It’s a rough day to be either a New York Jets fan or bettor. In their Week 18 game against the Miami Dolphins, the Jets appeared to be looking good for a cover as a 3.5-point underdog (DraftKings), but things went south at the very end. After the Dolphins took a 9-6 lead on a Jason Sanders field goal late in the fourth quarter, the Jets were forced to try to lateral to pull off the miracle win.
The play never had a chance, with the Jets ultimately fumbling the ball out of their end zone.
— Sports Fan (@sportsnow12345) January 8, 2023
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Final Dolphins-Jets Play Results in Bad Beat For Jets Bettors
We’ve seen some bad beats during the college football bowl season in relation to the lateral play, but perhaps Jets bettors suffered the worst beat of the NFL season, and it puts an exclamation point on another disappointing year for Gang Green.
The Jets fell flat in Week 17, losing 23-6 at the Seattle Seahawks, a defeat that officially eliminated New York from the postseason, setting up yet another long offseason. The 12-year playoff drought is the longest of any NFL team.
“We feel like we blew the season,” rookie wide receiver Garrett Wilson said, per the New York Post. “We wanted a chance at the playoffs. I’m pretty sure this means we’re not going. At the end of the day, that’s what we wanted to do and have a chance to prove ourselves beyond that. We didn’t get there. We don’t feel good about it at all.”
There was a time when Jets fans thought this year would be different. After beating the Chicago Bears on Nov. 27, the Jets had a 7-4 record and felt like they’d (at least) be fighting for a playoff spot until the end of the season. But thanks to inconsistent quarterback play, coupled with tough injuries down the stretch, they lost the final six games to finish 7-10.
“I know it’s hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel, but there’s still a lot of really cool things to look at from this season,” head coach Robert Saleh said.
Perhaps the final play was a perfect metaphor for the entire season. And for all the Jets bettors and fans reeling out there, it’ll be especially hard to see the “light at the end of the tunnel” after another epic collapse.
