As long as Aaron Rodgers, Mike Williams, and Tyron Smith stay healthy the New York Jets are Super Bowl contenders.
Health is going to play a huge factor in the season for the Jets in 2024. Aaron Rodgers is coming off of an Achilles tear, and the recent additions — Mike Williams and Tyron Smith — are both coming off seasons where time was missed due to injury. For Williams, it was an ACL tear, and for Smith, it was a lingering injury that cause him to miss four games but non-consecutively.
According to Antwan Staley of the New York Daily News, he said he was on schedule for a Week 1 return.
Mike Williams says his rehab (ACL) is right on schedule and everything is looking good. Says he expects to be ready for Week 1 #Jets
— Antwan V. Staley (@antwanstaley) March 20, 2024
The Jets have all the pieces in place for the offense to run successfully with Rodgers running it. He loves to throw the ball either deep or at or behind the line of scrimmage. Those latter roles can now be utilized by Garrett Wilson and Breece Hall. With the addition of Mike Williams, now both he and Wilson can be deep-shot wide receivers.
Aaron Rodgers also stays away from the middle of the field.
“Success Rate”
Pro Football Reference defines success rate as the gaining following:
- 40% of the yards on first down
- 60% of the yards to go on second down
- 100% of the yards to go on third or fourth down
Tyler Conklin has proven to be a reliable receiving option throughout his career. With Rodgers at quarterback, he will be in a better position to have a high success rate. IN 2020, when Allen Lazard had a much less prominent role, he proved he can handle being reliable when called upon. So, with Aaron Rodgers at quarterback, and a less prominent role, he should be able to have a crucial role for the team. That would be keeping the on or ahead of schedule when called upon, but limiting the times he’s asked to do so.
Playoff contender vs. Super Bowl Contender
Typically, fans and the media will delineate the difference between a Super Bowl contender and a playoff contender. A team would typically be referred to a “just a playoff contender” when they’re “not good enough” to make it to the Super Bowl. A “Super Bowl contender” is someone many deem “good enough to compete for a championship”.
The problem is that there is no difference. The NFL Playoffs is a single-elimination tournament. That means it doesn’t matter which team is the better team. It means the team just has to play better than their opponents in a given game. Each game is, in theory, a distinct event. So, technically, the Playoffs are comprised of 13 separate one-game seasons. That means a playoff contender is a Super Bowl contender. That’s why the Jets are a Super Bowl contender.
“If they can stay healthy…”
The Jets have been no stranger to injuries in recent years. Breece Hall, Tyron Smith, Mike Williams, Alijah Vera-Tucker, and Aaron Rodgers all have sustained major injuries in the last few years. Even recently added right tackle Morgan Moses said he played through a torn pectoral muscle last season.
The Jets haven’t played a playoff game since January 23, 2011 — 4,736 days before the start of the 2024 playoffs. Additionally, it will have been 8,042 days since the last Jets home playoff game (but who’s counting).
If this team can stay healthy, they will be in contention for their first Playoff appearance since the 2010 season, and they will be in contention, come December, to win the franchise’s fifth AFL or AFC East title.
Main Photo: Mark Hoffman-USA TODAY NETWORK
