FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- It's only Week 4, but Darrelle Revis called it "a must-win for us." Bold comments aren't part of the Todd Bowles handbook, which reads like a blandbook, but Revis is a former Super Bowl champion who knows how to read the temperature of a locker room.
How did the New York Jets (1-2) get to this urgent stage so soon?
A poor start. A wildly inconsistent offense. High expectations. A no-rest-for-the-weary schedule.
You're going to learn a lot about your favorite team this Sunday at MetLife Stadium, where the Jets face the Seattle Seahawks (2-1). The Jets are banged up at wide receiver, and banged up mentally after last week's K.C. Disasterpiece, which included six interceptions by Ryan Fitzpatrick. But good teams find a way to overcome adversity.
"You can’t play any worse," Bowles said of Fitzpatrick. "We can’t coach it any worse. There is no way to go but up."
My five thoughts on the game:
1. In Todd they trust: To me, this game will say a lot about Bowles. His day-after speech in the team meeting received positive reviews from the players, and he followed up with a full-pads practice on Wednesday. Some players described it as the most intense practice of the season. Bowles seems to be pushing the right buttons, but the only thing that matters is how they respond this Sunday. He doesn't have a great history against the Seahawks (1-3 as the Arizona Cardinals' defensive coordinator), but his knowledge of their personnel and schemes should help in this nonconference matchup.
2. Ryan Six-pick-trick: The entire NFL is waiting to see how Fitzpatrick rebounds. He needs to drop the gunslinger mentality and go back to being a smart game manager with a feel for situational football. He can start by cutting back on the deep throws (35 passes of 10-plus yards over the past two games) and establishing a safe, short-passing attack. He can do that by getting the ball to Matt Forte out of the backfield. In case you're wondering, the mark for most interceptions in a two-game span is 11, according to Elias research -- Bob Waterfield (Los Angeles Rams) in 1948 and Tommy Wade (Pittsburgh Steelers) in 1965. Fitzpatrick isn't thinking that way. "It would be crazy if I could sandwich two players of the week [awards] around that awful game," he said, smiling.
3: Lowering the (Legion of) Boom: Offensive coordinator Chad Gailey said, "This is a big one-on-one matchup week, it really is. ... Some weeks it’s scheme-to-scheme, but this week it’s more one-on-ones." The Seahawks don't do anything fancy on defense. Their base coverage is Cover 3, and they rely on their talent to beat your talent. The Jets' receivers, especially Brandon Marshall, have to find ways to create separation. It won't be easy, especially without Eric Decker (torn rotator cuff). Seldom-used rookie Robby Anderson moves up to the No. 3 spot. Seattle's defense, which has yet to allow a touchdown pass, boasts three blue-chip players in the secondary -- Richard Sherman, Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor. This could be another long day for the Jets' passing attack.
4. Don't underestimate Russell Wilson: The Seattle quarterback is playing with a sprained knee, which means he probably won't run as much as usual. But that doesn't mean he'll be a sitting duck. Wilson is a different kind of cat, a special athlete with unusual mental toughness. He's certainly capable of standing in the pocket and dinking and dunking against the Jets, as the Chiefs' Alex Smith did last week. Pete Carroll needs to protect his quarterback from the Jets' defensive line, so look for a lot of quick throws.
5. That old bugaboo: The Jets struggled against Travis Kelce last week, and now they have to face Jimmy Graham, who gashed the San Francisco 49ers last week for 100 yards on six catches, including a touchdown. The Jets have allowed 17 catches for 199 yards to tight ends, including a league-high 150 yards after the catch. Comparing Kelce and Graham, safety Antonio Allen said, "Kelce is more like a big receiver. He has a little juice going into his routes, breaking in and out of his routes. Jimmy Graham, I think he's just a vertical threat. I don't think he has as much juice in and out of his routes, but he's still a threat." Most of the responsibility could fall on Calvin Pryor, who hasn't excelled in coverage.
