New York Jets vs Jacksonville Jaguars Prediction: A mix of poor performing teams

The New York Jets and the Jacksonville Jaguars, two of the league's most improved teams this season, will meet on Friday Night Football at MetLife Stadium in a game with major playoff implications for both clubs. After winning a combined 10 games over the previous two seasons, these squads have combined to win 13 so far in 2022-23, with the Jets sitting one game behind the Miami Dolphins for the last AFC playoff position and the Jaguars trailing the Tennessee Titans by the same amount in the AFC South.

The turnaround may be attributed to Robert Saleh's defense, which ranks fourth in the NFL and allows just 305.4 yards per game, behind only the Philadelphia Eagles (293.5) and the San Francisco 49ers (286.1). This unit has been reliable all year, giving up less than 300 yards in two of their last three games. New York is now on a three-game losing streak, but they have lost the turnover battle in every game this month. Running for less than 100 yards in each of their last two games, and surrendering four sacks to both the Buffalo Bills and the Detroit Lions, has put them on the outside looking in on the AFC playoff picture. On Thursday, the Jets will play their first game of the season against a team from the American Football Conference South. Last season, the Jets went 2-0 at home against the AFC South, including a 26-21 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Boxing Day. The Jets' final three games are against teams currently in or on the cusp of a postseason spot, and they won only one of their four December games last year against Jaguars, Seattle Seahawks, and Miami Dolphins.

After 14 games in his first season as head coach, Doug Pederson already has six victories, which is two more than the team had in both of the prior seasons combined. They have faith in themselves because of their former Super Bowl-winning coach, and they have won three of their last four games, giving them a real shot at making the playoffs. At this point in any of their previous four regular seasons, in which they finished dead last in their division, such a thing would never have been considered. Their defense has been struggling as of late, allowing 30+ points in two of their last three games, but their offense has been brilliant, racking up over 400 yards in back-to-back wins and shocking the Dallas Cowboys 40-34 in overtime last Sunday for their first win against an NFC opponent since opening the 2018 season with a 20-10 victory over the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium. If the Jaguars can win their next three games of the season, they will not only secure their first division title since the 2017–18 season but also go to the postseason for the first time since reaching the AFC Championship game that year. The Jaguars won two games last year against AFC East opponents, but that was their only road victory all year. In December 2018, they defeated the Miami Dolphins 17-7.

Trevor Lawrence, the Jaguars' second-year quarterback, has improved greatly this season, whereas Zach Wilson, the Jets' first-year quarterback, has slowed the team down with his terrible decision-making. Even though the Jets may be missing some key pass rushers because of injuries, we think the Jaguars' running game will be the deciding factor in this game.