The 0-3 New York Jets welcome in the 0-3 Denver Broncos for a Week 4 Thursday night matchup at MetLife Stadium.
Welcome to Thursday Night Football, Week 4 edition, the specific contest that features a real clash of the titans.
Now that we have fully woken up from a deep slumber, Thursday night’s game contrasts greatly with a clash of the titans. The 0-3 New York Jets welcome in the 0-3 Denver Broncos to MetLife Stadium for an affair featuring two struggling teams in search of that first victory.
Where, When?
- New York Jets (0-3)
- Denver Broncos (0-3)
- NFL, Week 4, Thursday, Oct. 1, 2020, 8:30 p.m. ET, NFLN
- MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ
Adam Gase and Vic Fangio are two head coaches who can’t even think about sitting down on that red-hot seat. This game could go a long way in determining each coach’s future.
The Broncos lead the all-time series, 20-16-1, with the last game going to the Jets, a 34-16 spanking at MetLife in 2018. It was the game Marcus Maye nearly pulled off the impossible but fell just one-yard short.
See you in prime time.#DENvsNYJ | #TakeFlight pic.twitter.com/fc5HhUhl9U
— New York Jets (@nyjets) October 1, 2020
Uniform
The Jets will break out the Stealth Black uniforms for this occasion.
October 1 feels like a good time to reintroduce the Stealth Blacks 🌑#DENvsNYJ | @JetBlue pic.twitter.com/8i6Uvb2umf
— New York Jets (@nyjets) October 1, 2020
Odds (Sportsbook)
- Money line: Broncos -105 | Jets -115
- Spread: Broncos +1 (-110) | Jets -1 (-110)
- Over/Under: 41 (O: -110, U: -110)
The Jets are favorites. Let’s repeat that one more time: the 0-3 Jets are favored to beat the Broncos.
Then again, the home team should get around +3, but during these COVID-19 times with no fans, that sort of flies out the window.
Injury Report
Breshad Perriman is out with an ankle, while Ashtyn Davis and Jordan Willis are doubtful. The big news surrounds wide receiver Jamison Crowder whose status appears to be trending in the right direction for the game, via NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
Good news on Crowder, terrible news for the offense via Mekhi Becton. Then again, the same situation occurred last week with Connor McGovern. He dressed, he played. We'll see. #TakeFlight https://t.co/znLYLuCFgM
— Robby Sabo (@RobbySabo) October 1, 2020
Additionally, young Mekhi Becton will dress, according to Pelissero, but will only be used as an emergency backup. Whether or not this turns out to be true remains to be seen. Last week, the same was said about Connor McGovern, yet he started.
For the Broncos, quarterback Drew Lock remains out, which means Brett Rypien will get his first NFL start (nephew of Mark Rypien).
The Jets pre-game moves include Jeff Smith and Javelin Guidry joining the active roster, Lawrence Cager and Lamar Jackson representing the two elevated practice squad players this week, and Mike White and Nate Hairston being released.
A few moves prior to the game. Jeff Smith is back, Javelin Guidry to the active roster (like that move), and Cager/L.Jackson to active roster as the two PS guys.
Mike White and Nate Hairston have been released. #TakeFlight https://t.co/62AAXlz18X
— Robby Sabo (@RobbySabo) October 1, 2020
Keys to the Game
Allow Sam Darnold LOS Freedom
The Jets offense is so bad that it doesn’t matter much how Vic Fangio’s defense sets things up. Fangio’s 3-4 scheme plays loose in the secondary with a ton of Cover 4 looks. Against the Jets, however, Fangio would be foolish to not adjust and play things tightly.
Nonetheless, Gase should allow Darnold to scan things at the line and adjust accordingly. Take what the Broncos defense gives them.
Tackle
Defensively, the same mindset applies. What matters most is the in-house stuff when teams are struggling to this extent. Gregg Williams’s unit needs to keep fundamentals in mind on every rep and in every situation.
Don’t let the young quarterback gain confidence early, either.
Prediction
- New York Jets 17, Denver Broncos 26
Every Jets fan can already imagine it: young Brett Rypien tears it up in his first career start. A week ago, in relief of Jeff Driskel, Rypien completed his first eight passes prior to being picked in the end zone.
While the Broncos aren’t world-beaters, the Jets are playing the worst football in the NFL right now.
Give me the Broncos by nine in a game that’ll have Jets fans jumping from the roof.
