The New York Jets’ 2022 season is coming to an end this week when Robert Saleh’s team will take on AFC East rivals, the Miami Dolphins, in a bid to end the season on a positive note after missing out on the playoffs after last weekend’s loss to the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field.

The team gave it their best shot, but it was never in the plan to make the postseason this year. After a four-win season last year, progression was key and that has been seen in more ways than one.

Saleh has come under rightful stick from time to time but overall, he has revitalised a franchise that was in the doldrums by changing the culture and giving the playing squad a general lift.

Joe Douglas and the front office signed and drafted some brilliant players that are now firmly a part of the franchise and are key to the change in culture and shift in performances, for the most part.

Saleh, with his defensive expertise has changed the narrative of the side and the defence is now labelled a top five one in the league with the likes of Quinnen Williams, C.J. Mosley, Sauce Gardner, and D.J. Reed at the heart of it. Offensively, there are things to work on but there are also pieces there to be pleased with like rookies Garrett Wilson and Breece Hall, and offensive lineman Alijah Vera-Tucker.

There are plenty of building blocks in place to enable success in 2023, hopefully to go one step further in their bid to end their playoff drought.

However, there are going to be many questions about how the team goes forward and pushes on for 2023 with the main question mark being on the quarterback situation. Nobody knows the answers to those questions right now, so this week is about finishing strongly and focusing on the task at hand which is to end the season on a high against a Miami team looking to reach the playoffs for the first time since 2016.

In the game on Sunday, the Jets of course face the Dolphins who they beat earlier on in the season at MetLife Stadium. This time round it will be quite a similar game on paper as it is looking likely that the Jets will be facing Miami’s third string quarterback Skylar Thompson – which was the case back at the start of the season.

The Jets are on a five-game slide and to end the season with a win, even in a dead rubber game, will be something positive to use to go into the offseason with.

It is tough to be positive right now with the performances recently but while the end to the season isn’t the one we hoped for, Jets fans can take solace from the fact that the team is on the rise and can use the downfalls to come back stronger in 2023.

We all know what the franchise has in terms of building blocks and pieces of the jigsaw, and more of those will come during the offseason no doubt. It’s all about remaining grounded as a fan and with the players too, as they will need to remain professional to beat what will be a determined Miami side.

Possibly the two shining lights of the season for New York have been Garrett Wilson and Gardner. Wilson has now surpassed a thousand receiving yards to break Keyshawn Johnson’s record, while Gardner has also continued to stake his claim for Defensive Rookie of the Year. Those two, as well as the rest of the Jets team will be looking to sign the season off in style and it’ll all be going down at the Hard Rock Stadium this Sunday!

There'll be more to come from me in the coming weeks where the season will be wrapped up and some exciting offseason articles to be read.

Let’s go Jets!