National News (Sports)
The Current State of Football In New York
Richard Watts
November 15, 2023
As we head into Week eleven in the NFL, the trajectory of both the New York Giants and Jets is quite obvious. Both teams look pitiful on the field and with losing records, playoff berths for either are mostly likely nonexistent. However, the Jets and Giants look to be heading in different directions, and by week 17, maybe in two different scenarios as each team looks toward the NFL Draft and free agency. Which team is better equipped for the future?
After a 16-12 loss against the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday Night Football, the New York Jets head into week eleven with a 4-5 record. They’re currently in third place in the AFC East and will be taking a trip to play the Buffalo Bills who are a game ahead of them in the current standings. With a loss to Buffalo this week, the Jets will have a tough challenge ahead of them as they continue to preserve their playoff hopes.
The Jets had Super Bowl aspirations this season after signing Quarterback Aaron Rodgers to a 3-year/$150 million deal to end his career in New York. Signing Rodgers was viewed as the long-awaited “missing piece” for a team with an amazing defense and stellar offensive weapons. Rodgers tore his Achilles tendon after just 4 plays into the season and has since been relieved by Quarterback Zach Wilson. Wilson, the former number 2 overall draft pick in the 2021 NFL draft, has been disappointing, yet has kept the Jets within striking distance. Rodgers has anticipated a return to action by the middle of December, a feat never seen before in modern medicine. The Jets are convinced of this possibility and will stay competitive throughout the remaining seven weeks of the regular season.
If Rodgers does not return, the Jets find themselves in an extremely difficult decision in April. If they continue to win now in hopes of Rodgers' return, they will have no choice but to select at a higher draft position in the first round ultimately forgoing the early talent portrayed as immediate difference makers for a team with several holes to fill on the offensive line. Rodgers is 39 years old and he needs protection to forego another injury setback. The Jets will need a QB after Rodgers' retirement which will be within the next three seasons.
The Giants, on the other hand, sit with a 2-8 record this season after a 49-17 blowout loss to the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday. The Giants are last in the NFC East and are currently projected to have the second overall pick in the NFL Draft. Giants Quarterback, Daniel Jones played in just five games this season before suffering a season-ending ACL tear two weeks ago. The offensive line has now given up the most sacks in the NFL. The Giants rank last in point differential, scoring, and first-half touchdowns. With third-string Quarterback Tommy Devito scheduled to play until Tyrod Taylor returns from the injured reserve, the season is ultimately over and done as the front office shifts their attention towards the NFL draft and the future of this franchise.
With many problems to address, General Manager, Joe Schoen, has a lot of work on his hands and potentially his job on the line. The Giants will most likely look to change at Quarterback in the first round. Daniel Jones may not have been the only problem for the Giants, but he certainly didn’t help the problem either. Former Heisman Trophy winner and USC Quarterback Caleb Williams has been praised as the “best quarterback prospect ever”. The Giants will need to keep losing and the Carolina Panthers to win another game this season to select Williams who will most likely go first overall. If the Giants are unable to pick Williams, they most likely select Quarterback, Drake Maye from the University of North Carolina. The Giants can't afford to win games. The future of the franchise is dependent on a new face leading the team.
The New York Giants are looking towards the future as the Jets are looking to win now with the hope of Rodgers' return to lead them to a late push into the playoffs. As both New York football teams head into the later parts of the NFL regular season, they separate plans and motivations. One thing is certain, it’s a hard time to be a New York football fan.
