Jets-Titans Prediction: Can New York Limit Derrick Henry, Secure First Win?
Jets fans are in familiar territory this weekend.
New York is danger of falling to 0-4 for the third straight season, an unprecedented run of dysfunction and ineptitude that has had a fan base consistently starting to look at next year before Columbus Day.
In 2021, however, things are different for Gang Green.
A first-year head coach, first-year quarterback and first-year offensive coordinator—along with several other rookies on both sides of the ball—are growing together, slowly but surely trending in the right direction.
So, is this the week that group, and the surrounding veterans and role players, can produce their first win of the season?
New York is matched up with the Tennessee Titans, a team that's leading their division and has the best running back in the league. It's a tall order for the Jets, an injury-ravaged club that's missing several key contributors on defense, but not impossible.
With that in mind, here is this week's prediction for how the Jets will fare on Sunday, hosting the Titans in an afternoon clash at MetLife Stadium.
Max Goodman's prediction: Jets 14, Titans 19
I know what you're thinking. A one-possession game?! The Jets haven't scored a touchdown in eight quarters!
Hear me out.
As much as Henry is leading the NFL and poised to pound the rock on Sunday, these two factors will contain him.
First, we can't ignore the injuries to Julio Jones and A.J. Brown. New York is going to make sure Henry doesn't beat them (or at least they should), stacking the box and bringing as many hats to the football as possible.
There's a chance that strategy leaves the Jets susceptible to a big play over the top, if Ryan Tannehill can effectively utilize the reserves that are filling in at wide receiver, but that leads me to my second point. All things considered, the Jets have been pretty respectable on defense this year.
New York enters play this week with the 10th-best defense at limiting total yards (328 per game) and the 15th-best unit in stopping the run (110.7 yards per game). Place even more of an emphasis on the ground game and that should allow New York's front to keep a lid on Henry. I'm thinking he'll finish with right around 100 yards on the ground, which has to be considered a win.
Problem is, it's hard to put faith in this offense after last week's shutout in Denver. The biggest issue for the Jets has been slow starts as New York has been outscored 46 to 3 in the first half through three games this year.
My guess is this game turns out to be similar to their Week 1 loss in Carolina. The Panthers jumped in front, leaning on their star running back both on the ground and in the passing game, and it took three quarters for the Jets to find any rhythm on offense. By the time quarterback Zach Wilson threw for two touchdowns (to Corey Davis), it was too late.
Davis will be in the end zone at least once on Sunday, performing well against his former team. The other on Sunday will be a touchdown catch from Denzel Mims, who is active for the first time since that loss to the Panthers in Week 1.
Remember, the Jets weren't expected to contend this year. Losses were going to be part of the rebuild. This week can be a successful Sunday for Robert Saleh's squad if Wilson can build some confidence after a tough stretch and the defense can continue to evolve, making a statement against the top running back in the sport.
Related reading to get you ready for Jets-Titans:
- How the Jets are Preparing to Stop Titans Running Back Derrick Henry
- Jets Catch Huge Break as Titans Rule Out Two Best Receivers
- Why Jets-Titans Means More to Wide Receiver Corey Davis
- Quinnen Williams Is Not Listening to Criticism of Winless Jets
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