When the Jets and the Jaguars look back at their 2024 seasons, they each are likely to ponder what might have been. The Jets, who have lost seven games by 6 points or fewer, and the Jaguars, who have lost seven contests by 5 points or fewer, will meet Sunday in Duval County, FL, in a matchup of 3-10 clubs.
"It's an opportunity to demonstrate your mental strength," said interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich of a Jets team that has lost its past three games by 12 points, including last Sunday's 32-26 OT defeat at the hands of the Dolphins. "We preach that on a daily basis to try to stay in the moment, but there is a human nature element to this game. And when you've lost a lot, there is that that you fight and you combat. But it's going to take this entire team, coaches, players, organization to get the culture here turned and that only comes with winning. It only comes with success, so that's what we have to change that mindset around here."
Situational Football Hasn't Been There
The Jets and the Jaguars are two of the five NFL teams with 3-10 marks. While the Jets couldn't hang onto a pair of fourth-quarter leads last week in South Florida, the Jags snapped a four-game losing streak with a 10-6 win over the Titans in Nashville.
"That's what's made the previous weeks so tough, not coming out with a win," said TE Evan Engram to Jaguars.com. "I said it all last week. Obviously, this season is tough, but guys are still committing. Guys are still buying in. Guys are still coming here every single day trying to make it right.
"Sunday was a great win for us. We're going to look to continue to finish, and see what we can do in these next four."
Despite their extra session defeat in South Florida, Aaron Rodgers and the Jets offense looked as dangerous as it has all season. With a healthy Rodgers in attack mode, he threw for 300-plus yards (339) for the first time in 35 games and Davante Adams (9-109-1TD) and Garrett Wilson (7-114) combined for 16 catches, 223 yards and 1 TD on 21 targets. The Jaguars defense, which ranks 32nd in total yards (396.1 yds/g) and yards per play (7.77), could be an inviting target.
"Situational football hasn't been there for us and that's why we haven't gotten to 30 (points)," Rodgers said. "Thirty is kind of the magic number, so still trying to get there."
'Not Filling Up our End'
The Jets scored on their first five possessions last week, the defense allowed scores to Miami on seven of its 10 drives while not recording a sack or a takeaway. They'll look to rebound against a familiar face in Mac Jones, who will make his second consecutive start and fourth this season in place of Trevor Lawrence. Although Jones, the former New England Patriot player, is 5-0 vs. the Jets, the Jags have been limited to 23 points in his three starts this season and he has 5 INTs and 0 TDs in those games. The Jets have impressive statistics in several defensive categories, but they have 2 INTs and have been unable to close in a plethora of contests.
"We have to play like we were the last couple of years, where it was like we're not really expecting our offense to score that many points – we have to win the game ourselves," said CB Sauce Gardner, who will return to the lineup after missing the Dolphins game with a tight hamstring. "I don't know, maybe we got too comfortable having all those playmakers on offense to the point where it's like we're not filling up our end of the bargain. That's what I feel like. We have to be better on defense."
Since their Thursday night throttling over the Patriots in Week 3, the Jets have lost nine of 10 and seven of those defeats have been decided by 3.6 pts/g. They've lost five games in which they have held a fourth-quarter lead and they've done it in three straight games.
"I don't know what the proper nomenclature is for the situation where we've lost some leads or haven't been able to take the lead late in the game but that's the way it goes sometimes," Rodgers said. "We haven't been great in situational football. Lot of those games come down to the plays in the first and second even third quarter where if you make the play the game is not in that situation, but in those situations, we haven't been very good on offense or defense or even teams."
It's Always Motivating to Me
With four games remaining, the Jets insist they have a lot to play for. Jeff Ulbrich, an old-school former linebacker who played 10 seasons in the league, consistently emphasizes the truth that is revealed between the white lines.
"Everything that you do when you cross that line is on tape," he said. "And it's what's so beautiful about this league because there is no faking it, there is not hiding. You are who you are, so we have to play our best football for all our sakes both personally and professionally."
In the Jets' last two road games, middle linebacker Jamien Sherwood set career highs with 17 tackles in Arizona and then 18 stops in Miami. He will continue to play like nothing is promised in Jacksonville on a team has shown promise but rarely has had the opportunity to celebrate.
"As much as its frustrating and heartbreaking, it's still motivating for me because we still have four opportunities to get some wins on the board," Sherwood said. "I don't want to finish the season with just three wins because we have the roster to be better than that and have a better record that than. So, it's always motivating to me because there is still more out there on the table, there are still opportunities to get better and there are still plays for us to make to win these games."
Self-Inflicted Wounds
A key focus for the Jets will be playing with a more-disciplined approach. The Jets' defense played a strong game against the Seahawks in Week 13 – a 26-21 loss – allowing 19 points and 259 total yards, Seattle's second-lowest yardage total this season.
On Seattle's game-winning drive, however, the Jets gifted the Seahawks 45 yards on 4 penalties, including 2 that resulted in first downs and another that turned a fourth-and-6 into a fourth-and-1. For the year, the Jets average the third-most penalties per game (7.4) in the NFL.
"A disciplined player is one that executes his job to the best of his ability every single play and you see that," Jeff Ulbrich said. "That doesn't necessarily mean they win or lose the down, it means they are executing, that is what we're trying to teach here."
Six of the Jets' 9 losses this season have come by one score.
"We just need to go out there and execute at the highest level," Tony Adams said. "There has to be a trust in your teammates to execute, play without penalties, play fast and play relentlessly. I appreciate all my teammates, and I trust that regardless of our record, we are going to go out there and execute."