An inside take a look at Sunday’s Jets-Vikings NFL Week 5 matchup at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London:
Marquee matchup
Vikings WR Justin Jefferson vs. Jets CBs Sauce Gardner and D.J. Reed
The Jets get to check simply how good their secondary is that this week towards the person most contemplate to be the very best broad receiver within the NFL.
They confronted him two years in the past with Gardner and Reed splitting time masking him.
There is no such thing as a motive to count on them to have one participant following Jefferson this time.
Jefferson signed a four-year, $140 million contract extension within the offseason.
He has 20 catches for 358 yards and 4 touchdowns by way of 4 video games this 12 months.
Reed is coming off a robust sport towards the Broncos, and Gardner has been strong as typical in protection.
They each mentioned they’re wanting ahead to this matchup.
“Justin, you understand, there’s a motive why he’s the highest-paid receiver,” Reed mentioned. “, he’s a really particular receiver. Most likely the very best, I’d say. Yeah, it’s both Justin or Tyreek [Hill]. So it’s not only for me factor. It’s all people on the sector has to know the place he’s at as a result of clearly they’re going to make the most of them. And yeah, I’m wanting ahead to the problem, although.”
The Jets have been stingy towards the go this season.
They rank No. 2 within the NFL in passing yards allowed.
They haven’t allowed a 100-yard receiver but this 12 months.
Calvin Ridley of the Titans had essentially the most receiving yards towards them with 77.
Costello’s name
The NFL is wacky.
One week the Jets appear like an environment friendly machine, the following week they appear like they will’t do something proper.
I believe issues swing again the opposite method once more this week, and the Jets will put collectively a robust sport on offense.
I count on a motivated Aaron Rodgers after the criticism grew loud this week.
The protection struggles, however Sauce Gardner intercepts Sam Darnold to seal this win.
Jets 31, Vikings 27
4 downs
Sam I’m
The Jets noticed Zach Wilson standing on the opposing sideline final week.
Now, they get to see one other one among their former first-round choose quarterbacks, however Sam Darnold can be taking part in on this one.
Darnold is off to an incredible begin in his first 12 months with the Vikings.
He has thrown for 932 yards, a league-best 11 touchdowns and three interceptions.
He has the Vikings at 4-0, and he’s residing as much as the potential the Jets thought he had once they drafted him No. 3 general in 2018.
“He’s balling, man,” Jets cornerback D.J. Reed mentioned. “, proper now he seems to be like an MVP, you understand, sort of participant for the Nationwide Soccer League. I’d simply say the O-line is doing an amazing job blocking for him. , it’s not that a lot stress in his face, which, you understand, I believe he’s top-of-the-line if he simply doesn’t have something in his face and he’s simply making throws, he may do nice with out stress. And he’s making good choices and he’s making explosive performs as effectively.”
Flag day
The Jets had a horrible day of penalties final week with 15 complete and 13 accepted.
They had been significantly horrible with false begins — 5 of them.
This has sparked debate amongst followers about coach Robert Saleh’s capacity to do the job and the self-discipline of the workforce.
Fixing the penalties has been a spotlight this week, however Saleh was clear that doesn’t imply he was making anybody run laps or do pushups for penalties in observe.
“I personally know they’re males,” Saleh mentioned. “They wish to be handled like males. They already know they tousled. They don’t must be embarrassed. They should know easy methods to appropriate it, and I don’t assume doing push-ups is instructing a man easy methods to appropriate it.”
G-force
One of many largest mysteries of the early season for the Jets is what has occurred with star broad receiver Garrett Wilson.
The third-year participant doesn’t appear to be on the identical web page as quarterback Aaron Rodgers, and he has but to have an explosive sport.
Wilson has 20 catches for 191 yards and one landing in 4 video games.
His season-high in receiving yards is 60 from Week 1 towards the 49ers.
The workforce is downplaying the disconnect between Wilson and Rodgers, but it surely has been obvious early this season.
May this be the day they click on?
The 60K membership
Rodgers is on the verge of a private milestone on this sport.
He wants 96 passing yards to turn out to be the ninth participant in NFL historical past to go for 60,000 yards — becoming a member of Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Peyton Manning, Brett Favre, Ben Roethlisberger, Philip Rivers, Matt Ryan and Dan Marino.
He’s going to must do it towards a troublesome Vikings protection.
They lead the league in sacks with 17 and are tied for the league lead with eight interceptions.
Rodgers took a beating final week towards a blitzing Broncos workforce.
The Jets might want to present they will deal with stress this week from the Brian Flores-led protection that can blitz all day.