New York’s NFL Teams Find Unexpected Success

Before the start of the 2022-2023 NFL football season, there was no hope in either of the football teams playing in MetLife Stadium to have any chance at the playoffs. The two teams owned five collective first-round picks and both seemed to be rebuilding for the future. Both teams looked to restructure their coaching staffs, as the Giants hired Brian Daboll as their head coach this offseason, and the Jets brought in Robert Saleh last spring.

These organizations seemed to be sacrificing wins this season in order to load up on draft picks for future success. The Jets acquired an extra first-round pick in the Jamal Adams trade and traded for a third on draft night. They selected Sauce Gardner, Garrett Wilson, and Jermaine Johnson, all of who are significant reasons for the success of the Jets thus far.

Normally one rookie does not generate instant success, but the Jets front office brought in three day one difference makers and it has worked out tremendously.

On the other side of the stadium, the G-Men picked at #5 and #7, gaining an extra first-rounder when the Bears traded up for Justin Fields during the 2021 Draft. By selecting Kayvon Thibodeaux and Evan Neal, the Giants addressed their main two weaknesses but were believed to have lots of other spots to address before playoff contention.

As it stands currently, the Jets are 4-2 and in the running for a wild card spot. They have wins over the Dolphins and Packers, two teams who are also fighting for a playoff spot. The Giants are 5-1, with their only loss coming to the elite defense of the Cowboys.

The main topic of debate is whether or not these two teams can keep up their current pace. Looking ahead at the Giants’ schedule, their next four opponents are the Jaguars, Seahawks, Texans, and Lions. The Giants could very well win all four of those games and be 9-1 through ten games, essentially a lock for a playoff spot.

The Jets, on the other hand, have a very difficult schedule ahead of them and may struggle a bit. But, it was believed they would struggle for the first part of the season so the future of this team is rather unpredictable.

Regardless of the next few weeks, the surge of the two New York teams has been very shocking to the rest of the league. On September 19th, the Jets and the Giants won their games on the same day for the first time since 2009.

The football fans of the Big Apple finally have something to look forward to, as both teams have built great young cores and have all of their draft picks in the coming years. Be careful how much you want to see these teams succeed though, as the national infrastructure likely couldn’t survive if the two teams met in the Super Bowl.
The Jets have a lot going for them, as their defense has allowed just 47 total points over their last three games. However, their ceiling may be limited due to the inconsistent play of second-year quarterback Zach Wilson.

A lot of the Giants’ success can be attributed to Brian Daboll, who has finally given them someone to play for. The Giants haven’t exactly dominated though, as all of their wins have come in one-score games.

Only time will tell how these two teams’ seasons will play out, but they have certainly caught the attention of all football fans due to their history of losing.