Jets Vs Eagles Preview

After a huge road win for the Green and White last week, they look to make that 2 in a row and potentially their first winning streak of the year when they play hosts to backup QB Gardner Minshew II and the Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles come into Metlife for not only a second week in a row, but also competing for a wild card spot in the NFC. The Jets have a chance to send the Eagles far back in the wild card standings with a win today. QB Zach Wilson needs to build off of the gritty (not good) performance from last week and avoid turnovers in order to see any chance of winning. 

For today's injury report, 5 players came into Friday listed as questionable, with DT Sheldon Rankins and TE Trevon Wesco both listed as doubtful with a knee and ankle injury. With the Jets having guys on the injury block, it is safe to say that out of the 5 questionable players (Corey Davis, John Franklin-Myers, Morgan Moses, Foley Fatukasi, and Quincy Williams), that at least a few of those guys will play today.

Franklin-Myers should be good to go, but Davis is leaning more towards that he will be out in this contest for the 2nd straight week. WR Keelan Cole and QB Mike White both were placed on the COVID 19/Reserve list, so they will be out today too. RB Michael Carter is now placed on IR so he will be out for some time still as well. As for the Eagles, RB Jordan Howard is out with an ankle injury, and RB Boston Scott is questionable with an illness, but he most likely will still play. The main injury of them all though would be Eagles QB Jalen Hurts, who is resting an ankle injury he picked up against the Giants last week. He was listed as starting coming into this week and then yesterday, the decision was made last minute to go with Gardner Minshew II for this one. 

For a quick Eagles preview, it is going to be much different now than my original outtake. They are a dynamic run and throw style offense with Hurts at QB, but Minshew will probably stand back in the pocket and make more throws than usual today. To start, Eagles QB Gardner Minshew II will be making his Eagles debut today as he has only thrown 2 regular season passes since joining the Eagles. Minshew has been a starter before in Jacksonville with the Jaguars and he is 1-0 against the Jets back when he won against the Green and White in 2019 with Jacksonville. He is a threat with his arm strength downfield and will definitely be challenging the Jets secondary today. 

The Eagles will be starting QB Gardner Minshew II
for his first start since the 2020 season

In the backfield, the Eagles have multiple backs they can use, now with featured RB Miles Sanders back. Between Sanders, Boston Scott, and Kenneth Gainwell, the Eagles will definitely look to run the football today following last week's performance for them against the Giants and so Minshew won't have to make as many throws. Receiving-wise, the Jets must keep their eye at all times on Eagles rookie WR Devonta Smith, as he is a major deep threat and it extremely elusive and shifty with space downfield. Quez Watkins also serves as a solid option for the birds as well, and although WR Jalen Reagor hasn't been playing as well, he still very well could make a difference in this game. At TE, Dallas Goedert is a quality option and the Jets need to continue to lock up TE's better defensively, so I would expect Goedert to be heavily targeted today as well. 

Defensively, the Eagles have been improving, as they didn't play as well earlier on in the season. Up front, it starts with true veterans like DE Fletcher Cox, who is a leader on this defense with his experience and longevity in the league. The most standout player on this defense this season would have to be CB Darius Slay, who the Eagles just signed two offseasons ago. Slay has emerged as the Eagles' best player in the secondary with his great man on man coverage abilities, but also has become the best defensive player the Eagles have too. He will most likely have the assignment of covering Jets breakout rookie WR Elijah Moore. I just have to say, what an awesome matchup that will be to watch if it happens today. 

In order for the gift to keep on giving from last week's win, the Jets must play a more clean game penalty-wise. They have had a combined 12 penalties for 88 yards in the last two weeks, and the Jets need to keep that number down and be more disciplined, especially since most teams are better than the Houston Texans (Sorry Texans fans, your team just isn't it). Defensively, we saw the Jets grow last week significantly, and the immense pressure the Jets produced made a huge difference in the win last week. Keep putting pressure on the Eagles up front, and this game could be interesting. 

Offensively, the Jets need to continue to string together good drives and QB Zach Wilson needs to continue to implement guys like WR Elijah Moore and Jamison Crowder. They are effective options when utilized in the correct style. RB Tevin Coleman is listed as the starter at RB again this week, but the similar approach with Coleman, Tyler Johnson, and Austin Walter I would highly anticipate happening again as it was very effective last week. It is also interesting to note that K Matt Amendola was cut after last week, so K Alex Kessman will make his Jets debut today as well. Hopefully, FG's and Extra points aren't too hard to come by. 

For my prediction, I do think the Metlife crowd will help fuel the Jets after winning on the road last week, and since the Eagles are missing their starting QB, I do believe the Jets will find a way to pull this one out. I think similar to last week, the Jets will hang on for a tough win today and the first Jets win streak in two seasons will happen today. I'll take the Jets in a close one, but the Metlife crowd will propel them to a victory. It will be 24-21 Jets. 

-Miles Chamberlain  

Jets WR Elijah Moore has to continue
to be a big piece in the Jets offense