Five things to watch for from the Jets heading into the season
Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers looks to throw during a joint practice with the Giants on Aug. 21 in Florham Park. N.J. Credit: Corey Sipkin
The most anticipated Jets season since last year will begin Monday night on the road against the defending NFC champion 49ers.
It will be former 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh’s first time back in San Francisco as the Jets’ coach. More importantly, it will be Aaron Rodgers’ return to action.
His first season as a Jet ended after four snaps with a left Achilles tendon tear. Anyone who has seen him play in training camp believes he’s all the way back.
“He’s amazing,” general manager Joe Douglas said.
Tight end Tyler Conklin called Rodgers “the Oppenheimer of football” for “the way he sees the game and processes the game at the speed that he does it.”
The Jets upgraded the roster around Rodgers and now Vegas has them as the favorite to win the AFC East title.
Here are some things to look for this season:
The Rodgers factor
He’s the oldest player in the NFL and coming off a major injury, but if Rodgers, 40, stays healthy, the Jets’ chances of ending their 13-year playoff drought are pretty good.
When Rodgers has played at least 15 games, his teams have won at least 10 games 10 times and more than 11 seven times. The Jets have won more than 11 games four times in their 64-year existence.
Rodgers has thrown at least 25 touchdown passes in all 13 seasons in which he’s played at least 15 games. A Jets quarterback has thrown 25 touchdown passes only eight times.
Last year was the third time that because of an injury, Rodgers played fewer than 10 games.
In the seasons that followed his other two injuries, he totaled 63 touchdown passes and seven interceptions and led Green Bay to an 18-13-1 mark.
Who could break out?
Defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw, signed away from San Francisco, is healthy and hungry to show he was worthy of being a first-round pick (No. 14 in 2020). This Jets coaching staff has been able to get good production from tackles they signed from other teams.
Haason Reddick’s holdout has put the spotlight on defensive end Will McDonald. The Jets expect last year’s first-round pick to take a big jump this year.
McDonald didn’t bulk up the way the Jets hoped, but they’re confident his quick get-off and spin move will lead to pressures and sacks.
Jeremy Ruckert will have a bigger role in the offense this season as the clear No. 2 tight end. The Lindenhurst product also will line up in the backfield and be used as a blocker and pass-catcher.
Biggest impact rookie
Fourth-round pick Braelon Allen, 20, is the youngest player in the NFL, but he’s mature and seems ready to be the Jets’ No. 2 back behind bell cow Breece Hall.
Allen had a strong camp and preseason. He could be used in short-yardage or goal-line situations with his ability to lower his shoulder and use his 6-1, 235-pound frame.
The Jets believe first-round pick Olu Fashanu can have a big impact, but they hope their swing tackle doesn’t have to. It would mean either Tyron Smith or Morgan Moses is injured. Fashanu is a good insurance policy, though.
Numbers to watch
Hall has a chance to set the Jets’ single-season record for scrimmage yards, currently owned by Curtis Martin with 1,942 in 2004.
Hall finished with the franchise’s seventh-highest total last year (1,585) and was on a snap count the first four games. He’s expected to be featured more in the passing game than last year, when he led the NFL backs with 76 catches.
Garrett Wilson could break Brandon Marshall’s team record of 1,502 receiving yards set in 2015. Wilson averaged 1,072.5 yards his first two seasons with the Jets, catching passes from seven different quarterbacks not named Rodgers.
Schedule breakdown
The NFL didn’t do the Jets, and their older players, any favors to start the season. They will open with three games in 11 days, including the first two on the road.
The Jets’ last six games — after their bye — are against teams that were a combined 20 games above .500 last year. They need to improve their finish this year. They’ve gone 4-14 after their bye the past two seasons.
Al Iannazzone covers the Jets for Newsday after spending nearly two decades on the NBA beat with Knicks and Nets.
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