NY Jets and NFL Observations at Mid-Season 2025-26: First Win!

Segment 1: Insights Through Week 8 in the NFL (0:42) Savor the win! Huge loss: former Jets legend Nick Mangold passes away at 41 due to complications from kidney disease; drafted in the first round in 2006 with fellow offensive lineman D'Brickashaw Ferguson. (BTW: Ferguson played for 10 seasons, missed only one play, a gadget play that took him off the field) Week 7 vs. Carolina: lost 13-6 Game was unwatchable QB Justin Fields benched after halftime (6-12, 46 passing yards, sacked 3 times) Backup QB Tyrod Taylor entered game in the third quarter, threw two INTs including in the end zone Jets D played well enough to win for second week in a row, offense did not handle their end Week 8 vs. Cincinnati: won 39-38 Great comeback, nice win for 0-7 team going into the bye week Luckily played a team with a worse defense, took advantage RB Breece Hall 3 TDs -- 2 rushing, 1 passing (game-winning play to TE Mason Taylor) Played against former teammate, QB Joe Flacco Came back from several deficits, including 38-24 in 4th quarter Scored 3 TDs and not one, but two 2-point conversions 39 points, 502 yards of offense and 254 yards rushing all season highs QB Justin Fields bounced back in big way after benching: 244 yards passing, 1 TD pass Credit the offensive line Central question: Take off point for the offense, or just a gift playing the worst defense in the league (most points allowed, over 400 yards allowed/avg/game)? Dallas D not far behind Cincinnati's Segment 2: The Jets at Mid-Season: Where Do We Go from Here (17:00) Recapping 6 Point Plan to Fix the Jets outlined last podcast  Rookie TE Mason Taylor showing flashes of being a bigger part of the offense, weapon in the red zone in Cincy; still need another pass-catching TE! Reality: 1-7 team, decisions to make going into the trading deadline Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 4 at 4 pm ET One trade made: brought in WR John Metchie III from the Eagles (4 games, 4 catches this season in Philly; 29 games in Houston) for slot corner Michael Carter II. Carter very good, but injuries and play of newly acquired CB Jarvis Brownlee made him expendable; really wanted to leave: waived his multi-million dollar injury guarantee for next season One key goal: see more development and growth from QB Justin Fields and Aaron Glenn, in his first year as an NFL head coach; rookie offensive coordinator finding his way 9 game season now, play like jobs on the line because they are Breece Hall talented playmaker...keep him or trade him if the GM will not sign him long term, get some draft capital back vs. losing a good player without compensation Do not repeat Giants mistake with Saquan Barkley Segment 3: Look Ahead to Weeks 9 and 10/Games of Note (30:05) Next Game: Jets host Cleveland, Week 10 Tough assignment for Jets offense against stout Browns defense Browns struggling big-time offensively with rookie QB Dillon Gabriel Jets 0-5 at home so far Week 11: Jets at New England (6-2) Patriots lead the AFC East division on nice winning streak, including beating Buffao Second-year QB Drake Maye having super sophomore year (leading stats), courtesy of talented Offensive Coordinator Josh McDaniels Quite likely to win 10 games, have beaten four teams with losing records Week 9 Games of Note Vikings (QB JJ McCarthy to start, Carson Wentz hurt, should have kept Sam Darnold?) at Detroit Colts at Pittsburgh: 7-1 Colts favored, Steelers on 2-game losing streak to Bengals and Packers Marquee game: Chiefs at Buffalo (Bills a home dog, must win for Buffalo) Arizona on 5-game losing streak, at Dallas (Cowboys good at keeping both teams in the game) Future Prediction: Jets will trade for Jordan Love in a decade, to become third ex-Packers QB to come in their twilight (Favre, Rodgers and Love) Week 10 Games of Note New England at Tampa Bay Rams at Niners Steelers at Chargers Monday Night/Game of Week:  Eagles/Packers Eagles getting calls from refs similar to the positive treatment Chiefs receive Jets fans should enjoy the bye week with a Jets win.  Final Thoughts