NFL Jets Vs. Patriots: Memoir to The Most Meaningful Meaningless Game

(Photo : Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY - SEPTEMBER 24: Breece Hall #20 of the New York Jets in action against the New England Patriots during their game at MetLife Stadium on September 24, 2023 in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

The suffering of the NFL season for New York Jets fans is almost over. In Week 18 the Jets will play against the New England Patriots in Foxborough. What if I told you that this game can surprisingly set the tone for the Jets 2024 season.

This season hurt like no other for Jets fans. Allow me to sum up the year, using the past 20 years of Jets blunders to back my thesis.

Jets Vs. Patriots: Off-Season in Heaven

Let's start with the acquisition of Green Bay Packers four-time NFL MVP, Super Bowl XLV MVP, and future Hall of Fame quarterback, Aaron Rodgers. This deal created a euphoria surrounding the New York Jets, who were then later announced to host the NFL's Hard Knocks TV series. The aging Aaron Rodgers traded the historic green and yellow of the Packers for the dull green and white of the Jets in an attempt to resurrect his love of football and mount his name as true great amongst quarterbacks. Well, Rodgers may have been naive to the misfortune of the poverty New York football franchise. It's gonna take a lot of love to power through the fallout of this season.

Long story short, Jets fans were unable to see a single regular season pass completed by Rodgers, as he was running for his life. Running till he ultimately tore his Achilles tendon...FOUR PLAYS INTO THE SEASON. But us Jets fans are familiar with this heartbreak. As we can remember another former Green Bay Packer quarterback who suffered a similar series of events in his transition to the Jets, Brett Farve.

Jets Vs. Patriots: Regular Season in Hell

Now after this catastrophe, you can copy and paste the Jets 2022 season campaign. Quarterback Zach Wilson struggles and shows flashes of talent until he is eventually benched for a clearly inferior quarterback. The New York defense is top five yet again but can't close out games due to exhaustion and no comfortable lead granted by the lackluster offense.

The difference between this 2023 season and the year prior is that we still held some excitement throughout the season. As Aaron Rodgers dangled the thought of him suiting back up as quarterback in the same season he tore his achilles tendon. We were all reminded by this every Tuesday on the Pat McAfee show.

But now that I'm done sobbing, as a New York Jets fan, we can at least look forward to this Jets vs. Patriots matchup as if it is our Super Bowl. Who said the Jets wouldn't be playing meaningful football in January? Here is why I tell you that this game can change the course of the Jets franchise.

Week 1, Metlife stadium fell silent for almost the entirety of that Monday night season opener against the Buffalo Bills. The Jets won in remarkable fashion returning an overtime punt for the walk-off touchdown score. But a wave of discomfort fell over the New York sports club as we waited till it was confirmed that our savior at the quarterback position will most likely be out for the season.

Jets Vs. Patriots: Purgatory in 2024

Then Week 3 rolled around. The first match between the Jets and Patriots this year. All the media was buzzing about how the Jets have not beaten the Patriots since the 2015 overtime win at Metlife. The New England Patriots hold a 15 game win streak against the Jets and it needs to end before the 2024 season.

This year's previous matchup ended with the Pats beating the Jets, as Zach Wilson failed to complete a Hail Mary attempt at the end of the game...at least it wasn't intercepted and returned for a score.

With one foot into next year, the Jets need to close the door on this unsavory streak brought up by every media vulture every time these teams face off. The Patriots aren't feared anymore, almost even laughable at this point. So now it's time for the New York Jets to repave their road back to relevancy in 2024, led by their own Achilles, Aaron Rodgers.