About That Easy Jets Second Half Schedule…

Johnson Brother Set To Tag In Again

John Munson | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

You won’t find any preseason game-by-game predictions among the archives here. It’s hard enough picking the games a few days in advance (though, for the record, my Jets picks against the spread are 7-2). The old Mike Francesca/Chris Russo “That’s a win. That’s loss” exercise seems pointless to me. So much changes in the NFL over the course of any season that where once you foresaw an easy stretch of opponents on the upcoming schedule, a few weeks later it could easily evolve into a sudden increase in degree of difficulty. And vice versa.

Just look at the pair of late season meetings the Jets have slated against the Dolphins. In the preseason, Miami, with their ludicrous speed, appeared to be a team capable of playoff contention. You’d have figured that a split would have been an acceptable outcome. Then quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was concussed in Week 2, and since the organization again neglected the backup position, those two contests looked like gimmes for the Jets win bank.

Well, Tagovailoa is back, and while Miami lost his first two games, those Jets matchups certainly no longer look easy. Unless Tagovailoa suffers another horrible misfortune, that is, which is not something anyone should be rooting for.

Arizona, Sunday’s Jets opponent, is a prime example of a team which has grown from low preseason expectations. The NFC West-leading Cardinals (5-4) have tight wins over the Dolphins, Chargers, and 49ers under their belt while dropping one-score games to Buffalo and Detroit. To suggest that this will be a Jets cakewalk is pure fantasy. They aren’t even favored on Sunday, and Las Vegas has seemingly liked the Jets over everybody this season.

The Cardinals offense has everything the Jets would deem as their Kryptonite—a running quarterback in Kyler Murray (third in total rushing yards and second in yards per rush attempt among QBs); a tough, between-the-tackles back in James Connor (fourth in the NFL in yards after contact among the 31 RBs with at least 80 carries this season, per ProFootballFocus.com); and a receiving threat at tight end in Trey McBride (third in receptions and fifth in first downs among TEs).

It's not like the Jets (3-6) can afford a slip-up in the desert. They nearly ran out of rope with that disgraceful 25-22 loss at lowly New England two weeks ago.  Every 10-7 team has qualified for the playoffs since the NFL expanded to 17 games in 2021, but do the Jets really think they can run the table thereafter?

The folks who once assessed New York’s second-half schedule as “easy” because flailing teams like Jacksonville and Indianapolis are on it need to recalibrate. After Arizona, the Jets are no sure things in many of their other remaining games either. The Rams look a lot different with receivers Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua available to catch passes from Matthew Stafford. Road trips to Buffalo have been nightmares.

And then there are the two Dolphins contests, including the season finale at MetLife Stadium. It would take a miracle for that game to even matter.

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As if Donald Trump’s election victory wasn’t bad enough for those of us in the New York/New Jersey region, he will again have the power as President to impact the Jets. In his last Administration, Trump named Jets owner Woody Johnson his Ambassador to the United Kingdom, forcing Johnson to pass on the day-to-day football responsibilities to his younger brother Christopher. Reports indicate that Woody Johnson will serve again in some capacity in 2025.

Like how some people have a warped sense of nostalgia for Trump’s chaotic first term in office, there are many in the media who are now similarly pumping up Christopher Johnson, noting how well-liked he was among the players when he was atop the Jets’ organizational chart.

Let’s set the record straight. Gang Green went 18-46 over those four years. Christopher Johnson was namely in charge for the hirings of Head Coach Adam Gase and General Manager Joe Douglas and the drafting of quarterback Sam Darnold (Woody returned in time for the Zach Wilson pick in 2021). The Gase decision stands out because only a few weeks after the Dolphins fired Gase following a season of turmoil, Christoper was reportedly swayed by a phone call from notorious Jets villain Peyton Manning. Some due diligence.

Look, neither Johnson has acquitted himself well as the Jets primary steward, which is why this franchise is en route to missing the playoffs for a 14^th consecutive season, the longest drought among all teams in the four major pro sports leagues. The only way another Woody Johnson service to Trump would work in the Jets’ favor is if the brothers decide to offload the operation to a real President of Football, giving him powers that not even Douglas, who ducked questions about his involvement (or lack thereof) in Robert Saleh’s firing as Head Coach after Week 5 during Wednesday’s short press conference, has.

Of course, ceding power is not in a Trumpist’s DNA.

Prediction: Cardinals 22 Jets 16