The Jets are about to enter unfamiliar territory — a playoff chase.
For the primary time in seven years, the Jets are truly within the thick of the AFC playoff race with six games left within the season. They’re playing meaningful games in December — something that was a stated goal from members of the organization within the offseason.
“You acknowledge the indisputable fact that we’ve got a probability to play some cool games,” Jets coach Robert Saleh said. “And we acknowledge the chance that we’ve, but the chance doesn’t exist if we give attention to our moment. … You bought to give attention to the method. Should you’re busy counting wins and searching at things you have got zero control over, you’re missing on the chance to give attention to the things you have got control over. So, while we acknowledge our opportunity, hopefully we recognize that that chance won’t exist if we’re not caring for our jobs.”
The Jets can be the No. 7 seed if the season ended now, in order that they are in command of their playoff lives. They start the ultimate push to make it there Sunday in Minnesota against a 9-2 Vikings team.
“We got an excellent opponent we’re going to go visit,” Saleh said. “They’re vying for his or her primary seed. They’ve got championship thoughts on their mind, so we got an excellent challenge on our hands, but for us, we just got to remain within the moment and give attention to us. Similar to you dig on the tape while you lose to search out ways to recuperate, you bought to do the identical digging while you win and find ways to proceed to recuperate. Confident group, we just got to proceed to maintain that confidence and proceed to arrange the best way we understand how.”
The Jets got here to life on Sunday against the Bears with Mike White at quarterback. White will now face a tougher challenge playing the Vikings on the road, despite the fact that the Vikings have the worst passing defense within the NFL, allowing 276.1 yards per game through the air. The Jets even have road games with the Bills, Seahawks and Dolphins on the schedule, so grabbing their first playoff berth in 12 years won’t be easy.
The last time the Jets even sniffed the playoffs was in 2015 after they won five games in a row to make it to 10-5 entering the ultimate week of the season. Those Jets were upset by the Bills in Buffalo and the Jets haven’t been near the playoffs since.
At 7-4, the Jets have their best record through 11 games since 2010. They’ve been 3-8, 4-7, 3-8, 4-7, 0-11 and 3-8 through 11 games in each season since 2016.
“It’s great to be where we’re,” Saleh said. “We expected to have a competitive football team, but at the identical time we haven’t completed anything, there’s still six games left. There’s still numerous football available, we’ve got six really good opponents that we get to go play, first one being Minnesota. I all the time say there’s just one team completely happy at the top of the yr, and the main target, you only got to give attention to your moment. It’s awesome to be where we’re without delay, like we said playing meaningful games, it’s fun, it gives you purpose, it permits you to play for something greater than only a paycheck. But at the identical time, we’ve just got to give attention to our moment.”
The Jets signed RB Jonathan Ward and LB Kai Nacua to the practice squad. They released DL Marquiss Spencer and WR Diontae Spencer from the practice squad.