AFC Playoff Picture: Jets Surviving Amid Potential Aaron Rodgers Comeback

Aaron Rodgers has once again established his desire to return to the field this season.

The 39-year-old quarterback, who tore his left Achilles tendon just four snaps into his New York Jets debut on September 11, was in attendance at Santa Anita Park in California for the Breeders' Cup on Saturday. But football overshadowed horse racing for a few minutes. During a televised interview with NBC, Rodgers said he was rehabbing daily, "feeling good," and determined to be back on the field.

"It's a process, step-by-step, day-by-day," he said. "There's some great days, some rough days. But the goal for me is to come back this year. It's got to be. Otherwise, I think it'd be a lot of rehab in vain. We'll see what happens. I've got to hit some markers before that. I've got to be able to move around. I've got to be able to avoid putting myself in harm's way."

Rodgers underwent surgery on September 13 and has been vocal in his belief that he can play again this season despite suffering what is usually a season-ending injury. And Jets fans have seen some promising signs of late. The four-time National Football League (NFL) MVP is already walking without crutches, and has been throwing on the field ahead of recent Jets games.

But for an unprecedented comeback out of Rodgers to be worthwhile, the Jets need to stay in playoff contention. The Jets stand at 4-3 heading into their Week 9 Monday Night Football matchup with the Los Angeles Chargers (3-4).

With a potential Rodgers comeback looming, here's where the Jets stand in the playoff race.

How Jets Fit Into AFC Playoff Picture

The Jets are without their Pro Bowl quarterback, started 1-3, and have trailed in every game this season. But remarkably, Gang Green still stands above .500.

New York is on a three-game winning streak heading into Monday night. Wins over the Denver Broncos and New York Giants are sandwiched around an upset victory against the now 8-1 Philadelphia Eagles.

What's been the key to the Jets' recent streak of success?

"A lot of resilience from this group," head coach Robert Saleh said after beating the Giants. "And it feels like the mark of this group. They never feel like they're out of the game."

They're not out of the playoff race, either. New York is one of nine teams above .500 in the conference as Week 9 comes to a close. The Jets are in second place in the AFC East, behind the Miami Dolphins, but ahead of the Buffalo Bills (5-4) and New England Patriots (2-7).

Ahead of their primetime game with the Chargers, the Jets sit in the No. 8 seed, out of 16 total teams, in the AFC. The top seven make the playoffs. Miami is the No. 4 seed, given to the division-winner with the worst win-loss record, while three teams from the AFC North—Pittsburgh Steelers (5-3), Cleveland Browns (5-3), and Cincinnati Bengals (5-3)—currently sit in the Wild Card spots.

Jets Schedule for Rest of 2023 Season

Including Monday night against the Chargers, the Jets have 10 games remaining this regular season. Five of those will be at MetLife Stadium, while the other five will be played on the road.

The Jets have the 18th toughest strength of schedule remaining in the league, in terms of opponent winning percentage, according to Tankathon, which tracks NFL data. Using other metrics, ESPN's Mike Clay determined that the Jets have the 11th-hardest slate over the second half of the season. New York has four games remaining on its schedule against teams above .500. Three of those are divisional matchups—one against the Bills and two versus the Dolphins.

Over the next month, the Jets play the Chargers, Raiders (4-5), Bills, and Dolphins. If Rodgers' miraculous comeback is to become a reality, New York will likely still need to be in the playoff hunt by the time December rolls around.

But, for now, the focus remains on the players who are currently on the field.

"There's a lot in front of us," general manager Joe Douglas said last week. "We have 10 games left. So, look, everything we do is in the here and now. We have a huge game Monday night. A really good football team is coming into MetLife. We need to be ready."

The Jets host quarterback Justin Herbert and the Chargers at 8:15 p.m. ET on Monday. The game will air on ESPN. Los Angeles enters as a 3.5-point favorite, per Caesars Sportsbook.