The Jets have spent the past week trying to forget their nightmare game in Kansas City and turn their attention to Sunday’s game with the Seahawks.
“We had a bad game last week,” veteran linebacker David Harris said. “We know that. Of course we would like to be 3-0 right now, but we’re not. We’re 1-2. We have to keep fighting.”
Facing a difficult schedule in the coming weeks, this game looms large for the Jets. Cornerback Darrelle Revis even labeled it a “must-win.” The Jets travel to Pittsburgh and Arizona after facing the 2-1 Seahawks, so the pressure is on to get a win.
It won’t be easy.
Despite some early-season struggles on offense, the Seahawks arrive at MetLife Stadium boasting the top-ranked defense in football — which has not given up a passing touchdown this season. Quarterback Russell Wilson is nursing a knee sprain but is expected to play. Seattle has been remarkably consistent since 2012, and the Jets have not beaten the Seahawks since 2004.
“This is a week where we have to be on point,” wide receiver Brandon Marshall said. “This is a really good defense that plays together, but they also have really good guys. They have Pro Bowl players. This is going to be a great challenge for us in our backyard, but we’ve got to protect [our] home field and escape with a victory.”
It starts with quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, who threw six interceptions in the 24-3 loss to the Chiefs last week. Jets coach Todd Bowles was blunt this week when asked why he believes Fitzpatrick will play better Sunday.
“He can’t play any worse, and we can’t coach it any worse,” Bowles said. “There’s nowhere to go but up.”
Fitzpatrick will be without wide receiver Eric Decker, who has a partially torn rotator cuff in his right shoulder. That will complicate things for the offense. Fitzpatrick said he believes facing a defense as talented as the Seahawks helped preparation this week. Seattle is allowing just 6.5 yards per catch.
“It almost makes us better,” Fitzpatrick said. “It makes us understand that we’ve got to execute perfectly with the things that we do. We can’t miss our chances when we have them. You try to have the attention to detail every single week. I think if anything we see it as a great challenge. If anything, it makes us a little more focused.”
Marquee matchup
Jets WR Brandon Marshall vs. Seahawks CB Richard Sherman
It has been a slow start for Marshall, who was the team’s MVP a year ago. He has just 12 catches for 160 yards and has not scored a touchdown through the first three games. Marshall acknowledged this week that he needs to play better.
Sherman remains one of the best cornerbacks in the game. He usually stays on one side of the field, so he probably won’t be matched up with Marshall exclusively, but when they are head-to-head, all eyes will be on them.
“He’s a really good corner, one of the best in the league,” Marshall said. “He’s tough. He’s savvy and he’s really smart. He knows exactly what’s going on. He’s going to know by formation. He’s going to know by my alignment what I can possibly run, the top three things we run from those looks.”
With Eric Decker sidelined, Marshall will see plenty of attention from the Seahawks. Marshall practiced fully this week, an indication his knee injury is fine. The Jets need him to return to his 2015 form on Sunday.
4 downs
Wounded knee: Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson might be literally limping into MetLife today. Wilson suffered a sprained MCL in his left knee last week against the 49ers. He spent this week rehabbing the knee but said there is “no doubt” he is playing. Wilson also has a high left ankle sprain.
The question is how limited Wilson will be with the injury. He will be wearing a knee brace for the game. Will the injury limit his ability to get outside the pocket and make plays? Will Seattle get away from zone-read plays?
“We’re not going into the game with that mindset,” Jets linebacker David Harris said. “We’re going in expecting him to be himself. He’s one of the better quarterbacks in the league at making plays outside of the pocket, buying time for the receivers to get down the field. He has a big arm. He’s excellent running with the ball in his hands when they do run that zone-read or he scrambles. You have to prepare him as if he’s 100 percent healthy.”
Give and no take: The Jets’ turnovers were the story of the Chiefs game last week. When you turn it over eight times and the quarterback throws six interceptions, that’s going to happen. But it also should be a concern the Jets defense is not getting many takeaways. They have just two this season after getting 11 in their first three games last year.
“Too early for concern. They come in bunches,” coach Todd Bowles said. “Last year, I think we were fortunate enough to get off to a heck of a start. I think it kind of evened out toward the end, but we want to get more turnovers.”
Missing Decker: It appears the Jets could be without wide receiver Eric Decker for a few weeks as he recovers from a partially torn rotator cuff in his right shoulder. This could not come at a worse time for the Jets, who are facing a stingy Seahawks defense. Decker has accounted for 41 percent of Fitzpatrick’s touchdown passes in the past two seasons.
The Jets will look to Quincy Enunwa to go from being a role player to a star player. Enunwa has been a frequent target of Fitzpatrick’s this season (25, second only to Brandon Marshall), so it won’t be anything new if he is thrown to a bunch. Expect the Jets to put Robby Anderson outside and keep Enunwa in the slot, where he can continue to draw mismatches.
Trench time: The biggest mismatch in this game should be the Jets’ defensive line against the Seahawks offensive line. Muhammad Wilkerson, Sheldon Richardson and Leonard Williams have been playing at a high level, even if the sacks have not come in bunches like they did in Week 1.
The Seahawks have struggled with a group that includes new starters at four of the five positions. When Seattle scored just 15 points in its first two games, the fingers were pointed at the O-line. But the group bounced back with a better game last week against the 49ers. This week, first-round pick Germain Ifedi is expected to make his debut at guard.
Costello’s call
It is a safe bet that Ryan Fitzpatrick won’t throw six interceptions again this week, but the Jets’ offense is still going to struggle against the No. 1 defense in the NFL. Russell Wilson is not 100 percent, but he will make enough plays to send the Jets to 1-3.
Seahawks 20, Jets 17