The Jets head into Week 9 with a short runway and a big ask: walk into Kansas City and snap a three-game skid against a Chiefs team that has dropped two straight of its own. New York is 2-6 after last week’s loss to the Las Vegas Raiders, while Kansas City sits at 5-2 and is trying to stop its own slide.
If the Jets are going to pull off the upset, the path is pretty clear. It starts with the simplest thing in football, and maybe the hardest for this team to do consistently: play clean.
That means no self-inflicted damage. New York has the talent to hang around, but the Jets have also spent too much time getting in their own way.
Against a Chiefs team that is too good to gift extra chances to, the Jets have to avoid the mistakes that have cost them before. If they can stay disciplined and keep the game tidy, the upset stays alive.
The offense also has to keep leaning on the run. Over the last few weeks, the Jets have found some success because the ground game has held up.
That matters even more here, because a steady rushing attack can help open things up for Geno Smith through the air. New York doesn’t need to get reckless; it needs balance.
On the other side of the ball, the Jets have to do their best to slow Kenneth Walker. Most teams have struggled to contain him this season, but the last two weeks have shown a possible blueprint. New York’s defense needs to follow that path and keep Walker in check as much as possible.
If the Jets can avoid mistakes, keep the run game rolling, and bottle up Walker, they’ll give themselves a real shot at ending the losing streak in Kansas City.
In Other News...
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Across the league, the Eagles have already been forced into a quarterback change after a rough start, a reminder of how quickly things can unravel when the position is unsettled. Tanner McKees stint as the starter never got off the ground, and the move in Philadelphia only makes the Jets patience with Smith look smarter from every angle. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Trade Deadline Just Got Tougher Than Fans Expected
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Aaron Glenns uncertain future has only sharpened the stakes, especially with questions around how he has used the defensive talent already on hand. The Jets do not want to strip away pieces that could matter to the next coaching staff, and that makes the deadline a tricky exercise in timing, value and patience rather than a simple buyer-or-seller call. [Read more 🡒]
Breece Hall Just Turned Jets Fans Into A Bigger Problem
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Hall is expected back against the Kansas City Chiefs, which should give the Jets another dynamic option as they try to steady a season that has already become a grind. But the bigger issue now is the temperature around one of their most important players, and how quickly frustration has spilled into a much uglier place. For a team already searching for answers, getting Hall back is only part of the story. [Read more 🡒]