The New York Jets are 1-0 and on top of the world. Everyone is buying stock in the green and white, right? Wrong.
Longtime member of the New England Patriots turned analyst Rob Gronkowski didn’t hold back when asked if the Jets can make the playoffs in 2026.
“Oh man, I’m burying it, I’m burying it. Yes, they played the Tennessee Titans, Kay [Adams], are you kidding me? It was the battle of the toilet bowl, as they say in basketball. I played in the toilet bowl before, and it was actually an awesome game to play in because there is no pressure,” Gronkowski said on “Up and Adams.”
“I ain’t buying anything from that game. I ain’t buying anything,” Gronk added.
Jets Have to Keep Trying to Earn Respect
Respect is earned, not given.
The Jets won their first Sunday season opener since 2015. They’re 1-0 after starting last year 0-7. However, not everyone is a believer.
In ESPN’s latest power rankings ahead of Week 2, the Jets placed 27th on the list. That is still the sixth-worst team in football.
“The Jets are looking to start a season 2-0 for just the 12th time in franchise history, and first since 2015. They finished with winning records in five of those previous 11 but made the playoffs just three times – including their Super Bowl win to cap the 1968 season,” Dennis Waszak Jr of the Associated Press posted on X.
Week 2 Is a Huge Test for the Jets
Geno Smith said Week 2 is the biggest game for the Jets because it’s the next game. However, the contest against the Green Bay Packers carries extra weight whether the players want to admit it or not.
Since 2009, the Packers have made the playoffs 14 times, and that was highlighted by a Super Bowl victory. The Jets, over that same span, have made the playoffs twice. The Jets haven’t been to the playoffs since the 2010 regular season.
Since 2011, the Jets have had one winning season. Over that same span, the Packers have had 12 winning seasons.
Green Bay is the standard of excellence. One of the model franchises in the NFL. When you think about the Packers, you think about success, championships, and winning. The Jets want to get there.
WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair once famously said, “To be the man, you gotta beat the man.” If the Jets want more respect, then beat a quality opponent.
The Jets will have three straight opportunities to do so against the Packers in Week 2, the Detroit Lions in Week 3, and the Chicago Bears in Week 4.
“Well, I think each week, we’re trying to make a statement. It doesn’t matter who it is. I mean, I think we all know our history and we’re trying to change that history. So, the only way to change that is to take it each week and you make a statement by what you do each week. The opponent doesn’t matter to us; it’s really about us and how we go in and operate. That’s what I talked to our guys about, that’s what our guys understand, and again, it’s really all about us and how we operate,” head coach Aaron Glenn explained when asked about facing a well-established playoff-caliber team on Sunday.
Hated Patriots Rival Slams Jets After 1-0 Start: ‘Toilet Bowl’