On a Thanksgiving weekend, when the weather is grounding jets all over the country, Jets are flying high in New York. On Sunday, the football Jets are favored to win their fourth consecutive game. How did the team go from ho-hum to ‘Oh, yeah!?”
Blame mononucleosis. If it wasn’t for Sam Darnold’s affliction, the New York Jets might be contending for a playoff spot now. But it could have been worse, much worse, and for a long time, it certainly looked that way. Then came the turnaround. NYJ is on a three-game winning streak, sits currently at 4-7, and is favored to beat the winless Bengals on Sunday.
Courtesy: NFL.com
A few weeks ago nobody thought the Jets could be standing at 5-7 after twelve games–not for a team that started 0-4 and were beaten by the Dolphins (yes, lowly Miami) before things turned north. Now, though, these J-E-T-S have taken flight–and the horizon looks clear and bright.
The Jets have been long known for being booed on Draft Day. TV pictures hold legendary status. But in 2018, Gang Green’s fans cheered as the organization drafted what many thought would be their franchise quarterback, USC’s Sam Darnold.
Despite the team’s struggles, Darnold has shown teammates and fans why he was the 3rd overall pick. Last year, the rookie looked comfortable in the pocket and gained confidence as the season progressed. Like most rookie QBs, Darnold threw a lot of interceptions (15), but he also tossed TD passes (17).
2019 was supposed to be the year that Darnold would make the leap from ‘nice prospect’ to ‘solid starting quarterback.’ To help, the Jets added to the supporting cast with players like Le’Veon Bell and C.J. Mosley. But then mononucleosis struck, and Darnold missed three games just one week into the season.
Darnold has taken the controls in NY (photo, Chat Sports)
The impact? New York lost every game Darnold missed. When he returned in Week 6, the Jets were 0-4 and in the midst of what appeared to be yet another lost season. Hope didn’t seem to be around the corner, either. Darnold returned to action against the red-hot Dallas Cowboys. Heavy underdogs, the Jets beat the odds and won that game. Darnold threw for 338 yards with two TD passes. Jets fans had hope again!
Being a native New Yorker, I can tell you that Jets’ fans are sick of saying, “Wait til next year!” But, this time, the refrain has teeth. For sure, GM Joe Douglas and head coach Adam Gase will need to fill in holes, including secondary help, an offensive line makeover, and a high-profile playmaker that Darnold can rely on.
But the foundation is built. On defense, there’s C.J. Mosely, Jamal Adams, and first-round pick Quinnen Williams. Offensively, there’s Jamison Crowder, Demaryius Thomas, and Robbie Anderson. Le’Veon Bell is still young—even if he is a bit rusty after missing a year of football–but there’s no question he’s a major player in the Jets drive for success.
If the Jets add vital pieces, don’t be surprised to see this team in postseason play next year. One thing’s a certainty–in Sam Darnold, these Jets have their pilot.
