The New York Jets went into the game against the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday as the only winless team this season.
With a seemingly sure thing in Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence, it was seen as very likely that the Jets would tank for Trevor.
Jacksonville Jaguars were ahead by just one win, which meant that the Jets would need to keep losing to be guaranteed of the hottest college prospects in years.
Most Jets fans had been accepting of such a disastrous season, with Lawrence the reward for a year of pain.
Instead, the Jets won on Sunday, in a surprise 23-20 win over the 9 win Rams. With the Jags remaining on one win, they would end the season with a number one pick due to the strength of schedule.
This win over the Rams has certainly shocked the league and it has the potential of affecting the franchise in the long term.
Trevor Lawrence Or Justin Fields?
This would mean that the Jets would most likely take Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields with the second overall pick.
Fields is seen as another great college prospect but is nowhere near the talent that Lawrence is.
This season, Fields has thrown for 15 touchdowns and 5 interceptions.
Throughout his college career, Fields has thrown for 60 touchdowns and 8 interceptions.
Meanwhile, Lawrence has thrown for 22 touchdowns and 4 interceptions this season. He has also thrown for 88 touchdowns and 16 interceptions during his time at Clemson.
Whilst the stats favour Lawrence, he has thrown for his 88 college touchdowns with 341 more completed passes. Fields has only had two full seasons in college after transferring from Georgia, where he only threw 27 completions in his rookie season.
Fields would probably have better stats than Lawrence had they played the same amount of games. However, Lawrence looks more of a complete player.
Learning Off Draft Mistakes
We all saw the Chicago Bears draft Mitchell Trubisky second overall in the 2017 draft. The fact they passed on Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson has been something that the Bears fans have been mocked for ever since.
If the Jets were to draft Fields second overall, then this Rams defeat could be a topic that Jets fans would be reminded of for some time.
When the Raiders lost in the final seconds to the Las Vegas Raiders, we all thought that this was the Jets trying to lose. Defensive coordinator Gregg Williams was fired after the game and things did not seem to change, as they lost 40-3 to the Seattle Seahawks the following Sunday.
After the Rams win, it is clear that the Jets want to win. You can understand why players are wanting to win as they desire to keep their jobs.
However, one win does not make a difference for your chances of keeping a job at a franchise.
Head coach Adam Gase will not care about tanking, with his tenure likely to end after the conclusion of the season.
In the 2011 season, the Colts went 2-14 to get Andrew Luck in the 2012 draft. Luck is the last college player to have similar levels of hype as Lawrence.
Whilst injuries hindered Luck’s NFL career, he was the best quarterback choice of the draft and proved to be the best NFL player out of that quarterback class.
Second overall choice Robert Griffin III had a great rookie year but massively regressed after that season. Ryan Tannehill is performing well as a Tennessee Titan but had a disappointing time with the Miami Dolphins, who drafted him eighth overall in 2012.
22nd pick Brandon Weeden and 57th pick Brock Osweiler both flattered to deceive in the NFL.
Longevity is more important in the sport than just winning a game or two.
The Jacksonville Jaguars could still win a game and give the Jets back their momentum in the Lawrence sweepstakes. Jacksonville’s final two games are against the Chicago Bears and the Indianapolis Colts, who have a combined 17-11 record this season. The Jaguars beat the Colts in week 1 but Indy are a far more fierce opponent these days.
Chicago continue to be inconsistent, losing six straight games after a 5-1 start in 2020. The Bears have won 36-7 against the Houston Texans and 33-27 over the Minnesota Vikings in their last two games. This has the Bears in good form as they prepare for a final push. The Jags are in for a tough final two games and are unlikely to win either.
The Jets could still have a successful franchise with Fields, which needs to be talked about more. However, Lawrence looks more NFL ready and the Jets have potentially missed out on a superstar through beating the Rams on Sunday.
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