An inside take a look at the Jets-Seahawks Week 13 matchup at MetLife Stadium:
Marquee matchup
Seahawks QB Geno Smith vs. Jets CBs Sauce Gardner and D.J. Reed
The return of Geno Smith is the key subplot to this week’s sport. Smith has not confronted the Jets at MetLife Stadium since he left following the 2016 season.
The 2013 second-round choose of the Jets has reinvented himself in Seattle over the previous three years and now returns because the No. 2 passing yards chief within the NFL with 3,035 yards.
“I’ve always had tremendous love and respect for that organization,” Smith mentioned. “Clearly, the group that drafted me, gave me an opportunity out of the gate. Numerous nice individuals there. Some those who I used to be there with, a number of these individuals at the moment are gone.
“So as far as the whole revenge thing, that’s not on my mind.”
The Jets protection has not had its finest season. Gardner has struggled and the unit gave up a game-winning drive to the Colts within the earlier sport. Reed has had a robust season, however the Jets are going to want a greater effort towards Smith than they’ve proven these days.
“Man, he is, I don’t know what not to say about him, he’s got excellent mobility,” Jets interim coach Jeff Ulbrich mentioned of the Seattle QB. “He’s killing people with his feet at times, he’s got the ability to extend plays, he’s way more athletic than you think when he moves around, and he makes the off-platform stuff go. He can make every throw.”
Costello’s name
A lot of the Jets group has turned its eyes to 2025 with a seek for a brand new GM and coach already underway.
The gamers and coaches are left to play out these closing six video games.
I feel the Jets will maintain this shut till the fourth quarter, when Geno Smith throws a game-clinching landing.
Seahawks 30, Jets 20
4 downs
Rejuvenated Rodgers: The bye week stirred up loads of hypothesis about the way forward for Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers and whether or not accidents have affected his play.
Rodgers, who turns 41 on Monday, mentioned he’s uncertain if he desires to play in 2025 but when he does, his first alternative could be the Jets.
As for his well being, Rodgers was not on the damage report this week for the primary time since Week 4. He has recovered from the hamstring, knee and ankle accidents that plagued him in October.
Rodgers has had a disappointing season however remains to be hoping to get one thing out of those closing six weeks.
“I’m going to enjoy them,” Rodgers mentioned. “Obviously, the future is unknown for a lot of us, but yeah, I have a lot of pride in this game — when I take the field, when I go to practice. So I’ll be excited about being out there with the guys and finish off strong.”
Leaping Leonard: Geno Smith isn’t the one former Jets early draft choose to be returning to MetLife Stadium this week.
Leonard Williams, the Jets’ first-round choose in 2015, is coming again to MetLife as a Seahawk. Williams spent his first 4 ¹/₂ seasons with the Jets then performed at MetLife for the Giants earlier than being traded to Seattle final season.
Williams had an enormous sport final week towards the Cardinals with 2.5 sacks.
“He’s been a game wrecker for a long time in this league, and when he turns it on, he is as impressive as they get,” Jets passing sport coordinator Todd Downing mentioned. “So, we’re going to have to have a plan for him. He’s playing at a high level with a lot of energy and certainly yesterday that jumped off the tape.”
Level of no return: The Jets spent a portion of the bye week learning the problems which have held them again this season.
One of many areas they recognized that wanted enchancment was of their return sport — each on kickoffs and punts. They’ve gotten little or no from returner Xavier Gipson this season and are looking for methods to get extra explosiveness.
“One thing is we’ve got to be more physical,” particular groups coordinator Brant Boyer mentioned, “and I think that we’ve got to shoot our hands and run our feet a lot more, be a little nastier in our blocks, and execute our double teams and things like that, and then the returners got to hit the holes.”
The eleventh hour: The Jets have repeatedly talked about “No. 11” this week as in Seahawks broad receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, the second-year receiver from Ohio State who has exploded these days.
Smith-Njigba has grow to be a focus of the Seahawks offense in latest weeks and has had some monster video games. He had 180 receiving yards and two touchdowns towards the Rams three weeks in the past and scored a landing towards the Cardinals final week.
“No. 11 has been coming alive the past few games especially,” Jets cornerback D.J. Reed mentioned.
