The New York Jets are one of the biggest enigmas in sports, not just the NFL.
Earlier in the week, we had Texans Executive Vice President/General Manager Nick Caserio in studio with us and we always get a scouting report from him on the upcoming opponent. He started rattling off names on this Jets roster.
"I mean, Aaron Rodgers is a Hall of Famer."
"The Jets have two backs as good as any team's in Breece Hall and rookie Braelon Allen."
"They have Davante now."
"The three corners - Sauce, D.J. and Michael Carter"
I left out a TON for brevity sake, but as he rattled off name after name after name, I remember thinking "Damn, how is this team 2-6?" I'm sure the answer to that question isn't as easy as it might appear. But it's been a consistent theme with them over the years. I found my "Know Your Foe" from last year and I said this:
Even though the Jets are 4-8, this game has me worried. We traveled up to Met Life five years ago to face the 4-9 Jets and they gave us all we could handle in a 29-22 fistfight. That Jets' team couldn't hold a candle to this one. So with scheduled rain on the horizon and THIS Jets defense waiting, it's going to be a bare knuckle brawl on Sunday.
I was dead on accurate with that one. Facing a talented team with a horrid record. MetLife issues. Jets' fistfight. All facts. Consequently, I expect much the same on a Thursday night game as Marc Vandermeer would say "This game is the Jets' last house on the left." Plus, it's on Halloween night? My goodness, the horror of facing THIS team on such a spooky and mysterious evening in East Rutherford, NJ is palpable.
Regardless, the NFL isn't changing the schedule now, or mostly ever, so time to put on the BIG BOY pads and go to work just five after doing so in an emotional game against the Colts. Let's get to know the 2024 version of the New York Jets, the Texans' week 9 opponent.
2024 New York Jets Schedule (2-6)
Week 1 - L San Francisco 49ers 32-19
Week 2 - W Tennessee Titans 24-17
Week 3 - W New England Patriots 24-3
Week 4 - L Denver Broncos 10-9
Week 5 - L @ Minnesota Vikings (London) 23-17
Week 6 - L Buffalo Bills 23-20
Week 7 - L @ Pittsburgh Steelers 37-15
Week 8 - L @ New England Patriots 25-22
Week 9 - Houston Texans
Week 10 - @ Arizona Cardinals
Week 11 - Indianapolis Colts
Week 12 - BYE WEEK
Week 13 - Seattle Seahawks
Week 14 - @ Miami Dolphins
Week 15 - @ Jacksonville Jaguars
Week 16 - Los Angeles Rams
Week 17 - @ Buffalo Bills
Week 18 - Miami Dolphins
Jets (in 2024 regular season)
Rushing Yards Per game - 86.1 ypg (29th in the NFL)
Passing Yards Per game - 224.5 ypg (13th)
Total offense per game - 310.6 ypg (24th)
Turnovers lost - 9 (7 INT, 2 Fumbles lost)
Expected Jets starting offense for Week 9
QB - Aaron Rodgers
RB - Breece Hall
WR - Garrett Wilson
WR - DAVANTE ADAMS
TE - Jeremy Ruckert
TE - Tyler Conklin
LT - TYRON SMITH
LG - JOHN SIMPSON
C - Joe Tippmann
RG - Alijah Vera-Tucker (injured) or Jake Hanson
RT - MORGAN MOSES
Other Key Offensive pieces
RB - BRAELON ALLEN
WR - Allen Lazard
WR/Returner - Xavier Gipson
WR - MIKE WILLIAMS
OT - OLU FASHANU
Italics - Rookie
ALL CAPS - New to team in 2024
Keys to winning v. the Jets Offense
- Mr. Rodgers' Neighborhood - The Texans beat an Aaron Rodgers-led team in his first year as a permanent starter…in 2008…16 years ago. Since then, he's won MVPs, a Super Bowl title, numerous All-Pro designations and much more. He also has three wins over the Texans in those 16 years and he embarrassed this franchise in each game. But his team is now 2-6 and it would be easy to look at a team with a 2-6 record and think the 41-year old QB has lost it. Oh, contraire mon frère. Watching nearly every Jets game this year, I've seen numerous throws that I know only Rodgers would attempt and even fewer could complete. Against New England last week, down in the low red zone, Rodgers spied TE Tyler Conklin crossing the formation into the end zone. The Jets TE had a defender HANGING on his left side, basically, but Rodgers reached back and threw a 99 mph fastball and stuck it on Conklin's right hand, away from the defender for a touchdown. He can still reach back for those fastballs, but the one game in which he couldn't was one in which the Jets allowed five sacks, numerous more pressures and lost the game 10-9 to Denver. There's no secret how to win this game (or have a chance to win) - pressure Rodgers from all different angles or else.
- Friend turned foe- In 2021, Texans QB C.J. Stroud was brilliant in his first year as the starting QB at THE Ohio State University. His power trio of receivers included Austin, TX native Garrett Wilson, who caught 12 TD passes from Stroud that season. Now, Wilson is the main offensive foe on the New York Jets offense. He was the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2022 and is clearly STILL the most dangerous weapon on this offense, yet again. He hurt defenses in catch and run situations. He can be a possession receiver, when needed, moving the sticks. He can be a deep threat, excelling with his route running (double moves!!) and ball skills. He now has to share the spotlight, and targets, with Davante Adams after the big trade two weeks ago. Maybe Wilson doesn't mind. Maybe he does, but I know last year when the Texans faced Wilson, he TORCHED anyone and everyone that dared to even come close to covering him. Wilson had a field day against the Patriots last week, catching five passes for 113 yards, while Adams had four for 54. Perhaps they complement one another, perhaps Wilson is clearly WR1. Regardless, I know that the Wilson that I saw last year was one of the best young WR in football and he worries me more than any offensive Jet on Thursday night.
- The Simpson- Unfortunately, there's no Homer, Marge, Lisa or Bart (not even a Bart Scott) in Jets green and white. But, there is a John and John Simpson is one of the best pass protectors in the NFL. He has had 319 pass snaps in 2024 and he's not given up a sack. He signed a free agent contract to come over and keep Aaron Rodgers upright and he's done his part brilliantly. This veteran-laden offensive line has done a better job keeping Rodgers from eating turf, with one notable exception - the Denver Broncos. Sean Payton's crew sacked Rodgers five times and still needed a Greg Zuerlein miss at the end to beat the Jets 10-9. But, Simpson has been outstanding, playing at a Pro Bowl level. The Texans defensive interior has been consistently outstanding too, but it would be a big feather in their cap to bring Rodgers to the ground, especially against Simpson. Not only putting a number on his board, but eroding Rodgers' confidence with the interior. This will be a massive key to winning the game.
Jets DEFENSE (in 2024 regular season)
Rushing Yards Allowed Per game - 125.6 ypg (17th in the NFL)
Passing Yards Allowed Per game - 161.1 ypg (2nd)
Total offense Allowed per game - 286.8 ypg (4th)
Turnovers generated - 6 (2 INT, 4 Fumble recoveries - Jets are +3 in TO margin)
Expected Jets starting defense for Week 9
DE - HAASON REDDICK
DT - JAVON KINLAW
DT - Quinnen Williams
DE - Will McDonald
LB - Quincy Williams
LB - Jamien Sherwood
LB - Chazz Surratt
CB - Sauce Gardner
S - Ashtyn Davis (injured, not sure of status)
S - Tony Adams (injured, not sure of status)
CB - D.J. Reed
*Nickel - Michael Carter II
Other Key Defensive pieces
DE - Michael Clemons
DT - Solomon Thomas
S - Ashtyn Davis
S - ISAIAH OLIVER
S - JALEN MILLS
CB - Brandin Echols
Italics - Rookie
ALL CAPS - New to team in 2024
Keys to winning v. the Jets Defense
- Sauce- The first time that I saw Ahmad 'Sauce' Gardner at the University of Cincinnati, I was exhausted. Every single play, he just beat up the receiver across from him. Clutch. Jostle. Grab. Hold. Bump. I mean, it was a brawl every single play and Sauce being a Detroit native, it made sense, but man, it was so physical that it made watching him exhausting. The one thing that consistently stood out was that he COMPETED for every ball on every play. He's carried that mentality to his NFL team and it's not surprising that his entire secondary plays that exact way. I emphasized Sauce and company in this key because last year the Texans receiving corps didn't hold up as well as it could've because Gardner, D.J. Reed and Michael Carter II dominated every Texans pass catcher on every single C.J. Stroud drop back. It's absolutely imperative that Tank Dell and company battle back and violently run their routes and chop hands off their person and rip through to get hands in position to catch the ball and snatch the ball out of the air and…well, they need to do EVERYTHING to beat the bully that you can imagine. It MUST be done or it's going to be 91 yards passing yet again.
- Quincy- Quinnen's brother Quincy Williams was a third round pick for the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2019 but was waived after two injury plagued seasons. He was claimed on waivers in 2021 by his brother's Jets squad and the two have wrecked shop ever since. But, it's the Quincy/C.J. Mosley (if he plays, Mosley went to get a neck MRI on Monday) linebacker combination that's one of the best in the league. Williams has 4.5 speed and Mosley is as smart as they come. As a result, Williams, in particular, is the perfect fit in this defense and he hunts all day long. The Texans MUST get the Jets down linemen handled, but that's going to leave Texans RB Joe Mixon in "must make Williams miss" mode. And, that doesn't happen often against Quincy.
- Will he is - The Jets new star edge pass rusher Will McDonald is as dynamic an athlete as there is in the league. Alright, so he's not NEW new, but he has burst on the scene as one of the league's new hot pass rushers, just as some old heads start to fade away. He's a magnificently gifted individual with a unique look at life and pass rushing. He was all the rage in the 2023 NFL Draft class because of his insane athleticism. Speed. Basketball body control. Length. Twitch. Bend. He was a track and field STAR in high school. Down at the Senior Bowl, I was on the field for his practices and it was electric. He spun on guys. He powered through them on speed-to-power. He swatted and spun and then chopped all in the same move to free himself to to get to the QB in a blink. Now, that ALL is translating to the NFL and it's scary. He looks like a small tight end and then the ball is snapped; he turns into a ferocious beast. I've seen him do thi often doing all my draft work on him over the years, but he's going to an even different level. The Texans tackles aren't the only ones that have their hands full with McDonald, as he'll attack inside at times as well and he'll weasel past guards and centers with his quickness and bend. He is the new skinny Von Miller; get ready, folks, he's going to put on a show for the nation if the Texans don't slow his early season roll.
