Jets can begin to change AFC East fortune with win over Patriots

The way Garrett Wilson articulated the Patriots’ dominance over the Jets, and the magnitude of Sunday’s AFC East showdown, was accurate. The Jets are long overdue to reverse that curse.

Wilson thought back to his rookie year and hearing all about the importance of divisional games. Specifically, how badly the Jets wanted to — if not needed to — beat the Patriots. As he recalled, the Jets had lost 12 straight to New England at the time.

The streak reached 15 overall, and 14 in a row in New England. The Jets finally snapped both skids in the final game of the 2023 season in Bill Belichick’s last game as Patriots coach.

The Jets were out of playoff contention, but it mattered that they sent Belichick out with a loss, considering how he tormented the franchise.

Now the Jets are back in New England on Sunday for an AFC East clash that could set the tone for the rest of the season.

“I don’t know how to exactly put it,” Wilson said, “but it’s a big [expletive] game. We’re going to be ready to play.”

The Jets improved to 2-3 with their comeback win over Cleveland last week. They can match their victory total from last season by beating the reigning AFC champions at Gillette Stadium, which has been a house of horror for the Jets. They have lost 18 of their last 20 games there.

The next two games after that are at home against the winless Dolphins and against the Raiders.

Two winnable games.

If the Jets can work their way to 5-3 on Nov. 1, they will be in the playoff mix after Halloween for the first time since Wilson’s rookie year.

“You put yourself in that position and put yourself in the hunt [by] how you stack up with the teams you play twice a year,” he said. “It’s one of those games we all know going into [it] how much it means, and I’m excited for it.”

To Wilson’s point, the Jets have to start establishing themselves within the division. This is their first AFC East game of the season. Their 15-year playoff absence has coincided with being a non-factor in the division.

The Jets were 0-6 in the division last season and were uncompetitive in all but one game. They finished 3-14.

They went 6-18 against the AFC East in Wilson’s first four seasons and were 25 games under .500 overall in that time. Since 2016, they’re 34 games under .500 in the division and 51-119 overall.

The last time the Jets were able to at least split their six division games was 2015. It’s also the last time they had a winning record. The Jets’ last playoff appearance was 2010, which was the last time they had a winning record in the AFC East.

Wilson said there’s “a multitude” of reasons for the Jets’ lack of success in the division during his career. He is confident that if the Jets approach it the right way and play their game Sunday, “we’ll chop down at that record.”

Jeremy Ruckert showed up in the same draft as Wilson, but Ruckert didn’t need to be told about the history or rivalry with New England. The Lindenhurst product grew up a Jets fan.

These games matter to Ruckert professionally and personally.

“Everybody has teams that they used to root for and stuff,” Ruckert told Newsday. “It’s important to me, but at the end of the day, I hate losing more than I hate any opponent.”

He added, “One of our main goals is making the playoffs. If you want to make the playoffs, you got to win your division games. That’s the easiest path to the playoffs.”

Nothing is ever easy for the Jets, but they could be closing the competitive gap between themselves and the top teams in their division. This is not the Same Old Jets from last year or beyond. Ruckert said this team is different “from the top down.”

The talent level, leadership, quarterback play and defense have improved. The Jets are more physically and mentally tough as well. All of that has to make the trip to New England.

“The group we have in this building is trending in the direction of being a successful, consistent team,” Ruckert said. “The only way you can get that title is just continuing to get the results that we want. We know we’re going to be in every game. It’s just a matter of continuing to finish those games and willing those games out to be Ws.”

Getting one Sunday could springboard the Jets to play meaningful football later in the season.

Finally.

By Al Iannazzone

al.iannazzone@newsday.comAl_Iannazzone

Al Iannazzone covers the Jets for Newsday after spending nearly two decades on the NBA beat with Knicks and Nets.