This is not the kind of game where you want two of your top three cornerbacks out. That is just the challenge the Jets will face against the Saints. Lito Sheppard and Donald Strickland will both miss this one. That means plenty of Dwight Lowery and Drew Coleman. Darrelle Revis is probably going to be up against the leading receiver on New Orleans, Marques Colston. Colston's an excellent receiver. When all is said and done, he'll probably replace our own Wayne Chrebet as the greatest wideout ever to come out of Hofstra (if he's not there already). He's also not Andre Johnson or Randy Moss. There's a good chance the Jets can take him out of the game.
It's tough to say how eliminating the top target of the opposition will throw the Saints off. It's going to cause some sort of problems for the Saints. They have an excellent vertical target in Devry Henderson. It's not clear either Coleman or Lowery has the speed necessary to cover him one on one. To make matters worse, the slot man for the Saints, Lance Moore will be back. Lowery can stay with his man in a short burst. He's probably best to cover the slot. Coleman is very unrefined. I would give him safety help on Henderson's vertical routes and live with his struggles underneath.
Former Giant Jeremy Shockey is off to a fast start at tight end. Reggie Bush for all of his faults is a dynamic receiver out of the backfield. Eric Smith has been doing great work in subpackages underneath. I anticipate him playing plenty against both in coverage.
The most important task will be getting pressure to Brees. As we discussed two weeks ago, great quarterbacks will kill you if they get time. It's the job of the defense to make them uncomfortable. The Jets have a coach dedicated to getting to the quarterback. If the Saints block six, the Jets will send seven. If the Saints block seven, the Jets will send eight. If the Saints block eight, the Jets will send nine. Brees is going to get hit. The question is how consistently the Jets can get to him early. There's no room for error because this offense is a big play offense. The Jets will get to him, but if they don't get to him quickly enough, it's going to be a long day.