After another disappointing loss to a team they should have beat in the Las Vegas Raiders, the New York Jets (2-6) face a much tougher opponent as they head to Arrowhead Stadium to face the Kansas City Chiefs (6-2).
Both teams are riding losing streaks with the Jets having lost three straight while the Chiefs have lost two in a row.
The Jets could be getting some key players back for this game on Sunday as Breece Hall had a full practice on Thursday and told reporters that he was ready to go. David Bailey also practiced today after missing last week's game with a groin injury and he could be available on Sunday. However, Garrett Wilson remains in the team's concussion protocol and his status for Sunday has yet to be determined.
Here are Jets Wire's
three key matchups for the Jets Week 9 matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs:
Darrell Jackson Jr. vs. Kenneth Walker III
Harrison Phillips has not practiced this week due to a knee injury and even if he was healthy, the veteran has been a major liability on the defensive line. T'Vondre Sweat is currently on injured reserve with a knee injury, which means Jackson will probably get the start on Sunday. The Jets fourth-round pick has played well as a rookie and should see more playing time the rest of the season with the team currently at 2-6. Jackson already has 17 solo tackles, 11th best in the league and 15 stops, good for 10th best. He’s been effective against the run with a grade of 61.5, which is 44th out of 128 interior defensive linemen. He’s looking more and more like a strong foundational piece, which the Jets have badly missed on in the later rounds of the draft over the years.
He’ll have his hands full along with the rest of the defensive line as they’ll need to figure out how to shut down Walker, one of the top running backs in the league. The former Seattle Seahawk has been worth every penny since signing with the Chiefs in the offseason. He’s third overall in the league with 770 yards rushing and second in the league averaging over five yards per carry. Making matters worse for Jackson is he’ll mostly likely face off with Trey Smith, who is one of the top run blockers in the league on the Chiefs offensive line. But, the only way Jackson will develop is to go against top competition. This will be a good challenge for the rookie, who has been a pleasant surprise for the Jets this season.
Frank Reich vs. Steve Spagnuolo
The Jets offense was very impressive in their Week 8 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders with 439 total yards, Braelon Allen’s 147 rushing yards and Adonai Mitchell’s 142 yards receiving. But this game could be a disaster for Reich as Kansas City’s defense under Steve Spagnuolo is one of the best in the league. They allow an average of just over 18 points per game, fourth best overall. They’re eighth against the run, allowing an average of 96 yards per game, but they're a little vulnerable against the pass and Reich may choose to attack Kansas City's secondary with a pretty deep group of pass catchers.
Even if Garrett Wilson doesn't play on Sunday, the Jets have plenty of weapons at Reich's disposal, including Mitchell, Omar Cooper Jr., Kenyon Sadiq and Mason Taylor. All signs point to Breece Hall making his return after missing the last five games with a calf injury. Reich has to be creative with his play calling and cannot constantly settle for field goals, especially in the red zone, against a team like the Chiefs. The Jets are 2-6 and the season is basically over. At this point, there is nothing to lose and it's time for Reich to be aggressive if they have a chance to beat Kansas City on the road.
Aaron Glenn vs. Motivation
It was bad enough that Aaron Glenn gave the Dolphins their first win of the season in Week 7, but then his defense put together an even worse performance last week against the Raiders. Those two losses against bad teams most likely sealed his fate as the team's head coach in 2027. It's also a pretty terrible look when a defensive minded head coach, who claimed that calling plays was his super power, has a defense that has forced only one interception in their last 25 games.
The question now facing the Jets is will this team be motivated to play a game in a very hostile environment against a three-time super bowl winning quarterback after two miserable losses? That remains to be seen, but there are still nine more games on the schedule and it’s Glenn’s responsibility to keep this team focused and motivated for all four quarters each and every week. They owe it to the fans who continue to suffer in their undying support of this team. The last two games were demoralizing to say the least. But, Glenn has to make sure his team is prepared on Sunday and doesn't quit the second they face some adversity. The head coach knows he's on borrowed time. But, just because he's on borrowed time doesn't mean he has to waste everyone else's time.
This article originally appeared on Jets Wire: Jets vs. Chiefs: 3 key matchups to watch in Week 9
