The stealth-y Jets make their debut in tonight's Monday Night Football matchup with the Cleveland Browns at MetLife Stadium.
Back when the team introduced its new uniform configurations and colors in the spring, the updated takes on the franchise's traditional green and white — Gotham Green and Spotlight White — were most familiar. But lurking in the shadows to a degree was the third addition to the team's palette — Stealth Black.
The plan was to dress the Jets in black jerseys and pants for three games this season. And the first game is tonight's very important Game 2 vs. the Browns, in the 50th season of the MNF franchise that began with the Jets playing at the Browns on Sept. 21, 1970 at Cleveland Stadium.
One of the players wearing black tonight will be one of the newest Jets and one of the most prolific active WRs in the NFL. Demaryius Thomas, signed last week and within hailing distance of 10,000 career receiving yards, is active for to make his Jets debut despite not practicing full during the week due to a hamstring issue.
Thomas is one of more than a half-dozen players who were in that gray injury area, listed on Saturday as questionable for Cleveland — four starters in RB Le'Veon Bell (shoulder), T Kelvin Beachum (ankle), G Brian Winters (shoulder) and DL Steve McLendon (hip). Also questionable were WR/PR Braxton Berrios (hamstring), backup G Alex Lewis (shoulder) and Thomas.
All seven are active for tonight's primetime affair against the Browns.
See the Green and White Arriving for Monday Night Football
Unfortunately for the Jets, several other key players will be in stealth street sweats on the sideline as they rehab from injury/illness, among them QB Sam Darnold (mono), MLB C.J. Mosley (groin) and rookie DL Quinnen Williams (ankle), all announced as out on Saturday.
Darnold's absence was learned at midweek. In his place, Trevor Siemian steps into the starting role at QB with Luke Falk, signed today from the practice squad, serving as the backup. Siemian didn't play as a Vikings reserve last year, but in 2016-17 he started 24 games for the Broncos and posted a 13-11 record with 30 TD passes to 24 INTs, 59.3% accuracy and a 79.9 passer rating.
The Jets' full seven-man inactive list tonight:
- QB Sam Darnold
- RB Bilal Powell
- DL John Franklin-Myers
- LB C.J. Mosley
- DL Jordan Willis
- OL Chuma Edoga
- DL Quinnen Williams
And these are the Browns' inactives:
- S Damarious Randall
- RB-KR Dontrell Hilliard
- DE Genard Avery
- LB Adarius Taylor
- C Austin Corbett
- T Kendall Lamm
- WR Rashard Higgins
Tonight's referee is Alex Kemp, in his second season as a referee after entering the NFL as a side judge in 2014. Kemp was the ref at two Jets games last season, both Green & White victories — the 42-34 shootout win over the Colts at MetLife in Week 6 and the 27-23 comeback victory over the Bills at Buffalo in Week 14.
