One more sleep: What to expect from the Jets in 2024

Roundtable predictions from the Just Jets staff for the 2024-25 season that kicks off tomorrow.

It’s Sunday morning and we are officially on the doorstep of the 2024-25 season kicking off for the New York Jets.

Today on Just Jets, our staff offers their final quick thoughts and predictions for the season ahead of tomorrow night’s opener…

Rich MacLeod

It’s hard to believe that we’re only a day away from (hopefully) seeing the dream that went unrealized last season – Aaron Rodgers leading the Jets to the postseason. I wrote recently about guarding my heart and being cautious with hope, but it’s hard not to look at this team and not see one of the most talented rosters in the entire league. And when the hell have we ever been able to say that?

Alongside Rodgers there are legitimate playmakers on offense with Breece Hall, Garrett Wilson, Mike Williams, Tyler Conklin and rookie Braelon Allen with the protection of a greatly improved offensive line. And the defense is even more loaded with the best secondary in the league and a dynamic pass rush, even if Haasan Reddick isn’t showing up anytime soon.

Oh, and we never have to watch Zach Wilson play ever again.

The questions will, of course, come down to coaching and if this team can stay healthy. But this is the NFL – every single team no matter who the personnel is or how old their QB is has to worry about injuries. Rodgers’ successor Jordan Love is 25-years-old and went down with an MCL injury already. It can happen to anyone.

All I know is that this is a Jets franchise that appears to be on the rise. If this were any other woebegone franchise, I think there’d be a lot more national hype about the turnaround. They did it with the Bills, the Bengals, the Browns, the Jaguars, and so many others. For whatever reason, the Jets are just one of those teams that people try to will to stay down in the dumps. And despite my fears, I don’t think that’s going to happen this year. The playoff drought ends now.

Prediction: 12-5 (AFC East Champs)
Lose to Ravens in AFC Championship Game

Ryan Marcone

A season that's been two years in the making kicks off on Monday night, and I think Jets fans finally get the year they were promised 365 days ago. We'll all be holding our collective breath any time Aaron Rodgers hits the ground, but I think the re-tooled offensive line will be able to keep the pilot of the Jets healthy for the large majority of the season. I think the Jets will be in contention with Miami all season for the division, but Miami's late season schedule gets pretty rough, and I still don't trust that team in the colder months. The AFC East title comes down to the last game of the season with Miami at MetLife, and the Jets take home just their third Division Championship, the first in 22 years, on the way to a long playoff run that unfortunately ends one game short of a Super Bowl appearance.

Prediction: 12-5 (AFC East Champs)
Lose to Chiefs in AFC Championship Game

Ras Guevara

In a recent media scrum, Sauce Gardner was asked what he expected heading into the season. He responded, “We always go into the year with high hopes.” But as many Jets fans can attest, high hopes and our team have rarely gone hand-in-hand. Last year, expectations were sky-high, and we know how that worked out. And yet, we somehow managed to win seven games.

This season, the schedule is favorable. The defense is still formidable. And Aaron Rodgers, along with the rebuilt offensive line, can certainly account for four more wins than a team led by Zach Wilson. I know we will field a competitive team that, if it remains healthy, can make some real noise come playoff time. But, I think our realistic ceiling might be conference championship round. I pray that I’m wrong and we make an even more historic run.

Prediction: 11-6 (AFC East Champs)
Lose to Ravens in AFC Championship Game

Mark Levine

The schedule is very favorable through the first eight weeks. The Jets get to face a team that should be one of, if not the worst in the league this season twice early on in New England. They also get to see a rookie in Bo Nix and a 2nd year QB Will Levis. I could see the Jets starting off 6-2 before heading into a tough Halloween matchup against the Texans. Coming out of the Week 12 bye, the team doesn’t have to travel any farther west than Jacksonville, with their only road games coming against the Dolphins, Jaguars and Bills. I think the Jets have a real shot at finishing 12-5, barring another catastrophic injury to Aaron Rodgers. That should be good enough for at minimum, the AFC East crown and a first round home game.

The 13-year playoff drought will finally end, and I could even see a matchup against the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs somewhere down the line. The ceiling is the roof, as Michael Jordan would say, and with a little luck perhaps the Jets could even be hoisting the Lombardi trophy on February 9th. One can dream, but that being said…

Prediction: 12-5 (AFC East Champs)
Lose to Chiefs in AFC Championship Game