The New York Jets will travel to New England to face off against the Patriots in a meaningless Week 18 contest.
Gang Green’s 2023 season is already over, despite having one more game to play. With that in mind, people have already started to look ahead to the 2024 offseason.
Former NFL head coach and current television analyst, Rex Ryan, sent a message to the green and white heading into a critical next couple of months.
“They [the Jets] have a really good defense. We get that, it’s a really good defense. Fix that dang offensive line. Maybe get another playmaker in there on offense, but spend everything you got on that offense,” Ryan bluntly stated during a radio appearance on “DiPietro and Rothenberg.” “We brought in Aaron Rodgers to take a shot at the championship and you ought to do it.”
Rex Ryan sent a VERY clear message to the #Jets when speaking w/ @JakeAsman & @TyDButler:
‘I mean fix that dang offensive line, maybe get another playmaker in there on offense, but spend everything you got on that offense.’
‘There’s no more excuses. It’s either get it done or… pic.twitter.com/N6SWC3pmkQ
— Paul Andrew Esden Jr (@BoyGreen25) January 1, 2024
Defense Can’t Win Championships Alone
This offseason veteran cornerback DJ Reed put the Jets and the legendary 1985 Chicago Bears defense in the same sentence.
That certainly raised some eyebrows around the league. However, even the Monsters of the Midway couldn’t have saved this Jets offense in 2023.
Back in early November, Rich Cimini of ESPN said the Jets “are having one of the worst offensive seasons in franchise history.”
The Jets rank No. 31 in total net yards per game being ever so slightly edged by the inept Carolina Panthers. New York is averaging 15.7 points per game through 16 weeks of the 2023 campaign which places them No. 29 in the league.
This team has struggled to pass the ball (No. 30 in average pass yards per game) and to run the ball (No. 28 in the NFL in average rush yards per game).
Quite frankly there isn’t really anything they did well this season as a team on the offensive side of the ball.
The Jets defense, on the other hand, has been spectacular. Gang Green has 25 takeaways on the season which is the No. 5 best figure in the league.
On three separate occasions, this season the Jets’ defense held their opponent to 15, 16, and 13 points respectively. They lost all of those games.
A great defense can only do so much. At the end of the day, the NFL is an offensive league in 2023. If you can’t simply be mediocre on that side of the ball you don’t have a chance. The Jets learned that the hard way this year.
Ryan’s Message to the Jets Is Simple
The Jets defense was really good in 2023 and 9 of the 11 starters are under contract for the 2024 season. That means they should be really good again.
The line of demarcation lies on the other side of the ball. If Rodgers can stay healthy and the Jets can cook on offense, then anything is possible next year.
Ryan’s plea to the team and front office is to invest all of your resources into the offensive side of the ball.
“There is no more excuses. You either get it done or it’s bust and I think Robert Saleh is good with that. Like, give me a chance to have Aaron Rodgers out there. I’m going to say this, when you have a Hall of Fame quarterback, it’s hard not to win. We are all looking forward to that,” Ryan said. “I mean I had them [the Jets] as my Super Bowl champions this year, I really did. If you have Aaron Rodgers and can play great defense then why wouldn’t you think that? They are going to have that opportunity to go back there. Let Aaron bring in all of his guys like he has and let’s take a shot at it.”
Woody Johnson made it clear to the New York Post that the Jets will be running it back in 2024. They are giving this group a chance to see this Rodgers dream through. Ryan said during his ESPN radio appearance that if this Jets team doesn’t make a run in the playoffs next year, “heads will roll.”
The pressure is on for the Jets and time is of the essence to get it right during this pivotal offseason.
