The New York Jets came into Sunday's game riding a four-game winning streak and thinking about the playoffs. At 5-3, they still have a good shot at making the postseason, but Sunday's loss to the rival New England Patriots showed that the Jets still aren't ready to be an elite franchise.

New York has already taken huge steps in 2022—they've already won more games than they did a year ago—so the 22-17 defeat shouldn't dampen the team's spirits too much. However, they had an opportunity to make a big statement on Sunday and failed to deliver.

The Jets have now lost 13 straight games to the Patriots.

With a game against the rolling Buffalo Bills and a rematch with New England sandwiched around the Week 10 bye, the Jets have some tough sledding on the immediate horizon. Here, though, we'll take a look at what we learned in New York's Week 8 loss to the Patriots.

The Jets Still Can't Find an Answer for Bill Belichick

This game felt much different than past Jets-Patriots matchups. The Jets had a better record than New England, the Patriots have struggled to find consistency at the quarterback position, and seemed like New York could finally snap its lengthy losing streak to its division rival.

New England, after all, was embarrassed last Monday night by the lowly Chicago Bears.

But the Patriots still have Bill Belichick as their head coach, and the Jets just can't figure out how to beat him.

The Jets took an early lead on a Greg Zuerlein field goal and carried a 10-6 lead into halftime. However, Belichick made his halftime adjustments, and it was all New England after that. The Patriots went on a 16-0 run in the second half before the Jets scored again after the two-minute warning, setting up an onside-kick attempt that failed.

While New York did a respectable job defensively, they got little going on offense, finishing with just 17 first downs and converting 5-of-14 third-down attempts.

Once again, New York found itself outcoached by the master. Belichick, by the way, moved into second place on the all-time wins list with the victory.

Zach Wilson Still Hasn't Established Himself as the Franchise Quarterback

The Jets have every reason to be patient with second-year quarterback Zach Wilson. The BYU product was a raw prospect and was always going to need time to develop. The Jets have watched as Bills QB Josh Allen progressed from a similarly raw prospect into a superstar.

Wilson has just 18 starts on his resume and opened the season on injured reserve with a torn meniscus. There's no reason for the Jets to start eying the 2023 quarterback class yet. However, New York must have a little doubt about Wilson's ability to be a true franchise quarterback.

While Wilson showed a few flashes on Sunday and remains a physically gifted passer, he continues to wilt under pressure. The Patriots brought plenty of it, and Wilson struggled to move the chains and make good decisions.

In all, Wilson completed less than 50 percent of his passes (20-of-41). While he threw for 355 yards and two touchdowns, he also tossed three interceptions. Wilson now has a passer rating of just 71.0 on the season. While he's gone 4-1 as the starter, the Jets know that his play must improve.

"We've got all faith in the world in him and we've just going to continue to find ways to do better," head coach Robert Saleh said, per Jack Bell of the team's official website.

At some point, the Jets need to see real growth from Wilson. Otherwise, they may start thinking about QB alternatives.

The Jets May Have to Consider Trading Elijah Moore

Wide receiver Elijah Moore requested a trade earlier this month and didn't play in Week 7. With Corey Davis out with a knee injury, it felt like Moore might become relevant in the offense once again.

Moore, however, played just 10 offensive snaps—according to Pro Football Reference—and finished without a catch for the second-straight game. It's becoming clear that Moore and Wilson can't get on the same page.

"I don't get the ball," Moore said after the game, per Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post. " I don't know."

If the Jets can't get the ball to Moore and aren't even committed to getting him opportunities, they need to consider honoring his trade request before Tuesday's deadline. The 2021 second-round pick would undoubtedly bring something of value back in a trade, and he's giving little to the offense right now.

And Moore, one would assume, isn't happy about it. That's a potential distraction the Jets don't need as they look to push for the postseason.

The 2022 trade deadline will pass at 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday.