The New York Jets will be seeking their first win of the season without their brightest stars on Sunday.
Head coach Aaron Glenn revealed that star cornerback Sauce Gardner and star receiver Garrett Wilson were both ruled out for the Week 8 Cincinnati Bengals game.
Gang Green Will Require a Masterful Coaching Performance to Solve Bengals’ Problems
Gardner has been playing elite football for the Jets over the last two weeks.
In Week 6 against the Denver Broncos, Gardner allowed one reception for 17 yards when facing pass catcher Courtland Sutton.
“[Sutton] lined up against Sauce Gardner on 86% of his routes and allowed an average of 1.8 target separation,” NFL Network Researcher LaQuan Jones shared on social media.
In Week 7 against the Carolina Panthers, Gardner was even better. Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic revealed that Gardner was “targeted once in 24 coverage snaps” and he “broke up that pass.”
That level of play could have come in handy in Week 8. The Jets travel to Cincinnati to face off against the top wide receiver duo in the NFL.
Bengals Pass Catchers Have Been Terrorizing Secondaries Across the League
Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins lead the Bengals in every major receiving category.
Through seven games, Chase has recorded 58 receptions for 629 receiving yards and five touchdowns. Over that same stretch, Higgins has caught 24 balls for 316 receiving yards and has scored three touchdowns.
Coach Glenn revealed that rookie cornerback Azareye’h Thomas will be making the first start of his NFL career in Gardner’s place, via Brian Costello of the New York Post.
Jets Offense Will Have to Try and Make It Happen Again
Wilson is set to miss his second straight game. That will be the second missed game of Wilson’s NFL career. He had previously appeared in 57 consecutive games before this recent injury issue.
Last week, the Jets didn’t handle it well. The offense for the second straight game failed to score a touchdown and appeared anemic.
In Week 7 against the Panthers, the Jets finished with 220 total net yards on offense. The leading pass catcher was Tyler Johnson with three receptions for 60 yards.
Jets Choose to Play Things Safe With Wilson Amid a Horrific Season
Head coach Aaron Glenn suggested that Wilson was close to playing last week. It wasn’t clear he wasn’t going to play until 90 minutes before kickoff.
This week, that information became official days before the game on Friday, October 24. Next week is the Jets’ bye.
So the next opportunity for the former Ohio State product to play in a game will be in Week 10 against the Cleveland Browns. That game is scheduled for Sunday, November 9. Wilson got hurt on Sunday, October 12.
Wilson will have essentially a full month off between games from when he was injured versus when he can potentially return.
In a season that features a 0-7 Jets team that isn’t making the playoffs, that feels like the correct decision. Wilson’s long-term health is much more important than rushing him out there for an offense that desperately needs his help.
So the Jets will have to try and figure it out without him in the state of Ohio.
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