The Jets travel to London for Sunday’s game, where they will face the unbeaten Minnesota Vikings. On Sunday, New York let one slip in a 10-9 loss to the Denver Broncos, while the Vikings roared out to a 28-0 lead and held off the Green Bay Packers to secure a 31-29 divisional win.
Here are the biggest stories to watch as the Jets look to go back above .500:
Is Sam Darnold for real?
The Jets opted to part ways with Darnold after the 2020 season and he failed to do anything to make this look like a mistake during stints with the Panthers and 49ers. However, he’s been a revelation so far with the Vikings.
Darnold wasn’t even planned to be the starter until rookie JJ McCarthy suffered an injury during training camp, but he’s stepped into that role and led the Vikings to a 4-0 start as he leads the league in passer rating and touchdown passes.
In 2021, it looked like Darnold had turned the corner when the Panthers started off 3-0 with him at the helm. However, that proved to be fool’s gold as they lost five of their next six and Darnold was benched. If he can keep the momentum going against the Jets, Darnold would find himself on a Pro Bowl trajectory.
Can Garrett Wilson and Aaron Rodgers get on the same page?
After four games, Wilson’s production at wide receiver is way down from last year as there have been several examples of plays where he and Rodgers were unable to connect for whatever reason. Allen Lazard currently leads the team in receiving yards, despite the fact that many analysts expected him to be out of the rotation by now after a rough 2023 campaign.
When Wilson was so dominant during offseason practices, it set expectations high that he was going to establish himself as one of the league’s elite receivers and produce even more than he did in his first two seasons. However, that hasn’t materialized. The Jets will be hoping, however, that Wilson is due to break out at any time.
Will the Jets be able to cut out the penalties that hurt them on Sunday?
The Jets had 13 penalties on Sunday, which no doubt hurt their chances in such a close game. While their on-field discipline had been solid through three games, this was a worrying lapse that they will hope isn’t repeated.
Many of the penalties on Sunday were avoidable with players misjudging the snap count or lining up in the wrong place. While it falls on head coach Robert Saleh to demand accountability from his players, it also falls on those individuals to remain focused.
Who will get the better of the Jefferson-Gardner matchup?
All-Pro wide receiver Justin Jefferson is off to a strong start as he is currently fifth in the NFL with 358 receiving yards. He has also scored a touchdown in all four games so far.
New York cornerback Sauce Gardner will be keen to halt that streak. He’s having a good season but gave up a few plays to Calvin Ridley a few weeks ago, so he will try to prove he can still lock down a top receiver. While they usually don’t do this, the Jets may opt to have Gardner shadowing Jefferson in this game rather than leaving him on one side.
How will the Jets’ offensive line hold up this week?
After a solid start to the season, the Jets’ offensive line regressed on Sunday, as Breece Hall was held to just four yards on 10 carries and Rodgers was sacked five times.
Things shouldn’t get any easier in London, as the Vikings currently boast the league’s No. 2 run defense. They also bring a pass rushing threat off the edge as Patrick Jones II is having a breakout season. He and free agent acquisition Jonathan Greenard have combined for nine sacks so far this season.
Rookie Olu Fashanu struggled at times during his first career start against Denver but he’ll need to step up on Sunday, otherwise the Jets could struggle to move the ball again.
