Jets' Rooting Guide for 2021 NFL Draft Implications of Week 15
The New York Jets' NFL draft focus should be on securing the No. 4 and No. 5 picks.
The Detroit Lions, Houston Texans and Jacksonville Jaguars appear to have the top three selections locked up. The Jets have a head-to-head win over Houston and can earn one over Jacksonville in Week 16.
New York's ceiling in the draft order could be the No. 4 selection if it beats Jacksonville and loses its other three remaining contests.
The Jets should lose to the red-hot Miami Dolphins in Week 15. Miami is still in the playoff hunt at 6-7 despite being the No. 13 seed in the AFC.
The Jets have been fans of whichever team plays the Seattle Seahawks all season, and that will not change on Sunday.
A Seattle loss to the Los Angeles Rams, combined with a few other results, could give the Jets two top-five picks going into Week 16.
Rams over Seahawks
The first result needed by the Jets appears to be straightforward.
The Los Angeles Rams gained a massive momentum boost on Monday night with their win over the Arizona Cardinals.
Los Angeles is clearly one of the top five teams in the NFC, and it has an outside chance to steal the division title away from the Cardinals.
The Seattle Seahawks' two-game winning streak should come to an end inside SoFi Stadium. Seattle will not be able to slow down the Los Angeles offense without the injured Jamal Adams.
Seattle is dealing with some significant roster issues as well. Tyler Lockett and Alex Collins were placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list on Thursday.
A Seattle loss would ensure the first-round pick gained from the Adams trade stays within the top seven for the Jets.
Seattle's selection could move up the order if the New York Giants and Chicago Bears pull off divisional upsets.
Giants over Cowboys
Now it is time to get into the unlikely results needed by the Jets.
One of the Houston Texans and Jacksonville Jaguars will join the Jets on three victories after Week 15, and the Jets could move away from that team by earning its fourth win over Jacksonville in Week 16.
If that situation plays out, the Jets should be rooting for the New York Giants and Chicago Bears to pick up a victory or two to end the season to move Seattle's pick higher.
The Giants should be a massive underdog against the NFC East-leading Dallas Cowboys, but the one saving grace for them is Sunday's game takes place inside MetLife Stadium.
New York's NFC franchise is on a three-game home winning streak. Those victories came against the Carolina Panthers, Las Vegas Raiders and Philadelphia Eagles, all of whom are fighting for wild-card spots in their respective conferences.
Dallas is a step up in competition from those squads, but it will be without left tackle Tyron Smith, and the Giants could get quarterback Daniel Jones back.
Jets fans should be rooting for Jones to remain on the field for the next four weeks so the Giants have the best chance to win games.
If Mike Glennon is put on the gridiron for another game, Jets fans might as well chalk that up as a Giants loss and try again next week.
Bears over Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings lost on the road to the Detroit Lions in early December, so it is not unrealistic to think the Chicago Bears could beat them on Monday night.
The Bears were competitive with the Green Bay Packers for a half in Week 14, and they have a chance to beat the Vikings if they turn that 30-minute performance into a 60-minute showcase for Justin Fields and the offense.
Chicago has a chance to play spoiler on two fronts in the next four weeks. It can beat the Vikings twice in Weeks 15 and 18 to ruin their chances of owning one of the three NFC wild-card spots.
Matt Nagy's squad can also ruin the draft stock of the Giants with a head-to-head win in Week 17 and a few other victories.
The Giants own the Bears' first-round pick from the draft-day trade that brought Justin Fields to Chicago last April.
Chicago's best-case scenario is to beat the Giants and the Vikings at least once to finish with at least six wins. The Jets would love to see that result to take one of the Giants' picks away from the top five.