How can the New York Jets snag a road upset on Thursday night?
The New York Jets pulled off the seemingly impossible by upsetting the top-seeded Bengals on Halloween behind 405 yards passing from backup quarterback Mike White.
White’s ability to calmly read the defense and find his playmakers kept the offense on schedule and highly productive. The team gained over 500 yards of total offense and only punted once the entire day. It was the first time this season they had scored more than 30 points in a game.
Running back Michael Carter and receiver Elijah Moore had career-best outings, with 67 yards from Moore and an astounding 172 total yards from Carter.
The celebration won’t last long, however, as the Jets head to Indianapolis for a Thursday night matchup with the Colts.
With Wilson still sidelined, White will make his second career start in primetime and under a brighter spotlight than ever before. The Colts’ defense will certainly be keying on White after finishing as the previous week’s passing yards leader.
To keep the offense humming, Mike LaFleur and the Jets should replicate their plan against Cincinnati: trust their play-makers to get the job done.
The Indy defense primarily plays man coverage, unlike the zone-heavy approach the Bengals deployed. Colts defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus won’t play soft and leave the check-downs open for free, but the Jets shouldn’t be scared to use the quick passing game anyway.
Rather, New York should have faith in players like Jamison Crowder, Elijah Moore, and Michael Carter to win their matchups. Indy’s back-seven simply lacks the talent to keep up with the Jets’ skill positions. All White has to do is find the best matchup and exploit it.
Defensively, Gang Green will need a strong effort from the front four if they want to walk away victorious.
The Colts’ offense runs through their stable of running backs, the most dangerous of all being second-year-pro Jonathan Taylor.
Taylor can beat up a defense between the tackles just as easily as he can catch a swing pass and take it the distance. Limiting Taylor’s room to run early will force Indy to get pass-heavy, where their offense is much less effective.
Indy quarterback Carson Wentz is also notorious for making bone-headed mistakes under pressure. If the Jets can force Wentz off his spot, they may be rewarded with some easy turnovers.
The Oklahoma Drill Podcast crew is back to review the most improbable win in recent Jets’ history, as well as break down the ideal game-plan for a statement win on national television.
