Fans of the two metro-area NFL teams by now should be used to watching the playoffs without their favorites involved or any personal rooting interest.
The Jets have missed out on the postseason for an astonishing 14 years in a row since their last appearance in 2010, while the Giants have done only slightly better in the past decade-plus, with a 1-2 record in the two years they’ve qualified for the playoffs (2016, 2022) over the 13 seasons since their most recent Super Bowl victory in February 2012.
So aside from betting endeavors, which a few of us still don’t take part in aside from the occasional box pool, what can fans of the teams that call MetLife Stadium home look for — schadenfreude, even — to generate personal interest in the six wild-card matchups this weekend, consisting of a doubleheader Saturday, three games Sunday and a standalone contest Monday night with only the top-seeded Chiefs and Lions receiving a bye?
Let’s take a look:
