Well, the 2022 NFL season is over…at least for the New York Jets. While 14 teams made the NFL playoffs, the Jets will be watching from home for the 12th year in a row. That’s right. The 12th year in a row. Which is the longest streak in the league in case you are wondering.
A quick season recap
And for much of the season, it actually looked like the New York Jets would break this streak in 2022. A little past midseason, the Jets record stood at 7-4, holding tight onto a wild card spot. The had beaten my hometown Buffalo Bills and boasted a top defense. In fact, their success even prompted me to write this post on their surprising season!
So, what happened next? Well, they promptly lost 6 games in a row. To tie a team record for most losses in a row. Even after losing 4 games in a row, they found themselves in position to make the playoffs just by winning their last 2 games. But no. They lost them both.
How did this compare to expectations for the New York Jets 2022 season?
I guess it depends on how you look at it.
Coming into the season, there were not high expectations for the Jets. Most “experts” predicted the Jets would win a total of 6 games. So, in the middle of the season, the Jets were one of the biggest surprises in the league! But, by the end of the season, they only exceeded this prediction by 1 win.
Put in another perspective, Jets general manager Joe Douglas said at the beginning of the season was to be playing “meaningful games” in December. And the last time the Jets were playing meaningful games in December was when I was a 3rd year resident – so awhile ago.
Based on that goal, this season was more on the successful side of the spectrum. The problem is just that they lost every single game in December – all of which were meaningful.
But I will say, it was fun to actually “be in the running” for this year. Based on our hot start, the Jets should have made the playoffs. So there was a lot of disappointment in the end. However, I didn’t expect to be competitive enough to be disappointed…so that was a nice thing to feel. If that makes sense at all.
Biggest successes for the 2022 New York Jets season
In my minds, there were two major successes this season for the Jets:
- The development and success of their rookies
- Their dominant defense
The Jets are a young team. A ton of rookie and second year players held major responsibilities for them this year. Their three 2022 first round picks and one second round pick all balled out. Sauce Gardner, their top pick, and Garrett Wilson, their second first round pick, project to win the Defensive and Offensive Rookie of the Year awards respectively. Brice Hall likely would have contended for the OROY award had he not suffered a season ending injury in the middle of the season.
Meanwhile, their defense developed into one of the most dominant units in the NFL. They did suffer a few big breakdowns in the later season, but overall they were a great unit.
The biggest failure for the 2022 New York Jets season
This one is easy. And ultimately it is the reason they failed to make the playoffs.
The Jets continued to fail to develop a starting quarterback. Over the season, they started Joe Flacco then Zach Wilson then Mike White then Zach Wilson then Mike White and then Joe Flacco.
Hardly a recipe for success.
The biggest issue remains the lack of progress seen with Zach Wilson, who they drafted second overall just 1 year ago. At points of the season, he played so poorly that he was not just benched, but deactivated, for a mental “reset.”
Mike White again showed flashes of being “the guy.” However, injuries limited his ability to produce and take hold of the position.
By far the biggest offseason goal for the Jets is to stabilize the quarterback position.
I will lastly note here that the offensive line was a big disappointment and certainly contributed to poor QB play. Another area of focus for the offseason…
My final grade
In the end, my grade for the 2022 New York Jets season is C.
They passed. But not by a lot. And certainly not in style. I’m sure this grade is influenced by recency bias. If you told me at the beginning of the year that the Jets would be competing for a playoff spot for the majority of the year, I would have been excited.
But I can’t forget their late season collapse. So, a C it is.
But, as all Jets fans know, there is always next year…
Anyway, here are some of my favorite personal finance posts for those of you who made it this far!
- How Much Is Enough Retirement Savings?
- Debunking the Myth of the Doctor Car!
- Physician Side Gigs to Make You Passive Money
What do you think? How did your favorite NFL team do? What do they need to improve on? Why do I keep letting the Jets back into my life? Let me know in the comments below!
Vikings fan. Since birth … almost. Remember the Raiders Superbowl game in ’76 season, was around 7 at the time. My father, and Garth McGee, throwing martini glasses into the fireplace in disgust somewhere early in the 3rd quarter. The fire seemed to enjoy the addition.
Vikes grade: B+. Defense will be the end of them, perhaps even today against your other NY team. Jefferson going to be 35M/year receiver. Cousins is tough as they come. We need some speed and youth at LB.
Always enjoy the season, especially the shi** talking text string that goes on every game between two longtime friends and my brother.
Being a Jets fan tough. Not sure anyone can be worse off than Lions fan. But Vikes. They have had so many years….where….it should/could have happened. Maybe that is worse. The promise (15-1, Atlanta loss anyone?).
The failure. (last five NFC Championship games…38-7, 31-28, 41-0, 30-27, 17-10). NFC Champ practiced for Superbowl at my college in ’88…hung out with Dexter Manley in the weight room instead of Keith Millard. Bitter.
The Giants loss (41-0), I think I kicked people out of my house before halftime. Didnt get out of the kitchen until 8 or 9 minutes into the game, and we were already 14 down. The Philly lost a few years ago, had learned my lesson. Friends of the Eagles texted me after Vikes went up 7-0. Told them “just wait”. Didnt take long.
Standing marriage rule: If Vikes ever get into Superbowl – I am gone for a week. May be the only time I get the chance to see it.
Jets. I don’t think of failure. I still think of Joe Namath. And the days of your Gang Green. But. I can’t remember your last good QB.
Good luck next year. Hoping the price of the NFL package drops with it moving over to Youtube. Its one of a few financially irresponsible decisions I make at midnight the day before the season opener, almost religiously.
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Hey Paul, Vikes definitely have their share in terms of tortured history! They are solid this year but their point differential makes me nervous.
And you did remember the last good jets qbā¦Namath š
Good luck in the playoffs!