Jets-Falcons Prediction: Two Wins in a Row For New York?
The Jets secured their first win of the year last weekend, defeating the Titans at home. Now, New York is in London, set to take on the Falcons, another team sitting at 1-3 as we enter Week 5.
With Gang Green's bye looming, this is a huge game for the Jets.
A win and New York has all the momentum they could ask for, washing away a winless start with two hard-fought victories. Coming out of the bye, they'll be recharged and ready for more, poised to silence the doubters by extending this midseason run deep into the month of October and beyond.
If New York loses, however, it'll be a gut punch after such a promising effort last Sunday.
Then again, this team has made it clear this year that they're looking to go 1-0 each week. No matter what happened in the previous game—whether it was success or failure—the following Sunday is a new opportunity and a blank slate.
That in mind, as you sip some coffee this morning and get set for kickoff across the pond, here's our weekly prediction. Will the Jets win and what will transpire in this Week 5 showdown?
Max Goodman's pick: Jets 20, Falcons 17
In some ways, these two teams are similar. They have the same records, they've both had some brutal losses and faced a fair share of adversity.
The Falcons and Jets are both ranked among the worst teams in the league when it comes to offense. New York is in the cellar, averaging a league-worst 11.8 points per game. Atlanta isn't much better, sitting in the eighth-worst spot with an average of 19.5 points.
The difference is the defense.
Gang Green's formidable defensive unit has been arguably their strongest and most consistent contributor this year. The Jets are in the middle of the pack, only giving up 353.5 yards per game and 23.5 points. On the other side, the Falcons are the worst defense in football, giving up 32 points per game.
Those numbers obviously don't tell the entire story, but after watching Zach Wilson and the Jets' offense erupt last week against a first-place opponent, I'm giving the edge to those in green and white. If Wilson can avoid making any unforced errors—like we've seen the rookie do frequently this season—this unit can ride the wave to another productive performance.
I'm thinking Wilson will throw for 275 yards with two scores and a handful of highlight-reel plays, a similar line to the one he had a week ago. This time around, the Jets won't need overtime.
READ: How Russell Wilson's Injury Impacts the Jets' Future
Interestingly enough, these two teams are the only clubs in the NFL that haven't intercepted a pass yet. Look for Bryce Hall to get the Jets on the board, taking advantage of a mistake by veteran Matt Ryan.
Remember, with Calvin Ridley not making the trip with Atlanta, New York will be in a similar position to the one they were in last week. When Tennessee was missing their top two wideouts, they leaned heavily on their spectacular running back. This time around, the Jets are dealing with running back Mike Davis, who was held to 14 yards on 13 carries last time out.
Cordarrelle Patterson leads the Falcons with 354 yards from scrimmage this season, so don't be surprised if he gets a bunch of touches with Ridley out.
Ryan and the Falcons have an aerial attack that can carry an offense (they did so last week against Washington), but if the Jets can rush the passer like they did a week ago (seven sacks), it'll be a long day for Atlanta.
Perhaps I'm putting too much faith in a team that was embarrassed only two weeks ago—and needed a missed field goal in overtime last week—but the way the offense looked against the Titans (mixed in with that solid defense), it feels like the Jets will take another step forward.
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