Former New England Patriots offensive lineman Damien Woody is hitching his wagon to the New York Jets in the tightly-contested AFC East race.
The current ESPN analyst chose Gang Green as his surprise pick to win the division, despite the team finishing the previous two years in last place. But things have obviously changed since Robert Saleh took over as head coach.
The defense is actually formidable, and the offense isn’t an accident waiting to happen, unless Zach Wilson is facing the Patriots. Granted, it’s still a bit of a stretch to think the Jets could beat out the Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins or even the Patriots down the stretch.
But there is a path for them to shock the world, particularly after they just knocked off the Bills at MetLife Stadium.
Woody wrote:
“Yes, the New York Jets (6-3) will beat out the Bills, Dolphins and Patriots for the division title. They haven’t won their division since 2002, and ESPN’s Football Power Index (FPI) is giving them just a 9.6% chance to do it. But New York is 4-0 on the road and has one of the best defenses in the NFL.
I think quarterback Zach Wilson can keep the mistakes to a minimum, allowing the Jets to pull out one of the closest divisions in football.”
It’s important to note that Woody ended his career playing with the Jets, even though he was actually drafted by the Patriots and won two Super Bowls with the team.
The Jets will have an opportunity to prove him right when coming off the bye week for a head-to-head showdown with the Patriots at Gillette Stadium on November 20 in a game that could have major divisional and playoff implications.
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