This is going to be a season-long blog where we take a look at the starting matchups of my opponents and compare them to the starters on the Jets. We will be using the depth charts of our opponents as a reference for their starters. We are also going to take a look at the three biggest threats on the opposing team and identify any possible weaknesses to exploit.
| Quarterbacks | ||
| Zach Wilson (73) | –> | Russell Wilson (87) |
| Halfbacks | ||
| Breece Hall (78) | –> | Javonte Williams (82) |
| Wide Receivers | ||
| Corey Davis (79) | –> | Courtland Sutton (85) |
| Elijah Moore (79) | –> | Jerry Jeudy (83) |
| Garrett Wilson (76) | = | K.J Hamler (76) |
| Tight Ends | ||
| C.J. Uzomah (79) | <– | Albert Okwuegbunam (75) |
| Tyler Conklin (78) | <– | Eric Saubert (67) |
| Offensive Linemen | ||
| 78 Overall | <– | 76 Overall |
| Defensive Linemen | ||
| Jermaine Johnson (74) | –> | Dre’Mont Jones (75) |
| Carl Lawson (83) | <– | Bradley Chubb (78) |
| Quinnen Williams (86) | <– | Linvall Joseph (83) |
| Linebackers | ||
| Quincy Williams (72) | –> | Baron Browning (74) |
| C.J. Mosley (82) | <– | Jonas Griffith (72) |
| Kwon Alexander (75) | <– | Nik Bonitto (69) |
| Defensive Backs | ||
| D.J. Reed Jr (80) | –> | Patrick Surtain II (84) |
| Sauce Gardner (78) | = | Ronald Darby (78) |
| Ashtyn Davis (74) | –> | Justin Simmons (91) |
| Chris Harris (84) | <– | Kareem Jackson (81) |
Players to Watch –
Russell Wilson –
The Denver Broncos traded an arm and a leg to get Russell Wilson and then they made him one of the highest paid quarterbacks in the league. They were almost obligated to do that after sending over a bounty for him. Wilson’s rating of 87 is a bit of a disappointment. Despite being traded, he was still coming off a pro bowl caliber season. What is even more disappointing are the abilities that Russell was given by EA. ‘Dashing Deadeye,’ ‘Gutsy Scrambler,’ and ‘Agile Extender are helpful for a scrambling style quarterback. Russell has the ability to scramble but it is a lot tougher to escape the pocket this Madden. Also, Wilson had escape artist last Madden, however, he does have ‘Gunslinger’ which gives him faster passes and his release is quicker than normal. The Jets are going to want to play close to the line of scrimmage and force Wilson to make throws in the pocket. Wilson ultimately will fold under the pressure IF he is contained.
Javonte Williams –
The Denver Broncos have two tailbacks that they love to rotate, but Javonte Williams is a bell cow that trucks more like a bull. Melvin Gordon is the higher rated player, but this season, Williams is averaging almost 6 yards per carry. The Jets will need to pay attention to which back is in the game and focus on either taking down Williams with cut sticks or stripping Melvin Gordon as he flies past his offensive line.
Patrick Surtain –
The Denver Broncos hit a goldmine when Surtain fell to them in the draft at the ninth pick. It was predicted that he was going to slide into the top 5. He had a very solid rookie year and Surtain is one of the only defensive players with abilities for the Broncos. The Broncos run a very tight man to man style of defense with some zones sprinkled in. You better have some man betters if you want to push the ball down the field against this defense. Surtain starts off with the “Deep Route KO’ ability, so he has an enhanced ability against deep shots down the field. He won’t need safety help against most wide receivers in the league.
Game Recap –
This was a game that no one wanted to win. The New York Jets have been one of the lowest scoring teams in the league but they still were able to find a way to squeeze out games. This game featured a combined 1000+ yards, 9 turnovers, and 64 points. The Jets played very safe for the most part of the game and they had a 17-14 lead heading into halftime, but then Zach ‘the turnover machine’ Wilson decided to air the ball out. Wilson had 377 passing yards but finished the game with a career low QBR of 59.6. The fourth quarter is where all of the action started heating up and the Jets took a narrow 3 point lead, but on 4th and short, the Broncos called a level style play and Bryce Hall read it perfectly. He faked inside where the slot receiver ran a shallow crossing pattern and doubled back to intercept the ball when it was thrown to an outside receiver coming in on a drag. Hall was able to take the interception back for 6 and it gave the Jets the lead and ultimate 37-27 victory.
Breece Hall had one of his best games in his short career. He only averaged 4.6 yards per carry, but he ripped off two touchdown runs where he broke two tackles that should have taken him down in the backfield. The Jets have wanted to get Hall going, but he has a recent fumble problem that has limited his carries. Hall was also featured in the passing game where he racked in 3 catches for 22 yards. The New York Jets are hosting the winless New England Patriots next week BUT if they overlook this team, they are going to lose this game. IF Zach Wilson cannot overcome his recent turnover issues, the Jets will LOSE this game.
