New York Jets glass half full, half empty

The New York Jets are heading into their Week 7 bye with a 3-3 record, which is quite a feat considering how their season started. Even so, having the capability to win a few games but not being talented enough to contend for a championship isn't ideal and not the fate the Jets want.

Glass half full: No Aaron Rodgers, no problem?

If quarterback Aaron Rodgers hadn't suffered a season-ending Achilles injury during his first drive with the Jets, we'd most likely be talking about them as a Super Bowl contender. But as it turns out, the Zach Wilson-led Jets are pretty solid, too. The Jets have a shot at making the playoffs if they continue playing the way they have.

Although the defense might seem inferior to last season's unit based on total yardage and points allowed, it had to face a number of high-profile quarterbacks and, all things considered, dominated them. Against Kansas City's Patrick Mahomes, Philadelphia's Jalen Hurts and Buffalo's Josh Allen — the top three MVP vote-getters last season — the Jets allowed a combined 719 passing yards and three touchdown passes and made eight interceptions.

A strong defense can compensate for a number of weaknesses, and an effective running game can, too, which New York also boasts thanks to RB Breece Hall, who ranks eighth in rushing yards (426). As long as Wilson plays cleanly as he has over the past four games (62.7% completion rate and one interception), New York's defense and rushing attack can propel it to the playoffs. 

Glass half empty: It's playoffs or bust at this point

Despite the potential this team is showing, New York shouldn't start planning a trip to the wild-card round yet. The Jets are one of five AFC teams with a 3-3 record and would be left out of the playoff picture if the season ended today. While their toughest stretch of games is behind them, the upcoming schedule shouldn't be taken lightly.

Per Tankathon, the Jets have the 14th-most difficult remaining schedule based on opponents' records. This might seem manageable, though they have several formidable matchups ahead, including two meetings with Miami, one game in Buffalo and crucial contests against the Chargers and Browns. Those games will be pivotal for playoff seeding. The Jets also play at New England in Week 18, and while the Patriots are arguably the worst team in the league, New York has not beaten them since 2015.

The wins are exciting now, and with the talent on the roster, more victories should come. However, if the Jets can't reach the postseason, they'll likely miss out on a top-15 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, which will feature elite prospects at the top of the board. In Jets Land, the draft may be the furthest thing from anyone's mind, but not adding another game-changing piece to a stellar young core could be as devastating as missing the playoffs.