Playmakers on offense
The Jets traded for Justin Fields this offseason, dreaming of the pairing with Garrett Wilson and Breece Hall. The offense hasn’t quite found its rhythm yet through the air, with Fields averaging 159.8 yards per game passing and throwing a mere four touchdowns through six games, while taking 19 sacks, the second-most in the NFL. The offense didn’t score a touchdown in the Week 6 loss.
That area of the game could become more difficult this week. Wilson hyperextended his knee late against the Broncos, and while ESPN reports he avoided a serious knee injury, he will likely miss at least a couple of weeks. That would effectively keep him off the field Sunday against the Panthers.
For the third straight week, though, the Panthers’ defense will be tasked with slowing down one of the top rushers in the league. Hall is 11th in the league with 410 yards and is averaging 68.3 yards per game. He has not yet scored a touchdown this season.
Fields has also kept himself in the top half of the league in rushing, despite missing a game early in the season with injury, with 235 total yards (47.0 ypg) with two rushing scores.
“A good quarterback. I mean, they got a quarterback that can get loose, so I mean, that’s one thing we’re going to have to go ahead and focus on this week. They got a really good running back,” said Derrick Brown.
“So for us this week, I mean, it’s about being able to learn and be able to contain the offense, but also at the same time, not take what they’re trying to feed us, right?”