After a rough loss to the Las Vegas Raiders, the New York Jets are walking into a much bigger test in Week 9. They head to Arrowhead Stadium at 2-6 to face the Kansas City Chiefs, who are 6-2 but also carrying a two-game losing streak of their own.
The Jets may have a few reinforcements coming. Breece Hall took part in a full practice Thursday and said he was ready to go.
David Bailey also practiced after sitting out last week with a groin injury, so he could be available Sunday. Garrett Wilson, though, is still in the concussion protocol and his status is up in the air.
One of the biggest individual battles will be on the interior, where Darrell Jackson Jr. may be asked to handle a heavy load. Harrison Phillips has missed practice this week because of a knee injury, and T’Vondre Sweat is on injured reserve with a knee issue, so Jackson is likely to get the start.
The rookie fourth-round pick has been one of the brighter spots for New York, with 17 solo tackles, 15 stops and a run-defense grade of 61.5. That puts him in the middle of the pack, but the production has been real, and the Jets need it to keep showing up.
The challenge gets a lot steeper because Kenneth Walker III is coming in rolling. The former Seahawk has given Kansas City exactly what it hoped for after signing him in the offseason, ranking third in the league with 770 rushing yards and second in yards per carry at better than five.
Jackson could also spend plenty of time across from Trey Smith, one of the Chiefs’ best run blockers. It’s a tough assignment, but also the kind of matchup that can speed up a young player’s growth.
On the other side of the ball, Frank Reich has to figure out how to keep the Jets moving against Steve Spagnuolo’s defense. New York put up 439 total yards in the Week 8 loss to Las Vegas, with Braelon Allen rushing for 147 yards and Adonai Mitchell going for 142 receiving yards.
That kind of output won’t mean much unless it turns into points, and Kansas City’s defense makes that a lot harder. The Chiefs are allowing just over 18 points per game, good for fourth in the league, and they rank eighth against the run at 96 yards allowed per game.
There is at least some room to attack through the air, and Reich may lean into that with a deep group of pass catchers. Even if Wilson can’t play, the Jets still have Mitchell, Omar Cooper Jr., Kenyon Sadiq and Mason Taylor.
Hall also appears set to return after missing the last five games with a calf injury. The bigger issue is whether Reich can stay aggressive enough to matter.
Against a team like Kansas City, settling for field goals in the red zone is a losing formula.
Then there’s the bigger picture around Aaron Glenn and whether this team can bring the right energy after two ugly losses. The Dolphins got their first win of the season against his team in Week 7, and last week’s effort against the Raiders was even worse. Those back-to-back defeats have only intensified the pressure around a coach who came in as a defensive mind and said calling plays was his super power, yet has watched his defense force only one interception in its last 25 games.
Now the question is whether the Jets can handle a hostile road environment against a three-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback after getting knocked around the last two weeks. Glenn still has nine games left to keep this team locked in, and that means making sure they show up for all four quarters.
The last two losses were deflating. Sunday will say a lot about whether they respond or fold when the game gets uncomfortable.
In Other News...
Jets Still See Value In Geno Smith For A Bigger Reason
With the Jets sitting at 2-6 and the playoff picture fading fast, there is still a reason to keep Geno Smith in the building beyond whatever happens this season. The veteran quarterback has become part of the teams evaluation process, giving the staff a steadier reference point as it looks at the younger pieces around him and tries to sort out what actually works.
For now, Smiths value appears tied less to the trade market and more to what he can do for the rosters development. New York seems intent on using his presence to help gauge and grow young talent such as Allen, Adonai Mitchell, Kenyon Sadiq and Omar Cooper Jr., which makes his role a little bigger than a short-term asset at the deadline. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Offense Finally Showed Life As One New Concern Emerged
The Jets finally got a more dynamic version of their passing game in recent weeks, with Geno Smith pushing the ball downfield more often and the offense looking far more functional than it did earlier in the season. Offensive coordinator Frank Reich has helped create chances for multiple receivers to post 100-yard games, a sign that the unit is at least capable of stretching defenses and making life a little easier on a team that has needed more consistency from its offense.
Garrett Wilsons recent production has become the new concern, especially with the trade deadline approaching and the Jets trying to figure out how much help this passing game still needs. Even with the offense showing more life, Wilsons status looms large because he remains one of the key pieces in any long-term answer for Smith and the rest of the passing attack. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Pressure Just Spiked Around Garrett Wilson And The Chiefs
Garrett Wilsons week took an unwelcome turn when Aaron Glenn ruled him out for Week 9 after the concussion he sustained in Week 8. The timing is rough for a Jets offense already trying to find its footing, and it leaves New York heading into a matchup with the Chiefs without its most important receiver available to help stretch the field and steady the passing game.
Wilsons absence also lands at a moment when the conversation around him is starting to pick up again ahead of the NFL trade deadline. For a Jets team still sorting through its direction, losing a player of Wilsons caliber only adds another layer to a situation that already had plenty of moving parts. [Read more 🡒]