The Jets can no longer say that nobody believes in them.
Thought by several pundits to be the worst team in the NFL before the season began, the Jets have rallied around the negativity and become one of the league’s biggest surprises, jumping out to a 3-2 start behind the league’s second-ranked defense.
Following the team’s last-second win in Atlanta, the Jets have finally earned bookmakers’ respect.
Bovada’s Super Bowl odds now have the Jets slotted at 75/1 to win the championship in their own building, down from double that number just the week before.
The Jets have better odds to hoist the Lombardi Trophy than 12 other teams, including perennial contenders in the Giants (150/1) and Steelers (150/1).
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Geno Smith has delivered a first for Jets rookies.
Smith was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week, thanks to his terrific performance in Monday night’s 30-28 final-second win over the Falcons in Atlanta. Smith threw for 199 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions, completing 16 of his 20 passes. He also spearheaded the Jets’ game-winning drive, capped by Nick Folk’s field goal.
“I’m proud of him winning that award,’’ Rex Ryan said Wednesday after practice. “Obviously very deserving of that. Proud of that.’’
This season, no NFL quarterback has produced a better single-game QB rating than Smith’s 147.7 in Atlanta.
Smith has fired seven touchdowns in five games (full-season pace of 22), passed for 1,289 yards (full-season pace of 4,124) and delivered an 80.3 QB rating. He is completing 60.3 percent of his passes.
Smith is the first Jet rookie to ever win Offensive Player of the Week. Mark Sanchez earned the honor in Week 11 of the 2010 season, his second year as a pro.