The New York Jets Week 18 game against the Miami Dolphins will close the book on their rollercoaster 2022 season. Ahead of the Jets-Dolphins game, we’ll be making our Jets Week 18 predictions.

The Jets (7-9) entered this season with the goal of playing meaningful games in December and January. They achieved that, thanks to a 6-3 start before the bye. But they’ve lost six of their past seven games, including five in a row, and were finally eliminated from the AFC playoff race last week with a brutal 23-6 loss to the Seattle Seahawks.

Coach Robert Saleh joked about how he’d like for the Jets to blow up the Dolphins playoff hopes this week in their season finale. Miami (8-8) needs to win and for the New England Patriots to lose to the Buffalo Bills in order to secure a wild card berth.

But for the 12th straight year, that’s what the Jets season has come down to. Playing the role of spoiler.

That said, let’s get to our New York Jets Week 18 predictions.

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3. Sauce Gardner will close out terrific rookie season with interception

There’s really not much more the Jets could ask of Sauce Gardner in his outstanding rookie season. He leads the NFL with 20 passes defended, including four last week against the Seahawks. He was voted to be a Pro Bowl starter. He and D.J. Reed have become the top cornerback tandem in the League. He likely will win NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year honors and could very well be selected All Pro.

Sauce will end his first NFL season on a high note. Because, well, he hasn’t had a downer yet.

Expect him to throw the clamps on Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle when they’re on his side. And no matter if it’s Teddy Bridgewater or Skylar Thompson at quarterback, Sauce will find a way to seize the moment and come away with a pick, his third of the season and second against the Dolphins.

2. The Jets offense will actually score a touchdown this week

Listen, the bar is set extremely low for the New York Jets offense. They’ve scored four touchdowns during their current five-game losing streak. They did not score a touchdown the past two games, managing three field goals when losing to the Seahawks and Jacksonville Jaguars.

So, the prediction is not for the Jets to score 30 points (they had 40 in Week 5 win against the Dolphins). No, it’s for them to actually score one touchdown. Finally.

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JJ McCarthy in a Vikings uniform, Kevin O'Connell

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New York Jets cornerback Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner standing behind a podium. There is a speech bubble that says “The New York Jets select…” There is also a logo for the 2024 NFL Draft.

Ben Strauss ·

Georgia tight end Brock Bowers between the Indianapolis Colts and New York Jets logos

Sonny Giuliano ·

Taking it a step further, let’s go with either Michael Carter or Elijah Moore to score that TD.

1. Jets complete their collapse, lose sixth straight to end 2022 season

This one will hard on the eyes for those who enjoy good offensive football. There will be very little of that. This will be a defensive battle.

Quinnen Williams will close out a Pro Bowl season with one final monster effort. Gardner, as mentioned above, will also finish strong. The Jets defense will bounce back from some disappointing efforts and they will dominate stretches of the game against a Miami offense without Tua Tagolaivoa.

But this is a must game for the Dolphins, who’ve also lost five in a row. They are 5-2 at home this season and that will come into play, as well.

The Jets will lose on a late field goal, 17-16.