Even when the LOL Jets win, they still lose. After an 0-13 start, the New York Jets finally ended their winless streak against the LA Rams with their first victory of the season. The 23-20 victory also meant that the Jets lost the inside track to securing Trevor Lawrence with the #1 pick in the upcoming 2021 NFL Draft.
The Jacksonville Jaguars have the same record as the Jets at 1-13, but they would earn the #1 pick in the draft because they played a more difficult schedule.
The Jets finally got off the 0-13 schneid with a somewhat-impressive road victory against the playoff-bound Rams. The Rams choked as a 17-point favorite at home, which came one week after the Seattle Seahawks pummeled the Jets 40-3 in a blowout.
“I’m happy for our guys,” said head coach Adam Gase.
“This is not the result, not the type of game that we expected,” said LA Rams head coach Sean McVay.
The Rams fell to 9-5 and will have to wait one more week to officially clinch a playoff spot.
“This loss will demoralize us only as much we allow it to,” added McVay. “It’s going to be embarrassing, sick to your stomach about it.”
For the Jets, the feel-good win jeopardized the future of the franchise. Lawrence has been heralded as a once-in-a-generation talent and the best quarterback to come out of the collegiate ranks since Andrew Luck.
Biggest Jets Upset Since … Broadway Joe Namath
The Jets won as a +17 underdog on a line that opened at +13. This victory marked the second-largest underdog victory in Jets history. The largest? An upset over the Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III where the Jets were +18 dogs.
In the last three seasons, at least one super-dog (+17 or more) hit, including the Jets this week. During a stretch that spanned nearly four decades, super-dogs won outright only three times. According to ESPN’s stats and info department, underdogs that were +17 or higher won a game outright three times between 1978 and 2017.
From 1978-2017, underdogs of 17-plus-points won only three times during that 40-year stretch, according to @ESPNStatsInfo.
With the Jets’ upset Sunday, an underdog of 17+ points has now won in three straight seasons ('19: MIA +17 over NE; '18: BUF +17 over MIN).
— David Payne Purdum (@DavidPurdum) December 21, 2020
Giddy Gang Green
Credit the Jets for playing their best game of the season. They script their first 15 plays every game, which is the primary reason they scored on their opening possession over their previous eight games.
The defense stepped up, especially on third down. Jared Goff and the Rams struggled to convert third downs, which killed numerous drives.
The Jets won the battle of special teams. Kicker Sam Ficken had a perfect day and connected on three field goals. The special teams blocked and recovered a punt at the start of the second quarter. The Jets took advantage of the turnover and kicked a field goal to go up 10-0.
The Jets blew a 23-10 lead in the fourth quarter. The Rams were able to put 10 points on the board to get to 23-20, but the Jets held them off. For the first time all season, QB Sam Darnold and the Jets lined up in a victory formation.
“It’s an amazing feeling,” said Darnold. “It’s been so long since we won, I almost forgot what (this) feeling is like.”
“One thing I can say: I never went 0-16,” said an upbeat Frank Gore.
Biggest Fear: Gase Returns
In one swoop, the Jets lost a chance to draft Trevor Lawrence and Gase increased his chances of remaining head coach. Gase returning is the worst-case scenario for the Jets at this point. The Jets’ win already ruined Christmas for fans. If Gase returns, it will ruin the entire new year.
Even if the Jets fire Gase, finding a new head coach could be problematic. Losing Lawrence could also cost the Jets a top-notch head coaching candidate.
In the last 24 hours, Pat Fitzgerald from Northwestern became the latest college head coach to be linked to the Jets. Fitzgerald repeatedly said he’s not interested in the NFL. So, who will end up coaching the LOL Jets next season?
Fade the Jets: Not Today
Welp. The “any given Sunday” mantra was in full effect this week.
Heading into halftime down 13-3, it seemed obvious that the Rams were going to fail to cover. They could work some second-half magic, but they were too far in the hole to rally back to win by 18-plus and cover.
The Jets have now covered in five out of their last eight games. That still won’t deter us from betting against the Jets in the final two weeks of the season.
| FADE THE LOL JETS |
- Week 15: NY Jets 23, LA Rams 20
- Point Spread: LA Rams -17
- Jets Record: 1-13 SU, 5-9 ATS
- Fade the Jets Record: 9-5
Now that Gang Green got their one win to ensure they won’t be linked with the other two 0-16 teams in NFL history (the Detroit Lions and the Cleveland Browns), they’ll most likely resort to form and reappear as the same old LOL Jets.
The Jets host Baker Mayfield and the Cleveland Browns in Week 16. The Westgate Superbook opened the Week 16 line at -10.5.
If you’re a member of the Jets, then Christmas came early. Congrats on the win, fellas. For loyal Jets fans, losing an inside track on Trevor Lawrence only means that the winter of discontent starts early.
