Seahawks Gearing Up to Defend 'Elite' Jets Playmaker Garrett Wilson

New York Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson poses the biggest threat to the Seattle Seahawks' defense this Sunday in Week 13.

Oct 20, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; New York Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson (5) runs against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the first quarter at Acrisure Stadium. / Barry Reeger-Imagn Images

The New York Jets’ passing offense has continued to be below average this season, even with a healthy Aaron Rodgers leading the unit and some of the NFL’s top weapons running routes in green jerseys.

New York ranks 19th in pass yards per game (207.2) and Rodgers is 22nd in pass EPA this season (-0.3) coming out of the bye week, but the Seattle Seahawks aren’t underestimating their next opponent.

Seattle is guarding a two-game win streak and just re-captured first place in the NFC West in Week 12 after a defensively dominant victory over the Arizona Cardinals. They can strengthen their grip on the division with a win over the Jets.

Even with the air attack struggling, New York’s arsenal of playmakers can detonate at any time. The Seattle defense expecting a cakewalk would be a recipe for disaster.

In addition to running backs Breece Hall and Braelon Allen, wide receivers Davante Adams and Garrett Wilson are one of the top pass-catching duos in the league — even if it hasn’t all come together yet.

Wilson is 13th in the league in receiving yards (722) on 69 catches and is tied for fourth in the NFL in receiving first downs (40), displaying New York’s emphatic reliance on the third-year receiver to move the offense.

“I think sometimes you can look at the tape and say ‘Look at this guy, he’s not on his leverage at times,’ but you've got to give credit to the player,” Seahawks defensive coordinator Aden Durde said on Wednesday. “This is an elite player that moves — it's kind of like he can keep speed whilst moving, making people miss. He can carry on at the same speed, and that's very rare. Seeing it on tape, it’s cool to watch.”

Wilson could be having a much bigger season than he is. He’s third in the NFL in targets (108) and has the eighth-highest target share of any receiver this season (28.5 percent). His production this season is even with the highest catch rate of his career by more than seven percent.

The talent is there, but the consistency of the offense is not. Signing Rodgers ahead of the 2023 season was supposed to fix that, of course, although he missed all but four snaps last season and is having a down year statistically.

Then the Jets acquired a disgruntled Davante Adams from the Las Vegas Raiders in hopes that another superstar wide receiver could open things up for Wilson and Rodgers. Adams is yet to surpass 100 yards receiving with New York and has 26 catches for 278 yards (10.7 yards per reception) in five games with the Jets.

Both receivers are elite talents, but neither are being maximized with a Jets franchise in flux. Robert Saleh, the team’s former head coach, was fired midseason and general manager Joe Douglas was relieved of his duties as well. A full organizational reset is likely this offseason.

But before that, the Seahawks have to contain the Jets’ weapons that could threaten Seattle’s playoff hopes with a loss.

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