Chargers' Justin Herbert another quarterback challenge for Jets' stingy 'D' 

The Jets’ defense has frustrated and “embarrassed” some of the NFL’s best quarterbacks this season, coach Robert Saleh said. They will try to continue that trend on Monday night.

Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert is the latest top quarterback the Jets will try to rattle.

It will be quite a difference from last week, when the defense faced Giants third-string quarterback Tommy DeVito, who was 2-for-7 for minus-1 yards. Herbert is one of the more prolific passers in the league.

“It’s an awesome opportunity,” defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich said. “Justin Herbert is one of the best quarterbacks in this league for a lot of different reasons.

“What has really surprised me, because I haven’t played him for maybe three years now, is his growth, his ability to see the field, make quick decisions, understand coverage at a higher level, his accuracy, his athleticism. He checks all the boxes. It is a major test for our defense.”

The Jets are 4-3, which is surprising in and of itself considering they lost Aaron Rodgers four offensive snaps into the season. Their defense has sparked their three-game winning streak and likely again will need to be stout against this offense.

The Chargers (3-4) began Week 9 in the top 10 in total offense (362.4 yards per game), scoring (24.9) and passing yards (258.9).

Dual-threat running back Austin Ekeler, who missed three games with an ankle injury, is coming off a 123-yard game last week, 94 of them receiving. Keenan Allen is on pace for more than 1,500 receiving yards.

Herbert is on pace for his fourth straight year of at least 4,300 passing yards.

“He’s a great quarterback,” linebacker Quincy Williams said. “The biggest thing is the weapons around him. He’s really good at using those guys. Ekeler is kind of like his get-out-of-jail-free card.”

The 6-6 Herbert, who is playing with a fractured middle finger on his non-throwing hand, has completed 68.7% of his passes for 1,890 yards, 13 touchdowns and four interceptions. He also has run for three touchdowns.

“Herbert is one of the better ones in football,” Saleh said. “He keeps every play alive. He is tough as nails — it looks like he’s got a cast on his arm and he’s still running people over, still making things happen, keeping plays alive.”

The Jets have faced Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes and Jalen Hurts and have gone 2-1 against them. The three have totaled three touchdown passes and eight interceptions against the Jets. After the Jets beat Hurts and Philadelphia, Saleh made his bold statement:

“We’ve played a gantlet of quarterbacks. I know we haven’t gotten all wins, but we’ve embarrassed all of them.”

The Jets have the No. 5 passing defense, allowing just 184.4 yards per game. They have not allowed a quarterback to reach 300 passing yards in 25 consecutive games.

“That’s cool, but I try not to focus on that too much,” cornerback Sauce Gardner said. “I just keep giving everything I got. We’ve got to keep doing the same thing as a defense.”

Cornerback D.J. Reed said, “The biggest thing is our defense gets better as the year goes on. That’s because we keep things simple. We’re not trying to reinvent the wheel. We stick to our script.”

Ulbrich said the Jets don’t do a lot schematically and it allows the defense “to really get dialed into” what the offense is doing. The Jets are an attack defense and use their rotating front four to wear out the offensive line and flummox the quarterback.

“It always starts up front with the D-line,” Reed said. “Those guys get after the quarterback to allow the quarterback to make mistakes. Then it goes to the back end — the linebackers and secondary to be tight in coverage. When you have those two working together, it makes it tough for any quarterback.

“It doesn’t matter how good you are, how talented you are. Mistakes will be made if you’re getting pressure up front and there’s tight windows to throw in. It’s really that simple.”

The Jets’ struggling offense — they’re 30th in total offense and 31st in passing offense — may have to put up some points against Los Angeles. They should have an opportunity.

The Chargers are last in passing defense (297.4 yards) and next-to-last in total defense (390.9). The Jets have had more than 345 yards of offense just once this season and have not exceeded 228 yards passing.

“I have so much trust in my defense; those guys are unbelievable,” quarterback Zach Wilson said. “We’ve seen what they’ve done with good offenses, explosive offenses, so I’m going to trust those guys no matter what.

“Now, would I like to also put up a lot of points and those guys not put up a lot of points — let’s do it that way. So that’s the goal.”

By Al Iannazzone

al.iannazzone@newsday.comAl_Iannazzone

Al Iannazzone covers the Jets for Newsday after spending nearly two decades on the NBA beat with Knicks and Nets.