It’s easy to look at the New York Jets, see the 2-5 overall record, and be dismissive.
Gang Green is on a two-game schneid losing back-to-back tilts against AFC East division foes — one of the defeats a 28-25 one against the previously winless Miami Dolphins this past Sunday. Aaron Glenn’s football team totaled 137 point scored on offense (27th amongst the 32 NFL teams) with the 21st-ranked passing attack (1,446 yards) and 22nd-ranked ground game (675 yards).
A category where the Jets ranked Top 10
in offense: Turnovers with just five (sixth-least). A feather in offensive coordinator Frank Reich’s cap in what’s otherwise a sea of mediocrity.
Where the Jets are tough, however: Defense — Glenn’s specialty that got him head coaching gig in New York after a string of strong seasons as a defensive coordinator. Relying on a solid playing career as a highly respected cornerback in the NFL and coaching he absorbed, the Jets defensive play caller has his group allowing 2,208 total yards (ninth best) and 150 total points (13th best). Taking after their coach’s stingy performance as a player, New York’s passing defense is ranked fifth-best allowing 1,314 yards and limiting opponents to the sixth-best 213 passing attempts.
Don’t count Las Vegas Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak as one who’ll sidestep the downtrodden Jets.
“I see an extremely physical team. I see a very talented team. They have our full attention,” Kubiak said during his media session on Wednesday. “They’re very well-coached. And no matter who we’re playing each week, on these days, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, we’d better make sure we’re focusing on ourselves and getting ourselves better.”
The Silver & Black’s rookie head coach speaks facts because while some may disregard the Jets, one could easily scoff at the Raiders who are 3-4 overall having dropped four-straight games and showcasing one of the league’s worst defenses (29th in points allowed at 197 and yards yielded at 2,616).
And if Las Vegas isn’t on point, they’ll roll another snake eye’s and New York can turn on the afterburners defensively to burn the visiting Raiders.
We’re slated to likely see a key strength vs. strength clash when the Raiders and Jets meet this Sunday.
Kubiak’s offense is imbalanced with a struggling ground game (ranked 30th in yards gained at 523) but does boast an impressive aerial assault ranking fourth-best in both passing yards (1,883) and touchdowns thrown (16). Veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins is at the helm of the air attack and ranks third in yards (1,877) and is atop the league the 16 touchdowns thrown.
The 38-year-old signal caller has been sacked 10 times this season (23rd least) but with a stingy Jets pass defense in front of him that boasts talented rookie pass rusher David Bailey (5.5 sacks), Las Vegas is danger of being grounded.
Bailey, the player chosen after the Raiders made Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, has lived up to the hype he created at Texas Tech but didn’t practice all week due to a groin injury and is listed as doubtful for Sunday’s clash. If he plays, though, the 23-year-old uses his 6-foot-3 and 251-pound frame well at the NFL level and leads the Jets in sacks, pressures (14), tackles for loss (seven), and forced fumbles (three), with 35 total tackles (only two missed, according to Pro Football Reference).
The group of Kingsley Enagbare (2.5 sacks), Jowon Briggs, Will McDonald, and Demario Davis (each with two sacks) have gotten to opposing quarterbacks this season. And Glenn’s defense doesn’t shy away from sending defensive backs at signal callers as safeties Andre Cisco and Dane Belton, and cornerback Jarvis Brownlee all have a sack, too.
While Cousins has only been officially “dropped” 10 times, he’s been pressured more frequently in the Raiders’ string of consecutive losses and the Jets aren’t going to shy away from blitzing Las Vegas offense — both against the pass and run.
Especially with defensive backs being stingy in coverage. Veteran cornerback Brandon Stephens has been targeted 39 times allowing just 17 completions (43.6 percent) while younger corners Azareye’h Thomas (24 completions on 40 targets, 60 percent) and Jarvis Brownlee (15 completions on 25 targets, 60 percent) can hold their own in coverage. Stephens and Thomas led the Jets with six and five pass deflections, respectively.
New York’s run defense is 24th in the league allowing 894 yards and expect the Jets to to load the box with eight defenders to stonewall the Raiders run game — which has worked and the Silver & Black able to adjust and fix that.
That said, confidence isn’t lacking from the Raiders despite the team averaging a meager 3.0 yards per carry (second-last in the NFL). Listen to starting running back Ashton Jeanty below:
Bold talk from Jeanty, a tailback that’s below the league average of 4.2 yards per carry and sits 37th amongst his contemporaries with 3.1 yards per tote. But that’s the type of confidence the Raiders need to snap the losing skid and get to .500 instead of 3-5.
“It’s a team thing. We can all do things better, running backs, fullbacks, offensive line. It’s a team thing,” Kubiak said about awakening a dormant ground game. We’re definitely focusing on different things with each player, but we can all improve.”
Las Vegas will need a concentrated defensive effort, too, that keeps Jets out of the end zone and forcing three-and-outs to give Kubiak’s offense the opportunity to be balanced and not go pass-happy as it’s fallen behind severely in previous outings.
“It’s tackling, it’s alignment, it’s assignment. It’s just playing a better brand of football and getting back to how we started this season,” Kubiak said of what’s needed for the team to quell getting gashed by opposing rushing attacks.
Head-to-Head
Sunday’s matchup marks the 50th time the Raiders and Jets clash all time. The Silver & Black lead the series 27-20-2 (25-18-2 in regular season play with playoff action knotted at 2-2) and are riding a two-game win streak dating to action in 2020 (31-28 victory) and 2023 (16-12 win). The last time Gang Green dropped the Raiders was in 2019 — a 34-3 thumping in Oakland. That 2023 contest was the most recent clash between the two teams and that featured a battle of field goals until Raiders tight end Michael Mayer (a rookie then) outjumped a Jets defender for a fourth-quarter touchdown from quarterback Aidan O’Connell.
Quotes of Note
“There’s not one big thing. There are plenty of things we’re working on that we’re being intentional about. I wish it was just one thing, but it never is. Whether you’re on a 3-4 team or an undefeated team, you’re always improving your weaknesses, always trying to get players better and get the young players better who are going to play one day. That’s part of the job, preparing for one week and preparing for the future, all in the same day.”
—Las Vegas Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak when asked if there’s one big overall thing the team is working on in practice prepping for Week 8
“Tre’s done a great job. Even more importantly, the chemistry is good. It’ll keep getting better. But I think just expanding his role and allowing him to do more and more. As we’ve given him more, he keeps showing he can do it. I’m encouraged by it and would love to see him keep doing more up ahead.”
—Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins on his chemistry with wide receiver Tre Tucker
