Jets Slip Out of Playoff Picture After Loss to Bills

After falling to the Bills on Sunday, Jets head coach Robert Saleh made a confident assertion about New York's future.

"We’re going to see these guys again," Saleh told reporters.

In order to face Buffalo again, the Jets would need to make the postseason, ending their 11-year playoff drought, the longest in the NFL.

They might need to win a playoff game or two as well. Buffalo is poised to enter the postseason with a first-round bye, holding the No. 1 seed in the AFC.

Saleh and the Jets have a good feeling about their chances to keep playing after their regular season finale on January 8. Can't fault those in green and white for believing in themselves after such an impressive showing this season. Still, losing to Buffalo on Sunday hurt New York's playoff odds.

New York has just a 33 percent chance to make the playoffs entering play in Week 15, per FiveThirtyEight. The Jets are the No. 9 seed in the AFC at the moment, tied with the Patriots and Chargers with a 7-6 record. New England jumped back into contention (taking back the seventh and final seed in the AFC) after their win over the Cardinals on Monday Night Football.

Only four weeks to go.

Is your team in the #NFLPlayoffs picture? 👀 (by @CaesarsSports) pic.twitter.com/gP5G3KkWgD
— NFL (@NFL) December 13, 2022

With four games remaining, the Jets hold their own destiny, to a certain extent. If New York wins out—defeating the Lions, Jaguars, Seahawks and Dolphins—the Jets would have more than a 99 percent chance of making the playoffs, per FiveThirtyEight. Lose on Sunday against Detroit, another club that has exceeded expectations in 2022, and those odds dip to 20 percent.

"Every game has major playoff implications," Saleh said on Monday. "This is an awesome experience for our group and more rewarding if you can get it done."

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