The New York Jets have an opportunity on Sunday. They can accomplish something the franchise hasn't done in more than a decade. After opening the 2026 season witha victory over the Tennessee Titans, the Jets return to MetLife Stadium for their home opener against the Green Bay Packers.
A win would move New York to 2-0 for the first time since 2015 and just the 12th time in franchise history. Longtime Jets beat writer Dennis Waszak Jr. shared the historical context on X, noting that the Jets have an opportunity to start 2-0 for the first time since 2015.
The #Jets are looking to start a season 2-0 for just the 12th time in franchise history, and first since 2015. They finished with winning records in five of those previous 11 but made the playoffs
just three times - including their Super Bowl win to cap the 1968 season. pic.twitter.com/86Vh1oGMZj
— Dennis Waszak Jr. (@DWAZ73) September 16, 2026
As Waszak states, one of those playoff appearances remains the most important season in franchise history. The Jets began the 1968 season 2-0 and eventually won Super Bowl III.
The more recent example came in 2015 under Todd Bowles. The Jets defeated the Cleveland Browns 31-10 in Week 1 before traveling to Indianapolis and beating the Colts 20-7 on Monday Night Football, moving to 2-0. That team finished 10-6 and second in the AFC East, but missed the playoffs after losing a winner-take-all game to the Buffalo Billsin the regular-season finale.
The 2015 Jets provide an interesting comparison
The 2015 Jets roster featured five players selected to the Pro Bowl: wide receiver Brandon Marshall, cornerback Darrelle Revis, defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson, running back Chris Ivory, and center Nick Mangold. Ivory also became the most recent Jets running back to reach 1,000 rushing yards before Breece Hall accomplished the feat in 2025.
That's a useful reminder for the current Jets. Starting 2-0 would be a meaningful accomplishment, but history also shows that a fast beginning doesn't guarantee what comes afterward. The 2015 team ultimately fell short of the postseason despite putting together a strong regular season.
For Aaron Glenn's Jets, however, the opportunity is straightforward. New York has already secured one road win and now has a chance to protect home field while building momentum against Green Bay.
A 2-0 record wouldn't solve everything, and it certainly wouldn't guarantee a postseason berth. It would, however, give the Jets something they haven't had since 2015: a chance to spend the early portion of a season playing from a position of confidence rather than trying to recover from a slow start. For a franchise that has spent years searching for sustained momentum, that's a streak worth ending.
This article originally appeared on Jets Wire: Jets look to break decade-long jinx vs. the Packers in Week 2
