Jets’ postseason drought extends to NFL-high 14 straight seasons

The ugly pattern that has defined the New York Jets‘ disappointing season showed up again Sunday.

And now their playoff hopes are officially over.

The Jets squandered a fourth-quarter lead for the fifth time and they lost 32-26 in overtime to the Miami Dolphins, extending their postseason drought to 14 straight years — the NFL’s longest active streak.

“Obviously, you work as hard as we do, it’s supposed to lead to wins and it could be demoralizing a little bit,” wide receiver Davante Adams said. “But I try to remind everybody to keep going, regardless of the circumstances or the record.

“We’re playing for our pride at this point.”

Not even Aaron Rodgers‘ first 300-yard passing game since Dec. 12, 2021, or Anders Carlson’s 42-yard field to put the Jets (3-10) ahead 26-23 with 52 seconds remaining proved sufficient to keep the Jets’ faint postseason hopes alive.

Malik Washington returned Carlson’s kickoff 45 yards to the Miami 46. And without timeouts, the Dolphins drove to New York’s 34, where Jason Sanders kicked his fourth field goal — a 52-yarder — with 12 seconds left in regulation.

Rodgers and the Jets never had possession in overtime as the Dolphins won the coin toss and Tua Tagovailoa led a 70-yard drive, capped by his winning 10-yard touchdown pass to Jonnu Smith.

“We have to find a way to finish, give our best when our best is required,” said Jets interim coach Jeff Ulbrich, who dropped to 1-7 since replacing the fired Robert Saleh. “And not getting that accomplished, I’ve got to look at myself first.”

Before the late collapse, the Jets ended their first five drives end with scores. Adams finished with seven catches for 114 yards, while Garrett Wilson had 109 yards on nine receptions. But three of the drives ended in field goals, allowing the Dolphins to stay within distance.

“We had some good stretches,” said Rodgers, who finished 27-of-39 for 339 yards and a 3-yard touchdown pass to Adams in the third quarter. “Got to be better in the red zone. We had a couple negative yards plays and false starts that hurt us. But I felt like we moved the ball pretty efficiently.”

When Rodgers joined the Jets before the 2023 season, there were high hopes that the four-time MVP would help end the playoff drought.

Instead, Rodgers tore his left Achilles tendon four snaps into his Jets debut.

The Jets began this year with renewed Super Bowl hopes and were 2-1 to open the season. But they have since lost nine of 10. And Rodgers’ performances have far from resembled his dominant 18-year-run with Green Bay.

“The expectations were high. We didn’t reach them, they weren’t close.” Rodgers said. “We just didn’t figure out how to win enough games. I didn’t play good enough in some crunch times and that’s why we’re sitting here with the record we got.”

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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