New York Jets will finish 2-14

The New York Jets opened up their 2014 season with a 19-14 victory over the still winless Oakland Raiders. Since then, the team has racked up eight straight losses, although four of those losses came by a touchdown or less. Looking at the rest of the Jets’ schedule, it doesn’t seem like things will be looking up any time soon.

Gang Green will welcome the Pittsburgh Steelers to MetLife Stadium in Week 10, who have been flying high the past two weeks. Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has thrown for 12 touchdowns in the last two games, against the Indianapolis Colts and Baltimore Ravens. I’m thinking another big loss for Rex Ryan and his boys, but check back in on Saturday for my actual preview of the game.

More from New York Jets

• Aaron Rodgers offers perspective on the Jets offensive line
• By signing Dalvin Cook, New York Jets confirm they’re all-in
• What does Dalvin Cook bring to the New York Jets?
• Sauce Gardner and Garrett Wilson’s bond will lead to promising future
• New York Jets undrafted rookie receiver stealing someone’s job

Hypothetically, the Jets will head into their bye week at 1-9, and although I don’t believe that the team will be firing anyone at that point, I don’t see how things will improve. There was instability at the quarterback position heading into 2014, and neither Geno Smith nor Michael Vick have done anything to solidify the spot. While Vick did go 21 for 28 against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 9, he’s obviously not going to do that every week. The team still lost the game by double digits, so that just shows how bad this team is.

Following the team’s bye, the New York Jets will still play four divisional games (2 against Miami, 1 against Buffalo, 1 against New England). Normally, I’d say that anything can happen, and the Jets would stand a chance to win maybe one or two of these games, but this team just isn’t going anywhere. On top of New York’s deficiencies, the three other AFC East teams are actually very good. The New England Patriots are coming off of a huge home victory against Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos. Miami thumped the San Diego Chargers at home last week as well. Finally, the Buffalo Bills are the mix as well, sitting at 5-3, and having beaten the Dolphins already.

Realistically, the only games that I can possibly see the Jets winning down the stretch are against the Minnesota Vikings and Tennessee Titans, in Weeks 14 and 15, respectively. Even those match-ups aren’t sure things. The Vikings are sitting on four wins, two of which have been in their past two games. They won’t be a team making a playoff run, but they are building for the future and showing improvement every week under rookie quarterback Teddy Bridgewater. Gang Green will have a better opportunity against the Titans the following week, but again, nothing is ever certain for the New York Jets.

I am not a fan of tanking, but if there were ever a time to do so, it would be now if I’m the New York Jets. At the same time though, this team may be so bad that they don’t have to pretend to play awful football. 2-14 is the best record that I see for this football team. It’s a given that the Jets won’t be playing playoff football in 2014, so what do they have left to play for?

Rex Ryan’s job is hanging in the balance, but if the team wanted him to succeed then they would’ve helped him out this offseason. His firing is incumbent, as is John Idzik’s.  I don’t care what anyone says, Idzik clearly threw Ryan under the bus this offseason, leaving over $20 million in cap space unused.

The dysfunction in New York is nothing new to Jets fans, so I think that I can speak for all of Jets Nation when I say that this team needs a complete overhaul. A new owner, general manager, coaching staff, and quarterback are in order, but now it falls on the shoulders of the team to make the necessary changes.