Slumping Jets Sink to Season Low in NFL Power Rankings

Week 11 loss to Bills drops Robert Saleh's team five spots on 32-team list

Author:
Ralph Ventre
Publish date:
Nov 23, 2023 9:21 AM EST

In this story:

It's probably not where they wanted to be at this point.

The Sports Illustrated NFL Power Rankings suggest the New York Jets are making their final descent while navigating the 2023 regular season schedule.

After being manhandled by the Buffalo Bills in Week 11, the Jets (4-6) continued their plunge in the league-wide rankings and dropped five spots from last week's standing. As a result of its three-game losing streak, New York has fallen to a season-low No. 25 overall. Gang Green is sandwiched in between the No. 24 Los Angeles Rams (4-6) and the No. 26 Tennessee Titans (3-7).

The Jets' prior season low was the No. 24 ranking following a toothless Week 3 loss to the New England Patriots. Despite a three-week descent, New York is still not to lowest-ranked AFC East team. That dubious distinction belongs to the No. 30 Patriots (2-8). Division leader, and Jets' Week 12 opponent, Miami owns the No. 8 ranking while the Bills (6-5) hold the No. 10 spot.

In the first of two head-to-head meetings on the back half of the season schedule, the Dolphins (7-3) will visit the Jets for the first-ever NFL Black Friday Game on November 24 at 3:00 pm ET.

The Jets hope a starting quarterback change can spark the underperforming offense. The team has totaled only two touchdowns over its past four games, leading to the decision to replace Zach Wilson with Tim Boyle. Gang Green owns the worst third down efficiency (22.90%) and red zone touchdown percentage (26.09%) in the NFL.

"We have made a lot of changes, tried to go a little bit younger, so we have addressed the running back room, we have addressed the receiver room, we have addressed the tight end room, we have moved the coordinator to the box," said Jets' head coach Robert Saleh earlier this week. "This is just another situation to see if we can give another guy an opportunity, see if something can change."

From NFL Week 11 Power Rankings:

25. New York Jets (4–6)

Last week: loss at Buffalo, 32–6

Next week: vs. Miami

Don’t cry that it’s over, smile that it happened, right? I don’t know that Tim Boyle is going to change the fortunes of the New York Jets, or keep them relevant long enough for Aaron Rodgers to make a late-season return, but I do think that this season was a kind of victory in humanity for the Jets. Zach Wilson was given a very long rope. He was not irresponsibly thrust in and out of the lineup. He was supported unconditionally. I do think he will be successful somewhere else, at another time. But now, it’s about laying the groundwork for some confidence heading into 2024.

The top-two teams in this week's rankings hail from the NFC. The Philadelphia Eagles (9-1) retain the No. 1 overall spot ahead of the No. 2 San Francisco 49ers (7-3).

The Jets are responsible for the Eagles' lone loss of the season.