The New York Jets are winning. That is a big deal because, prior to this season, no one expected them to perform particularly well. Now Todd Bowles’ side is gearing up for a fight against the Patriots and theNY Jets odds for the game are actually not abysmal.
A 3-2 record doesn’t sound that impressive. But that is only if you fail to account for the Jets’ current position as contenders for first place in the AFC East where they are tied with the Patriots and the Bills.
Of course, everything could change if the Patriots come to the MetLife Stadium and absolutely demolish New York on Sunday. Cornerback Morris Claiborne was barely convinced by the team’s win over the Browns.
The sloppy Sunday victory saw the Jets leave the field with 212 total yards and 34 rushing yards. The Browns, to an extent, made the game a little easy for the Jets. A better team would have used New York’s many mistakes to demolish them.
But the Browns were too busy missing field goals and leaving points all over the place to present a true challenge to New York. Bowles was glad for the team’s first road win. Sloppy as it might have been, it was better than losing.
Wins are not easy to come by in the NFL and, at the very least the Jets showed a determination to persevere even in the face of their lackluster performance. A weaker team might have taken the mistakes as an excuse to lie down and die.
New York has three wins in a row to their name. But even if they are defying expectations, no one will take them seriously until they beat the Patriots. The Jaguars, Dolphins, and Browns were decent opponents but it will take a victory over a top level team like the Patriots to convince all the naysayers.
The victories over the Browns, Jaguars, and Dolphins cannot be discarded, though. People have been speaking ill of the Jets for a long time. And it has never been more important than it is now for New York players to believe in one another.
That confidence is crucial, especially when so many voices are pronouncing doom and gloom over you. Each new victory gives Jets players more confidence in their abilities. And they are going to require that confidence to take on the Patriots.
The first part of the Browns game was shameful. The Jets looked like they were sleepwalking at the start. It wasn’t until the second half that they finally began to pull away.
Interestingly, it is because of games like the one against the Browns that New York needs to beat the Patriots. The Browns were really weak. It was one bad call from Coach Hue Jackson after another, and yet the Jets still could have lost.
They need to deliver some solid performances if they want people to start believing in them. There were a few standout moments. Josh McCown is still talking about the team’s 97-yard drive, the first sustained drive of the day for the team.
If the Jets deliver a similar performance against the Patriots, they will lose.