New York has never been a powerhouse when it comes to producing Super Bowl winning teams. There have been some exceptions—the 1968 Jets and, more recently, the 1986, 1990, 2007, and 2011 Giants. These teams and their intermittent achievements, however, have only teased supporters. Most of the time, fans of any one of the three New York football teams are faced with disappointment by the time the postseason begins. This year looks like no exception to the rule, with all three teams beginning with mediocre starts in the first four weeks. With this being said, however, do any of the New York teams still have a chance to make it into the playoffs? After all, no one thought the Buffalo Bills would have made it to the playoffs last year, yet somehow they did. Will at least one of the three New York teams do the state justice, or should fans expect the same frustration and disappointment?
New York Jets
Four Week Recap:
The Jets started their season off with a dominating 48-17 win over the Detroit Lions. Sure, rookie quarterback Sam Darnold threw his first ever professional throw for a pick-six, but after that everything went superbly for the Jets. Running back Isaiah Crowell looked unstoppable and wide receiver Terrelle Pryor efficiently achieved first downs. The defense also had a great game with five interceptions against the Lions’ experienced quarterback, Matthew Stafford. The following three weeks, however, have been nothing short of a catastrophe. The Jets lost week two 12-20 to the Miami Dolphins as Sam Darnold was unable to carry the whole team on his shoulders. In week three, they fell to the Cleveland Browns 21-17, handing the Browns their first win in 19 games. A hot Jacksonville Jaguars team beat the Jets in week four 31-12.
How Do They Rank?
Frankly, the Jets are pretty terrible. Management has put all their hopes in rookie quarterback Sam Darnold, and the team expects results from Darnold in his first season. Traditionally, rookie quarterbacks need time to adjust to the league and learn a whole new playbook. Yes, two good showings, but the Jets have hedged all their bets on Darnold when he is clearly not ready for the responsibility that comes with the position. It also does not help that the rest of the team has severely under-produced since the first week.
In order to not completely fail this season, the Jets need to work on two key areas: the offensive and defensive lines. The offensive line falls apart incredibly easy. Because of this, the Jets can not get any sort of running game working. The offensive line also needs to protect the quarterback for longer. New quarterbacks like Darnold need more time to adjust to the league because they are inexperienced. If the offensive line does not provide the extra protection, Darnold is forced into making more errors than usual. Defensively, the Jets need someone who can rush the passer. As of now, the Jets have no way of disrupting the quarterback, which is key to having a competitive defense.
So can the Jets turn their season around? Sorry Jets fans; probably not.
Buffalo Bills
Four Week Recap:
Unlike the Jets, the Buffalo Bills had an atrocious start to the season. In week one, they lost 47-3 against the Baltimore Ravens. Part of the reason they lost was because of their erratic quarterback situation. The Bills started Nathan Peterman, the man who midway through last season replaced Tyrod Taylor as starting QB. Many had their doubts on whether or not Peterman could perform. It looked like the Bills questioned Peterman’s performance as well, as they picked QB Josh Allen in the first round of the 2018 NFL draft. Those doubts became a realization against the Ravens as Peterman played abysmally. When Allen came into the game, the Bills looked more comfortable, but the game was already lost. The next week, the Bills lost 31-20 against the Los Angeles Chargers, in which they were destroyed in the first half but then mounted a near comeback in the second half. In week three, the Bills shocked the NFL (and probably themselves) with a 22-6 win against the Minnesota Vikings. A number of factors played a role in this Bills win, but the Bills did show that they could play good football. However, they returned to regular form for week four with a 22-0 loss against the Green Bay Packers.
How Do They Rank?
The Buffalo Bills have a decent defense. The rookies are settling in and making significant contributions for the defense, and cornerback Ryan Lewis has proved that he can play against top tier quarterbacks. Their offense, however, looks about as uncoordinated as a pre-K dance recital. All parts of the points-making side have struggled, and if the Bills want any chance of recovering their season, they need to fix it immediately. Their offensive line needs to hold back other teams’ defenses and provide an avenue for the run game. Quarterback Josh Allen needs to settle in and learn to scan the entire field. Granted, it is hard for him to stay in the pocket as the offensive line falls apart in nearly every play. Additionally, the wide receivers need to find more openings than they are currently. While they are winning some matchups, they need to be quicker in order to compensate for Allen’s lack of time in the pocket.
So, will the Bills reach the playoffs for two years in a row? Probably not alone. They are going to need a lot more Andy Dalton miracles.
New York Giants
Four Week Recap:
Last year, the Giants suffered one of their most disappointing seasons ever. Any performance they gave in week one would look good in comparison. And, indeed, the 20-15 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars did look good for the Giants. They looked like they had the elements of a respectable football team, even though they could not quite pull it all together for the win. While there were glaring mistakes, the week one game gave them hope for week two against the Dallas Cowboys. Hope that was quickly washed away with a 20-13 loss. The offense could not produce and the offensive line allowed quarterback Eli Manning to be sacked six times. The Giants bounced back in week three with a 27-22 win against the Houston Texans before losing in week four to the New Orleans Saints 33-18.
How Do They Rank?
Honestly, no one understands what’s going on with the Giants. I don’t think even the Giants know what the Giants are doing. One week they look like a professional football team. The next week they look like that episode of SpongeBob SquarePants where all the little SpongeBobs in his brain go mental and light his brain on fire. Their defense is meh, but it gets the job nearly done. It’s the Giants’ offense that seems to be in need of the most help, yet no one can seem to figure out why. They have all the tools (except for a good offensive line) to score points. Odell Beckham at wide receiver and Saquon Barkley with Eli Manning should be a points producing machine. So what’s the problem? Is it the terrible offensive line? Does Manning have PTSD from the amount of hits he has taken? Do the Giants not yet fully trust Barkley? First off, the Giants need to fix the offensive line. It’s terrible, but not the worst in the league. The Giants, however, do not have a mobile quarterback in Eli Manning. So when the offensive line falls apart, often times, Manning is dead in the water. He also is missing one-on-one match-ups which, for a 2007 Eli, would be easy throws. Now that Eli is 37 years old, is it time for the Giants to consider a new quarterback? Only his performances later this season will tell.
Can the Giants turn this season around? No, probably not. If you’re a fan it’s probably best to abandon the sinking ship that is the 2018-19 Giants season and join the bandwagon for the Rams or the Chiefs until next season.