An inside have a look at Sunday’s Jets-Texans Week 12 matchup at MetLife Stadium:
Marquee matchup
Texans QB Tyrod Taylor vs. Jets defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich
The Texans are going via a serious rebuild, and beginning quarterback Deshaun Watson has to not play for the staff all yr, amid a set of off-field authorized troubles. That has left a roster with out a lot firepower, however Taylor, the veteran quarterback, has been capable of push Houston to 2 wins. The Texans are 0-6 with out Taylor and 2-2 with him, together with final week when he ran for 2 touchdowns within the upset of the Titans.
The Jets protection performed a lot better final week in opposition to the Dolphins after giving up 175 factors in its earlier 4 video games. The Texans have the worst offense in soccer. If the Jets can cease Taylor, they’ll cease the Texans.
“I don’t know if I’ve beat Tyrod,” Ulbrich stated. “He’s an absolute ache within the ass as a result of clearly he’s received pace and athleticism, however he’s received a competitiveness to him. He embodies the be at your greatest when your greatest is required. He’s a man that when he wants to maneuver the sticks, he strikes the sticks. It’s clearly we received to be nice on the backend. … Arm is unquestionably a risk. Legs are simply as a lot of a risk. So, he’s the true dual-threat kind of man.”
Costello’s name
This isn’t precisely a conflict of the titans. This recreation has extra which means for subsequent spring’s draft than the present standings. The Jets will play good protection in opposition to Tyrod Taylor, and Zach Wilson will do exactly sufficient to win this recreation.
Jets 14, Texans 13
4 downs
Air raid: The Jets offense has come alive over the previous month, significantly the passing recreation. They’ve performed it with three totally different quarterbacks and now will attempt to do it with a fourth — Zach Wilson.
They’ve averaged 346.5 passing yards per recreation of their previous 4 video games, probably the most within the league by greater than 60 yards per recreation in that span. Since Week 8, the Jets rank within the prime half of almost each passing class and lead the league in passing yards per recreation, passing touchdowns and passing first downs.
Coach Robert Saleh stated he’s not involved in regards to the offense slowing down with Wilson now on the controls.
“I feel there’s additionally an understanding, in phrases with Zach, simply getting higher, simply preserve the principle factor the principle factor, and understanding how one can play quarterback on this league,” Saleh stated.
Exhibiting Moore: The potential Jets rookie WR Elijah Moore confirmed in coaching camp has begun to translate into manufacturing over the previous month. Moore has damaged out up to now 4 video games. In his first 5 video games of the season, Moore had 9 receptions for 79 yards and no receiving touchdowns (he did have one dashing TD). Over the previous 4, he has 24 receptions for 336 yards and 4 touchdowns.
Moore racked up in opposition to the Dolphins final week with eight catches for 141 yards and an extended landing.
“The manufacturing is a results of the truth that Elijah has been getting higher,” Saleh stated. “And I feel Elijah would be the first individual to let you know that his alignment has been lots higher, his get off has been lots higher, his route working has been lots higher, his understanding of zone and man and separation has been lots higher.”
Corridor monitor: The Jets had a variety of query marks at cornerback getting into this season. However second-year nook Bryce Corridor has answered the questions on him. He has performed effectively and appears like he must be a long-term starter for them. Professional Soccer Focus has Corridor rated because the No. 31 cornerback out of 118 they’ve graded. Final week, Corridor completed with a 90.4 grade from PFF, a particularly excessive mark.
“He’s a man that simply due to the shortage of expertise, you didn’t know essentially what you fully had in, though we had been all excited in regards to the participant, the athleticism that he has, the size that he possesses, the scholar, the employee, the heart,” defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich stated. “He’s dedicated to this recreation as a lot as any human on this constructing, or coach. And so, we had been excited however, it was nonetheless this unknown entity, in a variety of methods, and he’s like, I advised him this the opposite day, he’s grow to be an actual nook on this league.”
Texans takeaway: Veteran coach Lovie Smith is the Houston defensive coordinator, and he has his unit taking the ball away. The Texans are tied for fourth within the NFL with 19 takeaways. The Texans had 5 in final week’s upset of the Titans, together with 4 interceptions of Ryan Tannehill.
The Jets have probably the most giveaways within the NFL with 23, so this can be a vital a part of the sport. Wilson has but to play full recreation with out an interception. Will he shield the soccer higher in his return from damage? The sport may very well be determined by a turnover.
