The New York Jets are 3-12 and have lost their last three games by 75 total points.
NFL Insider Connor Hughes of SNY believes that isn’t by chance.
“What I learned from this past game is that the Jets are about as openly tanking as an NFL team can possibly tank. I mean, having a Tyrod Taylor and starting Brady Cook. Like the way they’re sidelining Garrett Wilson for the rest of the year when you know he can still be out there. They are not trying to win football games right now, and I think that is obvious,” Hughes explained on “Jets Final Drive.”
“The reaction I would say to the announcement that Brady Cook is starting next week was like ‘This is great news for our tank commander.’ They [the fans] are calling Brady Cook, tank commander Cook, or something. I mean, it was obvious when they traded those guys away, they were competitive for that five-game stretch where they won three out of five, but this is a bad team, they know what they are. The problem is you’re trying to lose — well, it’s very clear you’re not trying to win, I should say,” Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic said on “Jets Final Drive.”
Insider Explains How Jets Are Tanking Compared to Other Teams Trying to Win
“Here is like the fascinating thing about the top five in the NFL draft. The Giants, the Raiders, the Browns, the Titans, maybe not the Cardinals, but those four teams are all trying to win football games,” Hughes said.
“Like from the New York Giants’ perspective, right now they’re slated to pick No. 1 overall, they have players on the field that they’re trying to win with. Mike Kafka is the interim head coach, and Charlie Bullen is the interim defensive coordinator — those guys are trying to show that they’re deserving of [their jobs]. Jaxson Dart is out there trying to show he is a franchise quarterback. Brian Burns, Dexter Lawrence, the Giants don’t have all these guys on injured reserve, they are not sitting their starters to lose games … They’re trying to win,” Hughes explained on “Jets Final Drive.”
Hughes went on to explain that other teams that are currently slated to pick in the top five are competing to win.
“We saw the Las Vegas Raiders almost pull a huge upset over the Houston Texans. They’re starting Geno Smith. Smith is in his 30s, and he is not trying to lose football games so the Raiders can draft his replacement. He is trying to win games. Pete Carroll is trying to win games. The Cleveland Browns are out there with Shedeur Sanders; they’re trying to win. Kevin Stefanski is not trying to lose to hand the next head coach of the Browns the No. 1 overall pick — these guys are all trying to win football games. They just can’t because they’re terrible. Then you have the Jets who are out there saying, you know what, let’s stick here with Brady Cook, let’s start feeding Isaiah Davis, let’s sit Garrett Wilson the rest of the way, let’s trade Quinnen [Williams] and Sauce Gardner. It’s clear [winning] isn’t a focus for them … The Jets are trying to lose,” Hughes reiterated.
Tanking Accusations Should Actually Inspire Confidence
There have been serious questions about this regime.
Rumors that head coach Aaron Glenn could be one-and-done as a coach. Questions about what positive signs exist that this group can turn this thing around.
If these tanking allegations are true, that actually should inspire confidence. This whole time, I thought the Jets were losing because they stink. This could be new evidence to suggest that they were losing on purpose.
Losing isn’t a pleasant experience. However, the losses could be worth it for the Jets if they land the No. 1 overall pick. They have a path to that happening, but they will need help.
The more realistic path is the Jets surrendering draft capital to trade up. The more the Jets lose, the less they will have to give up in any potential deal.
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