Preview, prediction, what to watch for

Publish date: 2024-07-19

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An inside look at Sunday’s Jets-Texans Week 14 matchup at MetLife Stadium:

Marquee matchup

Jets WR Garrett Wilson vs. Texans CB Derek Stingley Jr.

It is unlikely that Stingley will follow Wilson, but let’s hope to see these two go head-to-head often in this game.

Stingley, who was the No. 3-overall pick in 2022, is having a strong second season.

He has four interceptions in his past three games and is becoming the player Houston envisioned when it drafted him.

Wilson was wide open several times last week, but Tim Boyle failed to get him the ball.

It has been an exasperating year for Wilson, who was the No. 10 pick in 2022, dealing with poor quarterback play and no other receiver able to take the pressure off him.

Garrett Wilson Bill Kostroun/New York Post

Despite the struggles, Wilson still has 67 catches for 745 yards and three touchdowns.

“I’ve known Sting for a while, played against him,” Wilson said. “The same thing that he’s always brought to the table. He’s a great ball hawk. He knows where the ball is and he’s going to make a play on the ball.

“Great in his technique, he watched film and knows what to expect. I’m excited to see him, first of all, and I’m excited to go up against him. He’s a great player, great dude, and like C.J. [Stroud], he’s getting everything that deserves right now.”

Derek Stingley Jr. AP

Costello’s call

This should be a decent matchup for the Jets since their defense can slow down C.J. Stroud and the Texans’ offense, but how can anyone have any faith in the Jets’ offense at this point? Zach Wilson’s return will not solve what is wrong with this offense.

Texans 20, Jets 13

Four downs

Say it Stroud: It looks like the Texans have hit the quarterback lottery with C.J. Stroud, whom they drafted No. 2 overall last spring.

He leads the NFL with 3,540 passing yards this season and is on pace to shatter the rookie record.

He has thrown 20 touchdowns to just five interceptions and will provide the Jets defense with a test.

“He is a very unique young quarterback,” Jets defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich said. “He is a guy I really wish we would have played Week 1-4 when he was still trying to figure out this game. I know the knocks that were on him coming out, I have not seen any of that. I have seen a guy that is a high-level processer, quick decision maker, sees the field way better than you think a rookie would, and a big part of that is just his poise.”

Backup blues: The Jets are turning back to Zach Wilson after going 0-2 with Tim Boyle.

While the Texans are thriving with Stroud, the Jets are in backup quarterback hell.

NFL teams are 30-57 this season with backup quarterback starting or playing at least 30 percent of a game.

Wilson is actually second among backup quarterbacks with four wins this season. Gardner Minshew with the Colts is 7-3.

Jets coach Robert Saleh was asked about how Texans coach DeMeco Ryans has benefitted from the team hitting on Stroud while he continues to cycle through quarterbacks.

Zach Wilson Bill Kostroun/New York Post

“The stability at the quarterback position, we’re always chasing it, but I’ll leave that topic for you guys,” Saleh said.

Old friends: Saleh coached Texans coach Ryans when Ryans was a Houston player in 2006-10, when Saleh was a young assistant in Houston.

Saleh then hired Ryans in San Francisco to begin his coaching career.

Ryans replaced Saleh as defensive coordinator with the 49ers in 2021 after Saleh left to become the Jets head coach.

Now, they face off against each other.

“I learned how to coach from being under Saleh,” Ryans said this week. “He taught me a lot when it comes to scheme when it came to just handling players, game planning. So, I learned a lot from Saleh and owe a lot to him, and that’s probably the reason why I’m standing here before you. Because of him just taking me under his wing.”

Going streaking: A loss on Sunday will extend some ignominious streaks for the Jets.

It would be their ninth loss of the season, locking up their eighth straight losing season.

This was the year they were supposed to snap the bad mojo that has been around the team since 2016, but the Aaron Rodgers injury in Week 1 blew up the season again.

This also would be the sixth straight loss.

It would be the 19th time in franchise history the Jets lost six games in a row.

You don’t have to go far back to find the last time it happened.

They ended last season on a six-game losing streak.

The franchise record is 13, in 2020.

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