The Jets have won five games in a row and they’ve had two weeks to prepare for the Packers.  The Packers won last Sunday Night against the division rival Vikings in a very hard fought game.  Here is a look at the matchups in this game:

When the Jets have the ball:  The Packers allow 124.3 yards rushing and 4.7 yards per carry so it’s going to be no mystery when the Jets come out running the ball in this game.  Shonn Greene and LaDainian Tomlinson are likely going to get a lot of work in this game.  The Packers have 22 sacks already this year so Mark Sanchez is going to have to make quick and solid decisions when throwing the ball.  He also has to be extra careful because the Packers already have 10 interceptions this season and they boast an outstanding pair of starting corners in Charles Woodson & Tramon Williams.  This is the kind of game where Sanchez will likely keep the passing game short which means TE Dustin Keller & Jerricho Cotchery should have success.

When the Packers have the ball:  The Jets have to be careful about blitzing Aaron Rodgers because he will make them pay.  The Jets would probably be smart to be in the nickel most of this game because the Packers are going to keep passing the whole game long against a Jets’ D that is allowing 229.0 yards passing per game. 

PREDICTION:  JETS 24, PACKERS 20

It has been said that a TE is a young QBs best friend.  That appears to be true for the Jets as 2nd year QB likes throwing to 26-year old TE Dustin Keller, especially in the red zone.  Keller has played in 6 games for the Jets so far this year and he has 24 grabs for 343 yards (14.3 avg) with 5 TD grabs.  Keller has now played in 38 games in his first three years with the Jets and he has caught 117 passes for 1,400 yards (12.0 avg) with 10 TD grabs.  Look for Sanchez to be looking for Keller a lot this weekend against the Packers so that he won’t have to deal with the outstanding corners of the Pack.

The Jets have released 31-year old DT Howard Green once again.  Green played in 2 games for the Jets this year and he had 1 tackle and 1 forced fumble.  Green played in 14 games in parts of two years with the Jets and he had 24 tackles and 1 forced fumble.  Green won’t be sitting around waiting for another call from the Jets as he was claimed quickly off waivers by the Green Bay Packers.

26-year old cornerback Antonio Cromartie has really played great football for the Jets so far this year.  With Darrelle Revis coming in late and having injury problems, Cromartie has been the top corner for the Jets all year long.  Cromartie has played in all six games for the Jets so far this year and he has 17 tackles, 11 passes defensed and 2 interceptions (66 return yards).  Cromartie has now played in 70 games in his five years in the NFL and he has 182 tackles, 52 passes defensed and 17 interceptions (293 return yards, with 2 TD returns).  Getting Cromartie in the off-season might have been the best move the Jets made.

23-year old QB Mark Sanchez has really improved in his second year with the Jets.  But they don’t seem to trust him yet with the keys to the car as they are only averaging 175.0 yards passing per game this year.  The simple reason for that is that the Jets are rushing for 159.2 yards per game (4.9 ypc) so far this year.  Sanchez had a rough time as a rookie for the Jets during the regular season last year.  He played in 15 games in 2009 and he completed 196 of 364 passes (53.8%) for 2,444 yards with 12 TD passes and 20 INTs (63.0 QB Rating).  Sanchez also carried the ball 36 times for 106 yards (2.9 ypc) with 3 TD runs last season.  Sanchez really grew up in the post season for the Jets.  They then went out in the off-season and added LaDainian Tomlinson and Santonio Holmes to give Sanchez more weapons on offense.  The results have been good as Sanchez seems to be growing as a QB.  Sanchez has played in six games for the Jets so far this year and he has completed 98 of 177 passes (55.4%) for 1,100 yards with 9 TD passes and 2 INTs (86.4 QB Rating).  He has also carried the ball 9 times for only 5 yards (0.6 ypc) so far this year.  Sanchez has been throwing the ball away instead of into coverage and he also has been throwing the ball away instead of running it.  Both of those are signs that Sanchez is growing as a QB and maybe in the near future the Jets will take the shackles off him and let him wing the ball around the field.

LaDainian Tomlinson scored on a 2-yard TD run with 1:13 left in this game to give the Jets the deciding points.  Mark Sanchez didn’t look too good in this game for the Jets as he completed 17 of 30 passes for 198 yards with 1 TD pass and 2 INTs.  LaDainian Tomlinson led the way on the ground for the Jets in this game with 16 carries for 55 yards (3.4 ypc) with 2 TD runs and he also caught 2 passes for 12 yards (6.0 avg).  Shonn Green pitched in with 43 yards on 9 carries (4.8 ypc) today.  Dustin Keller led the way in the passing game for the Jets today with 3 grabs for 75 yards (25.0 avg).  WRs Santonio Holmes (4 rec, 47 yards), Braylon Edwards (4 rec, 46 yards, TD) and Jerricho Cotchery (4 rec, 18 yards) also pitched in for the Jets in the passing game.  The Jets finished up with 129 yards rushing on 30 carries (4.3 ypc) and they also completed 17 of 30 passes for 190 yards. 

Defensively the Jets were pushed around a little bit by the Broncos.  LBs David Harris (8 tackles) and Bart Scott (6 tackles) led the way for the Jets on D in this game.  The Broncos finished up with 145 yards rushing on 37 carries (3.9 ypc) and they also completed 14 of 34 passes for 201 yards.  The Jets are now 5-1 on the year.

The Jets have won four games in a row as they are looking like the class of the AFC East right now.  The Broncos are an up and down team that can really throw the ball.  Here is a look at the matchups in this game:

When the Jets have the ball:  The Jets are a run first team and I look for that to continue this Sunday in Denver.  LaDainian Tomlinson (435 yards rushing) and Shonn Greene (280 yards rushing) should find a lot of running room against a Broncos’ D that is allowing 127.4 yards rushing and 4.4 yards per carry.  The Broncos have absolutely no pass rush so Mark Sanchez will likely be deadly off playaction in this game after the run is established.  Santonio Holmes, Braylon Edwards, Jerricho Cotchery and Dustin Keller will give Sanchez a lot of choices in who to throw the ball to tomorrow in Denver.

When the Brocos have the ball:  The Jets are only giving up 79.0 yards rushing and 3.3 yards per carry while the Broncos are averaging only 51.8 yards rushing and 2.3 yards per carry.  I don’t look for the Broncos to even attempt to run the ball unless they get a quick, big lead on the Jets in this game.  The Jets will have to send a lot of blitzes at Kyle Orton because if he has time to throw the ball he’s going to have success against a Jets’ D that is allowing 234.6 yards passing so far this year.  I look for the Broncos to spread the field with WRs Jabar Gaffney, Eddie Royal, Brandon Lloyd and rookie Demaryius Thomas and put the ball in the air at least 40 times.

PREDICTION:  JETS 27, BRONCOS 20

The Jets will be without starting CB Darrelle Revis as he re-injured his hamstring last night.  The Jets hope that he will only miss the game in Denver this weekend.  Revis has played in 3 games for the Jets so far this year and he has 4 tackles, 1 pass defensed and 1 fumble recovery.  Kyle Wilson will start opposite of Antonio Cromartie this weekend against a Broncos’ offense that can really throw the football.

The Jets held off a furious second half comeback by the Vikings last night to win a hard fought battle.  Mark Sanchez was so-so in this game as he completed 21 of 44 passes for 191 yards.  LaDainian Tomlinson carried the load for the Jets last night with 20 carries for 94 yards (4.7 ypc) and he also caught 5 passes for 13 yards (2.6 avg).  Shonn Greene also had another solid game with 10 carries for 57 yards (5.7 ypc) with a TD run.  WRs Braylon Edwards (5 rec, 70 yards), Jerricho Cotchery (5 rec, 46 yards) and Santonio Holmes (3 rec, 41 yards) led the way in the passing game for the Jets last night.  The Jets finished up with 155 yards rushing on 32 carries (4.8 ypc) and they also completed 21 of 44 passes for 173 yards as they possessed the ball for 33:55.

Safety Jim Leonhard (9 tackles, 1 QB hit) and LB David Harris (9 tackles) led the way for the D last night.  LB Bart Scott and CB Darrelle Revis each recovered fumbles in this game.  But, CB Dwight Lowery had the biggest play of the night for the Jets when he intercepted a Brett Favre pass which he returned 26 yards for a TD to put the Jets up 9 points with only 1:30 left in the game.  Brad Smith also deserves kudos for the Jets as he returned 3 kickoffs for 121 yards (40.3 avg) last night.  The Vikings finished up with 96 yards rushing on 24 carries (4.0 ypc) and they also completed 14 of 34 passes for 240 yards.  The Jets are now 4-1 on the year.

Forget the records in this game I see it being a slobber knocker on Monday Night.  The Jets are cooperating with a league investigation involving Brett Favre and some of the team’s employees in his year with them.  The Vikings also traded for Randy Moss earlier this week and the Jets’ corners have been yapping about him all week.  I look for the Vikings to be plenty motivated against the Jets on Monday Night.  Of course, the Jets love to talk so this is just all part of the game with them.  Here is a look at the matchups in this game:

When the Jets have the ball:  The Vikings’ D is probably playing even better than the Jets’ D so far this year.  That won’t change how the Jets try to go about there business on Monday Night.  Look for them to give the Vikings a heavy dose of LaDainian Tomlinson and Shonn Greene despite the Vikings holding opponents to 87.3 yards rushing and 3.6 yards per carry.  The Vikings only have 4 sacks this year so Mark Sanchez should have time to throw the ball.  Santonio Holmes, Braylon Edwards, Jerricho Cotchery and Dustin Keller give the Jets a lot of solid options in the passing game.

When the Vikings have the ball:  The Vikings average 143.3 yards rushing and 5.0 yards per carry so look for Adrian Peterson to challenge the Jets’ D all night long.  The Jets will likely send a lot of blitzes at Brett Favre as he can be forced into mistakes after he gets hit a few times.  The safeties will likely have to deal with TE Visanthe Shiancoe who is a favorite target of Favre.  But, Randy Moss will get the full attention of the D as he is still a premier gamebreaker.  They also must keeps tabs on Percy Harvin who has the speed to score any time he touches the football.

PREDICTION:  JETS 17, VIKINGS 13