All in With John Jastremski

Rock Bottom Redefined. The 2024 New York Jets Story… So Far… 

I think it would be fair to say that the New York Jets have seen a lot of low’s over the past 13 years as a franchise. 

After all, when you have the longest playoff drought in professional sports, how could one expect anything else? 

This season was supposed to be different. Was the Jets roster perfect coming into the year? Of course not. 

Did I have serious questions about the coaching staff and the age, health and status of the future Hall Of Fame quarterback?  Most certainly. 

However, I never could have forecasted how rotten and how miserable this season has been nearing the halfway point of 2024. 

The Jets, with a healthy Aaron Rodgers at quarterback, are 2-6 through their first 8 games of the year. Sunday’s loss to the lowly New England Patriots was a master class in ineptitude. The New England Patriots are one of the 3 worst teams in football. 

The Jets knocked out their starting quarterback. However, they allowed the backup Jacoby Brissett to march right down the field with the game on the line and score a go ahead touchdown. 

The defense was supposed to be the great strength of the team and has been as underwhelming as it gets. 

The fact that the Jets had to sweat out a final drive of the game against a team as lowly as the Patriots should speak volumes. The Jets burned all three of their first half timeouts before the end of the first quarter. 

The offense consistently could not get to the line of scrimmage with a play set.  It’s 8 games into the season, you have to wonder what exactly the Jets are working on in practice. 

On the final Jets touchdown late in the 4th quarter before the Brissett heroics and tragic defense, the offense had to take a delay of game penalty on a potential 2 point play. 

A 2 point play that could’ve pushed the lead to a full touchdown.  Did that failure at the line of scrimmage loom large? Of course it did… 

Oh did I mention, the Jets also missed a field goal and extra point. Don’t forget about that common thread of failure throughout the season! 

The Jets failures of 2024 are so complex.  The defense has taken a monumental step back. 

Potential cornerstone players such as Breece Hall, Garrett Wilson and Sauce Gardner have all underwhelmed for good chunks of the season. 

Aaron Rodgers has been solid, but has looked the part at times of a 40 year old quarterback. 

Rodgers was not going to be able to carry this team himself, but the Jets have played worse and have won less games than they did at this point last season with Zach Wilson as their starting quarterback. 

 The vibe has been off all season for the Jets. 

A coaching change, close losses and a year that has symbolized “Same Old Jets” in so many different ways. 

It was not supposed to be like this… 

The Jets have the longest playoff drought in professional sports. 

Unless you believe in miracles, that drought is on its way to extending another year and another hopeless franchise crossroads awaits..

The Mets were one of the best teams in baseball from June on, but it was a mad dash to qualify for the postseason. 

What the fan base will remember more than anything about this 2024 season is the never say die attitude of the club. 

The Mets put together two of the best wins that I can ever remember in the span of a week. 

The Francisco Lindor homer to send the Mets to the postseason and the Pete Alonso homer to keep the season alive in the best of 3 against the Milwaukee Brewers are moments that live forever. 

You will see those two clips at Citi Field for years and years to come. 

Sadly, the Mets season fell short in the NLCS against the Dodgers. 

Simply put, they lost to the better baseball team. 

There’s no shame in that. 

The Mets are in the best shape they’ve been as a franchise as a long time. 

The infrastructure of the organization from owner Steve Cohen, GM David Stearns and Manager Carlos Mendoza could not be any more sound. 

The Mets have a nucleus of players that you as a fan should feel good about. led of course by Lindor. 

2024 was unexpected, it was a feel good house money ride. 

That won’t be the case next season, but the franchise is ready to embrace expectations. 

Now that the dust has settled on 2024, Mets fans will be smiling a lot thinking about their season. 

Yeah, you’ll smile about Grimace and OMG, but I think the last week of the regular season and the first week of the postseason will have you smiling even more. 

Hats off on a tremendous run.