PFF examined the 28 teams that played in conference championship games from 2007-13, and found that 40 percent of those rosters, on average, comprised what PFF deemed to be good or elite players.
So here's the question PFF tried to answer: How many above-average players stood between every NFL team and contending for this season's Super Bowl?
This isn't gospel, but PFF believes the Jets were eight players away. That ranks 14th-fewest in the NFL, out of 30 teams, because the Super Bowl participants were not included.
PFF's top five were the Cowboys, Ravens, Broncos, Packers and Eagles. The Cowboys were zero above-average players away from contending for a Super Bowl spot, according to PFF. They bowed out in the divisional round at the Packers.
So the Jets are right there in the middle of the pack.
According to PFF, the Jets this season had two elite players (center Nick Mangold and defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson); four good players (defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson, safety Dawan Landry, rush outside linebacker Jason Babin and nose tackle Damon Harrison); 19 average players; and eight bad players.
Those bad players were: safety/cornerback Antonio Allen, left guard Brian Winters (who played just six games before hurting his knee), running back Chris Johnson, right guard Willie Colon, quarterback Geno Smith, quarterback Michael Vick, wide receiver David Nelson (who played in six games before getting cut) and tight end Jeff Cumberland.
It's never a good thing when your two quarterbacks, Smith and Vick in this case, are listed among the worst players on your team.
So do you agree or disagree with the assertion that the Jets aren't incredibly far away from being a successful team? Leave your thoughts in the comments section down below.
