In a season that has essentially been over since Dec. 8, the Jets have some meaning in their season finale against the Dolphins at MetLife Stadium on Sunday.
In Week 14, Miami eliminated the Jets from the playoffs with a 32-26 overtime win, marking the 14th straight season without a Jets playoff appearance.
It was Aaron Rodgers’ best game as a Jet and the offense piled up a season-best 402 yards.
The future Hall of Famer threw for 339 yards and connected with Davante Adams for 109 yards and a touchdown, and Garrett Wilson for a 114-yard game.
But the defense didn’t support the offense.
Tua Tagovailoa was not hit or sacked, the Jets defense failed to force a turnover and surrendered 375 yards.
On Sunday, the Jets have a chance to repay the favor and eliminate the Dolphins from the playoffs with a combination of a win and a Broncos loss to the Chiefs.
“I would say that gives some guys an edge,” D.J. Reed told The Post on Thursday. “I feel like any division rival or any division opponent that you play, you want to put your best foot forward. Really any game, but especially division opponents. For me, that’s what I’m going to do. It’s like a championship game.”
“I think for us, it’s just trying to finish on a good note,” Adams added. “Put something good on tape just with all the uncertainties with basically everybody this year. For me, it’s not a Packers-Bears rivalry, but we don’t want to see them continue on after ruining our dreams.”
To get back to that clicking offense again, passing game coordinator Todd Downing said he wants his offense to be loose, “flying around,” and in a lighter mood.
“They were celebrating with one another, and they were really enjoying themselves out there. That’s going to be key to us repaying the favor this week,” Downing said.
The Jets were 2 of 5 in the red zone against Miami and had two three-and-outs in the fourth quarter.
Those mishaps, Adams said, will hopefully be avoided after watching film this week.
To the Jets’ advantage, Tagovailoa may not be under center as the quarterback has been nursing a hip injury and was been a limited participant in practice Wednesday and Thursday.
Head coach Mike McDaniel announced that the team is preparing as if second-stringer Tyler Huntley is the starter.
Special teams coordinator Brant Boyer said Greg Zuerlein would have kicked a field goal if the Jets needed it in their 40-14 loss to the Bills last week.
Zuerlein, who was set to kick everything for the Jets ahead of the Week 17 game, had his back flare up just before kickoff and was back on injured reserve after recovering from an October knee injury.
“That is as good as I have seen him kick all year. He had a hell of a week of practice. I mean, it is unfortunate,” Boyer said Thursday.
Greg Joseph will kick for the Jets on Sunday, making franchise history as the fifth kicker of the season.
For the first time since 2021, no Jets players were selected for the Pro Bowl Games.
Instead, six players were selected as alternates for the games set for Feb. 2.
Quinnen Williams was selected as a first-team alternate followed by Irvin Charles (second), Garrett Wilson (third team), Will McDonald (third), Sauce Gardner (fifth) and Xavier Gipson (fifth).
It has been nine straight seasons for the Jets without an offensive player receiving a Pro Bowl nod.
The last was wideout Brandon Marshall in 2015.
The Jets announced they completed a interviews with former Panthers and Commanders head coach Ron Rivera for their own opening and current ESPN and ABC analyst Louis Riddick for their general manager vacancy.
Gardner won the Good Guy award from the media Thursday.
TE Tyler Conklin (calf), RT Morgan Moses (knee), RG Alijah Vera-Tucker (ankle), DL Quinnen Williams (hamstring) and Gardner (hamstring) all did not practice Thursday.
