Behind Enemy Lines: 5 Questions with Jets Country Publisher Ralph Ventre

The "Snoopy Bowl" (formally known as the MetLife Bowl) might not officially exist anymore, but there will always be the Battle of the Big Apple every four years when the New York Giants and New York Jets get together.

This weekend, the Giants are the "home" team as they look to even out their 2023 home record to 2-2 and record their first back-to-back wins. The Jets, meanwhile, are coming off their bye, refreshed and relaxed as they look to improve to 2-1 over the NFC East, their only victory to date against that division coming against the high-flying Philadelphia Eagles.

Let's check in with Jets Country publisher Ralph Ventre to better understand what the Giants are up against this weekend.

The Jets are coming off a bye with a respectable 3-3 record. What have you liked about their season so far, and what do you think changes moving forward?

The fact that they've been able to stay afloat is impressive. Their entire plan was turned upside down when Aaron Rodgers went down four plays into the season. Resiliency has been this team's best character trait thus far, but it has to improve offensively to make a run for the postseason. The Jets rank last in the NFL in both third-down conversion rate and red zone touchdown percentage, so that needs to change moving forward. As for their approach, I think it will remain the same, and they'll ride with Zach Wilson at the controls, for better or worse.

Zach Wilson seems to be holding his own for the Jets. Where have you seen the biggest improvement from him?

He's shown maturation on and off the field, from how he carries himself to his command of the offense. His footwork has seemingly improved, too, leading to an uptick in accuracy and more success on tight-window throws. Wilson has significantly reduced the unforced errors but struggles mightily when under duress. He doesn't look like a No. 2 overall draft pick, but he's doing enough to win games.

New York Giants Week 8: Examining the New York Jets Offense

The Jets defense set some lofty expectations for itself. How much have they lived up to those expectations, and where have they fallen short?

There's no mistaking this team for the '85 Bears, but the defense has shown the ability to take control of the game on multiple occasions. They have stacked up takeaways and notably frustrated the likes of Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes, and Jalen Hurts. They have been vulnerable to slow starts but have clamped down significantly in the second half of games. The Jets have All-Pro talent at all three levels of the defense. Linebackers Quincy Williams and C.J. Mosley have been fantastic throughout the first six weeks.

What do you view as the X-factor in this game?

The Giants' interior defensive line and ability to win up front in run-stuffing and pass-rush situations should affect the final score. There's a decent chance starting right guard Joe Tippmann, who was injured in the Week 6 win over Philadelphia, won't be available. Former Washington lineman Wes Schweitzer came on in relief of Tippmann against the Eagles and looked susceptible to a fierce interior pass rush. The Jets will have to do something to mitigate the impact of Dexter Lawrence and Leonard Williams.

New York Giants Week 8: Examining the New York Jets Defense

How much did the offense have to change when Aaron Rodgers went down?

There's no question that Nathaniel Hackett is tweaking his scheme to better accommodate Zach Wilson, and a part of the playbook is no longer available with Rodgers out of commission. It seems they've taken a more conservative approach to the offense, and Wilson has been serviceable during his first year under Hackett. With that said, I think the offense's success would always depend upon the ability to run the football, with or without Rodgers. It's encouraging to see Breece Hall back at full strength, and he's already shown his game-breaking ability several times this season. Look for more explosive plays from the Jets' run game to take the pressure off Wilson.

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