Judging from last weekend, the Bengals probably think they’ll get the planes in time.
Robert Saleh’s crew was deeply embarrassed by the Patriots, who pinned their 54-point rival and made this week’s film sessions particularly rough. After one week, the Jets’ defense will only face a stronger attack, the Bengals averaging 27 points per game, the seventh-best in football.
The Jets will face a young, rolling quarterback throwing one of the best wide range receivers in the league. The Jets linebacker Corps was decimated on Sunday, when they lost Jamien Sherwood (for the year with a torn hamstring) and Blake Cashman (to a groin injury).
All while leading the Jets attack by Mike White, a 2018 fifth-round pick who never started an NFL game.
The planes hope to get defensive reinforcements in time. If there is any trace of hope on the same old planes, it is that on Sunday, the same planes may not be what they were.
CJ Mosley, who watched Sunday’s horror from the sideline, thinks he’ll be back on the field. Alongside him may be Jarrad Davis, the fifth-year full-back who has yet to play this season due to a left ankle injury. With Marcus May, who returns against the Patriots after missing two games, another week after injuring his ankle, the Gates will likely put his veteran group on defense of the season.
A unit that has just given up seven landings in an attack led by McJones will be required to not only bounce back, but be the reason why the white led attack remains in the game. The Jets defense comes close to everything and should be a lot better.
“We want to do everything we can to take all the pressure off the quarterback as much as possible,” Mosley said after training at Florham Park on Thursday. “Obviously, recover the ball as quickly as possible, three times and rotations, creating a good position for our attack.”
Start with Moseley, who was always the best defensive player in the first five volleys, in which they never allowed more than 27 points in any competition. He had to miss one game with a hamstring problem, and the defense collapsed without him.
The quarterback didn’t want to announce he was ready to wear at the MetLife against the Bengals, but he was a limited participant in practice this week and said, barring a setback, his comeback looks promising.
“As long as everything continues as it is, I will play on Sunday,” Mosley said.
Davis was also training Thursday during a week the Jets had scheduled him for a comeback. It can now be activated from the infected reserve if it is ready.
“Once he came back to [practice] Mosley said of Davis, the former lion. “It’s exciting to get it back there, whether it’s 100 percent or whether it’s 95 percent.”
This will be a good week to be healthy, and it will be a good week for the team to become the last NFL team to score an interception.
Joe Burrow’s 1,956 yards of passes ranks sixth in football, and his 108.9 rating is fifth best.
He has all the weapons Zach Wilson could want to own. Joe Mixon was consistent off the field, and former LSU star Ja’Marr Chase lights up the league (six touchdowns, league best 21.5 yards per catch). When double covered, Burrow had Tyler Boyd and Tee Higgins to connect with.
“I should know where [Chase is] On the field at all times,” May said. “They are going to throw the ball all over the field. [We have to] be tight in coverage. Give them a different look. I can’t let them rest on the court.”
“It’s their third year in the system,” Saleh said this week. “Ja’Marr really opened up the whole group, the tight end [C.J. Uzomah]Backrunner, Boyd, Higgins, he’s talented. And they’re playing really, really fast because they’ve been together for so long.”
This is the unit the Jets defense will watch as they try to recover from their worst performance of the season and as they try to relieve the pressure on the fledgling midfielder.
The Jets survived by AJ Brown and Julio Jones, who were injured while playing with the Titans. They also missed out on Falcons side Calvin Ridley, who did not play against the Jets in London. They won’t be so lucky on Sunday.
They had never seen such a crime. They’re hoping, though, that the Bengals haven’t seen the Jets’ defense like this, because no one has seen Mosley and Davis running the quarterback together.
“A new opportunity. Going to Sunday with a clean slate,” May said.
A new challenge, too.
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