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic believes that a corner has been turned, but the final outcome will be one that disappoints.

“Eight wins would mean the Jets finished the season on a 6-3 run. Ultimately, I think they dug themselves in too deep a hole to turn it all the way around and make the playoffs. Fans (understandably) wouldn’t be happy with falling short of the postseason for the 14th straight year, but that finish might be enough to convince owner Woody Johnson to run it back with Rodgers, Adams and Ulbrich in 2025. Whether that would be the right decision is another matter,” he wrote.

An 8-9 finish would certainly leave the franchise in a bit of a tough spot. Is running things back with this core worth it? How will the dynamic change if Woody Johnson departs again after the results of the Presidential Election?

A strong second half that results in a middle-of-the-road overall season could leave the Jets with similar issues in 2025 that they are battling now.