Jets' Defense Catches Another Break as Falcons Rule Out Calvin Ridley

Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Calvin Ridley won't travel to London due to personal reasons, a huge break for the New York Jets as they look for their second win

The Jets caught a break last weekend when the Titans ruled out their top two wide receivers. 

This week, it's more of the same for New York's defense as they look to win their second game in a row.

Falcons wideout Calvin Ridley will not make the trip to London for Sunday's matchup with the Jets, Atlanta announced on Thursday.

"Due to a personal matter, Calvin Ridley will not travel to the Falcons game in London this weekend," the team said in a statement. "We are in support of Calvin during this time and will respect his privacy on the matter."

In addition to Ridley, wide receiver Russell Gage won't travel with the team to face Gang Green across the pond. Same goes for defensive lineman Marlon Davidson.

Like the Jets, Atlanta is ranked among the league's worst in passing offense so far this season, averaging 232.8 yards per game. Ridley has been a huge part of any success for the Falcons through the air, leading the team with 255 receiving yards and 27 catches on 42 targets.

With Ridley out, quarterback Matt Ryan will surely look to rookie Kyle Pitts more often, mixing in Cordarrelle Patterson, who is coming off a three-touchdown game last week against Washington. 

As much as the Jets' secondary was poised to be a liability early on this season, battling injuries while elevating young and inexperienced defensive backs into expanded roles, New York has been solid through four games. Gang Green has averaged 226.3 passing yards allowed per game, the 12th-best total in the league entering Week 5. 

Last week, Tennessee was missing both Julio Jones and A.J. Brown, forced to lean even heavier on their running game. That lack of a presence over the top also opened the door for more pressure up front, leading to a season-high seven sacks from the Jets' defense. Head coach Robert Saleh and defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich will be looking to carry over that momentum into this Sunday.

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