Jets vs Chargers -- Matchups to Watch

I think in all honesty (and despite the trash talking) that the Jets match up pretty well against the Chargers. The Chargers run defense has been pretty poor all year and I’ve watched a number of teams move the ball between the 20s at will on the ground. The Chargers cannot clog up the middle without Jamal Williams there to draw the double teams. Its not until the field shrinks inside the red zone that they can jam up the run game. I think that the Jets will rack up close to 200 rush yards, I’d bet money on it.

I do think that the Chargers corners (while not as good as Revis) are good, but not elite, which could allow the Bolts to stack the box against the run. Jammer is good, but draws flags, Cromartie has a tendency to get beaten deep. It goes without saying that they’ll be using an 8-man front and safety blitz schemes regularly to try to put a lid on Thomas Jones and daring Sanchez to air it out.

The Chargers have traditionally (over the last 10 years) been very weak against the tight end. They’ve gotten better since they dumped safety ‘turnstyle’ Hart mid-season, still their younger safeties are still vulnerable. Keller has a chance to have a huge game. I’ve only watched a couple of Jets games, but I can’t think that Edwards will be much of a threat with the number of drops that he has had. Cotchery is good and I think that his matchup against Cromartie is the one to watch.

On the other side of the ball, the Bolts have not been able to run the ball at all this year. Contrary to what people think, LT is still as lethal as ever, he just hasn’t seen a hole produced by his O-line all year and has been hit behind the LOS more times than I could count. They are good in pass d, terrible in run blocking. To get around this, the Chargers have used the screen pass effectively all year as an extension of the run game. I think that if the Chargers have any big plays coming from Sproles or Tomlinson, it’ll be in the screen game. I really think that if the jets can shut down the screen, the deep threat of Jackson and Floyd are completely negated.

In the pass game, Jackson is going to Revis all over him. He is a good receiver (but not great) and I can see him bringing down a jump ball our two using his height over Revis, but I would expect him to be pretty quiet all game. The real question is can the Jets shut down Gates and if they do Floyd step up? I haven’t seen Rhodes in action, can he shut down Gates? I think that this is where we’ll see the double team in the passing game. The other receiver Floyd is an average receiver that is 6’5", He uses his height and draws more pass interference calls than catches balls. He has dropped a few clutch balls this year and was benched 2 years ago for doing the same (that is why they picked up Chambers originally).

I think a big factor could be in special teams. Is Feely going to be punting the ball next week? He is a good kicker and all, but the punting game is going to be a HUGE factor is this one.

In all honesty, I still remember that game in 1995 when a punk-ars nailed the equipment manager in the head with an iceball and he was out cold for 20 minutes. You guys are right, every team has its classless a-holes, but that one was so far over the top that it goes down in the hall of shame. I wouldn’t be surprised if they bring it up during the game broadcast, they did during the 2004 wildcard game. If that a-hole was sitting next to me at Qualcomm I would have thrown him over the railing.

Despite all of my s**t-talking, I say that this game will be a close low scoring affair. Down to the 4th quarter.

What happend in that Sept. 2008 game?? Ah lets see.. oh yeah a 48-29 thrashing put on the Jets by the Chargers. If that what you call owning I’m with you!!