Content available exclusively for subscribers
People are going to make a big deal about this, and on the surface, you could understand why.
The Jets will be without defensive end David Bailey and defensive tackle T’Vondre Sweat on Sunday against the Raidres.
Both guys have ability, and it could hurt their pass rush a little with Bailey sidelined, but the way the Jets have been playing the run with those players, in most games, not sure how much of a difference it will make on that front.
The Jets are 31st in the NFL in run defense, and aside a little over two quarters against Miami, that was with Bailey and Sweat. In the second quarter of last Sunday’s Jets loss against Miami, Sweat hurt his knee.
They were both in the lineup for Jets games like Jets at Chicago, where they gave up 232 yards rushing, 131 in Detroit, and that last drive in New England, when RB Corey Kiner dominated with three backup offensive linemen on a clock-killing drive.
So, while this might sound nuts to some people, the absence of Bailey and Sweat is not the needle mover in this game that some will lead you to believe.
While it’s terrible that they are injured. Nobody wants that for any player. Just saying, it’s probably not going to tilt the field much on Sunday to the Jets’ detriment…
While the media was only at practice for about 20 minutes on Thursday, there was a clue right in front of us, in that limited time frame, that RB Breece Hall likely wasn’t going to play this week.
After the team stretched, Hall walked over to the rehab field, to join Bailey, and some other injured players, working with the trainers.
That was a pretty clear sign he wasn’t playing this week.
Also, not that they would ever rush him back, but the fact that Braelon Allen is playing on such a high level can allow them to take even more time with Hall.
Another factor, that is minor, but is worthy of bringing up, is the Jets play at Kansas City a week from Sunday. Hall grew up in Wichita, Kansas, a couple hours down I-35 from Kansas City. You know darn well he doesn’t want to miss that game.
Once again, not saying Hall if going to compromise his health to play in Kansas City in front of friends and family, just saying you know how badly he wants to play in that game…
This non-stop drumbeat for Garrett Wilson to get the ball more could end up being counterproductive on Sunday against the Raiders.
Should he get the ball more than the three targets he got last week? Of course. But if you have a QB and offensive coordinator even thinking about appeasing a target who wants to eat more, you could end up forcing the ball into double coverage and not taking advantage of soft coverage other talented weapons are getting.
Just look what happened last week against Miami. Even though the Jets lost, tight end Mason Taylor and wide receiver Omar Cooper had big games. Taylor had two touchdown catches and a two-point conversion reception, and Cooper had two long completions, 60 and 52 yards, and a 3-yard TD catch.
And a big contributor to the monster games each of those young players had was the light coverage they received because Wilson was double-teamed.
What is going on with Wilson is one of the reasons why legendary coaches like Bill Parcells, Bill Belichick and Andy Reid, for the most part, were never huge fans of having superstar #1 receivers.
They never wanted that constant drumbeat of people saying “you gotta get that guy the ball more.”
Go through your progressions and throw to the open guy.
“Football to me is about throwing the ball to the guy who’s open, and if he’s open deep that’s where you throw it,” legendary QB Tom Brady once said. “If he’s open short, you throw it there. If he’s open outside, you throw it there. If they’re open inside, that’s where you throw it.”
Sounds like a plan.
When you start throwing to receivers because the player, his camp or the fantasy football crowd is lobbying for it, you can get yourself in trouble as an offense.
Should the Jets throw to Wilson more? Perhaps, but they should never force it to him to appease the “Get Wilson the ball more” lobby.
October 30, 2026
Premium will return by 11:30 pm (or sooner) on Sunday.
