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The Jets dropped their second straight game, a 23-10 loss to the Ravens on Sunday and are now 2-9. Here are some thoughts and observations from the game:
1. We’re entering into the “building for next year” phase of the season. The Jets are dead for 2025 and going nowhere. So now we’re going to start looking for positives entering the offseason. I get this, and I’m guilty of doing it, too, but in my experience it is a very tough thing to gauge. It is mainly a function of there not being much to discuss about a team with such a poor record and a team like the Jets, where there is not a coaching change coming.
Judging by some of the postgame reactions on Sunday, it struck me that people are really squinting to find signs of optimism. John Metchie had a nice game, but it felt like his six-catch performance was being treated like the Jets added Jerry Rice at the deadline. Metchie likely will be a part of the 2026 Jets (he is a restricted free agent), but he should be a No. 3 receiver at best. No one should get carried away.
The Jets also get credit for fighting and not rolling over in these games with better teams. I think that is fair, but I would caution to not read too much into that for 2026. There is very little carry over from season to season. Every year starts new with new players and a new schedule and new challenges. I remember in 2013 the Jets won three of their last four games to finish 8-8 and then retained Rex Ryan as coach. The talk that year was about the momentum they built going into 2014. But GM John Idzik botched free agency and, particularly, the draft that year. That left the Jets thin at cornerback and then Geno Smith took a step back. The Jets went 4-12 in 2014 and hit the reset button in 2015.
