New York Jets Look to Bounce Back Against Seahawks
By Sarah Bloom
The New York Jets are hoping to shake off last week’s nightmare as they look ahead to their matchup against the Seattle Seahawks.
The New York Jets didn’t just lose to the Kansas City Chiefs Sunday; they got embarrassed. Ryan Fitzpatrick played in one of the worst games of his career, completing more passes to the Kansas City secondary than his own receivers.
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But New York won’t dwell on the beatdown as the Jets focus in on a clipped Seattle Seahawks gang flying in come Sunday. They have the chance to bounce back with a W if they stick to what they do best during the matchup against the Seattle visitors. It all starts in the backfield. New York needs to remain grounded. A scary Seahawks secondary will make the run game a lot more appealing to Fitzpatrick.
Most of Seattle’s strengths are highlighted in the secondary where it has allowed zero receiving touchdowns. And that’s bad news for a Jets team that has had early struggles in the red zone. It’s time for New York to get back to the basics, namely the run game. The Jets will rely heavy on the rush and should sport a pound-and-ground attack. It’s Matt Forte’s time to shine in New York. Expect him to go off.
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The seasoned-veteran is sixth among rushers in the league totaling 261 yards. The team as a whole ranks seventh, averaging 130.7 yards per game. Their stout offensive line will aid in a healthy amount of yards.
But where the Jets are really going to shine is on the other side of the ball.
Starting at the defensive line, Muhammad Wilkerson, Sheldon Richardson, and Leonard Williams lead the face of the corps. The Seahawks offense is a shell of its former self. Seattle’s only blemish has come by the hands of the Los Angeles Rams. It seems pretty fair to call the Seahawks suspect coming into week four. Russell Wilson’s sprain is a big question mark for Seattle, as well.
With quarterback questions and uncertainty, Seattle may have to depend on its ground game. There’s nothing average about the Seahawks’ backs. Despite being without the now-retired Marshawn Lynch and with an injury to Thomas Rawls, Christine Michael is making the most of the opportunity. He presents a big threat to the line, but that happens to be New York’s greatest strength.
If there was anything positive about Sunday’s devastating loss to the Chiefs, it’s that the Jets have still proven relentless against the run. New York is third in stuff percentage and No. 7 overall against the run.
The Jets’ secondary won’t be easy to shake, led by veteran and great Darrelle Revis. He’s due for a big game and he will have his work cut out for him. A shutdown game for him will be key. Seattle has too many breakout weapons for anything to go wrong in Doug Baldwin and Jimmy Graham.
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Sunday will be one of three big hurdles for New York as the Jets take on Pittsburgh and Arizona in back-to-back road games. All three upcoming opponents were playoff teams in 2015.
Expect a showdown on Sunday. The New York Jets are mad and the Seattle Seahawks are fragile. New York has more to prove and the more-than-capable Jets will start to put the pieces of the puzzle together as the underdog.