New York Jets roundtable, predicting Gang Green’s 2019 win total
By Ed Stein
Zachary Bachar, Contributor, Empire Writes Back
The 2019 New York Jets will be much better than their previous record of 4-12. Under new head coach Adam Gase, Sam Darnold should be ready to take the next step as a franchise quarterback. Heading into his sophomore season, the signal-caller has much more to work with this time around.
He’s surrounded by a strong receiving core led by deep threat Robby Anderson, slot specialist Jamison Crowder and the return of Quincy Enunwa after being limited to just 10 starts in 2018 due to an ankle injury. Marquee free-agent running back Le’Veon Bell is also going to benefit Darnold and the offense in more ways than one. The defense should be better with the additions of Mosley in free agency and Quinnen Williams through the draft.
However, the Jets are going to be tested early. Four of their first six games are against teams that made the playoffs last season. After that, it’s smooth sailing as Gang Green plays teams that are expected to underwhelm, in 2019 such as the Oakland Raiders, Cincinnati Bengals and Miami Dolphins (twice). A matchup to watch is on Sunday, November 10, when the Jets take on the Giants at MetLife Stadium.
Outside of an unfortunate season-ending injury to starting linebacker Avery Williamson, the New York Jets are relatively healthy heading into their Week 1 matchup with Buffalo. While a double-digit win total is certainly attainable, it’s up to the Jets to put everything together and show their improvement on the field rather than just on paper. If the team can stay healthy and Sam Darnold improves as he should, the Jets could return to the playoffs for the first time since 2010.
Record Prediction: 9-7