The New York Jets will head to London in Week 5 to battle the Minnesota Vikings Sunday morning at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. To help preview the matchup, Lindsey Young of Vikings.com and John Pullano of NYJets.com chatted about the game.
What is your favorite matchup of Jets-Vikings?
LY: I thought about several options for this one, but I've landed on Harrison Smith and Aaron Rodgers. They have made a significant impact on the NFL over their careers, and it's incredible that they're now in their 13th and 20th seasons, respectively. I'm especially looking forward to this matchup because even though the Jets and Vikings don't face each other on a consistent basis, Rodgers and Smith are quite familiar with one another thanks to Rodgers' tenure in the NFC North. It often became a cat-and-mouse game between two players who are extremely smart and hold a high level of respect for one another. In a 2021 interview with "The Pat McAfee Show," Rodgers said Smith is "definitely the entire package." It should be fun to watch the two face off for the 21st time!
JP: The Jets offense stumbled in Week 4 scoring 9 points in a loss to the Broncos. A major contributing factor to the loss was the Jets' troubles slowing Denver's pass rush. The Broncos left MetLife Stadium after getting 5 sacks and 14 QB hits. Prior to Week 4, Aaron Rodgers and the offense had been steadily improving, making the Vikings pass rush vs. New York's O-line my favorite matchup of the weekend. Four weeks into the season, Minnesota is second in the league in blitz rate (40.8%) behind the Broncos and tops in sacks (17). Vikings DC Brian Flores is an aggressive play-caller who uses deception and pre-snap disguise to mix all-out pressures with soft zones. Flores against the Jets revamped O-line -- which outside of Week 4 has allowed 5 sacks in 3 games and been sturdy with new additions LT Tyron Smith and rookie RT Olu Fashanu -- will be the premier matchup to watch.
Vikings HC Kevin O'Connell and his staff operated with a "quiet confidence" in QB Sam Darnold throughout training, leading to a fast start for Minnesota's offense. The Jets' defense shook off a slow start, surrendering 32 points in the opener to San Francisco, and have allowed 10 PPG over their last 3.
What has been the catalyst for Minnesota's fast start? And how do you expect Darnold, WR Justin Jefferson & Co. and company to attack All-Pros Sauce Gardner and Quincy Williams on defense?
LY: Great question! The Vikings certainly have a tough challenge ahead of them in the Jets defense, which has been stout over the past three games, as you've pointed out. I realize as I type this it sounds clichéd, but I feel as if the catalyst to Minnesota's fast start is how quickly they gelled as an offense and believed in themselves. As early as OTAs, you could see Sam Darnold building that trust with his receivers, tight ends and running backs; as Darnold became more and more comfortable in Minnesota's system, he and his teammates looked more and more comfortable on the field. Players in the locker room have been saying all along that Darnold brings immense talent to the huddle, and that's been showing up since Week 1. I also think it's helped by all three phases finding success. When the Vikings defense can create turnovers the way it's been doing, that only energizes the offense – and vice versa. Darnold has several playmakers to work with in Justin Jefferson, Jalen Nailor, Aaron Jones, Sr., and Jordan Addison, the latter of whom returned to action this past week and scored two touchdowns at Green Bay. But there are names beyond that initial group, as well; against the Packers, Darnold completed a pass to eight different teammates. Forcing the Jets secondary to account for several pass-catchers will be key for Minnesota, as will top-level blocking against Williams.
JP: This was my runner up for favorite matchup. QB Sam Darnold leads the NFL with 11 passing touchdowns and is No. 9 in passing yards (932). And yet maybe the most impressive part of his season thus far has been his ability to stretch the field while completing 70% of his throws. Darnold trails only 49ers QB Brock Purdy in air yards per attempt with his throws traveling an average of 5.5 yards. Darnold's success has made Minnesota's offense No. 4 in points per game (29) and 10th in total yards. The key for the Jets secondary, which has allowed 180 passing yards in the last two games, in slowing the Vikings will be getting after them early. Minnesota is averaging 9.5 points in the first quarter this season, second most. The matchup to watch will be Sauce Gardner/ D.J. Reed vs. Justin Jefferson, however for the Green & White to have a chance they will need to limit a well-rounded receiver group that features Jalen Nailor, Jordan Addison and RB Aaron Jones, who is second on the team in receiving yards (143).
The Vikings defense, led by DC Brian Flores, has been stifling elite defenses this season forcing a league-leading 12 turnovers and allowing the sixth*-fewest points (59). The Jets' offense, hit a speed bump against Denver, but has been progressing well with QB Aaron Rodgers at the controls.*
What has led to the strides the Vikings have made on defense since last season? And how do you expect the unit fare against Jets' handful of playmakers?
LY: Last season was Coach Flores' first with Minnesota, and you could already see his fingerprints on the system in the ways he moved around S Joshua Metellus and brought out the best in undrafted free agent Ivan Pace Jr. But now having an entire season and offseason under his belt, it's even more clear the type of aggressive, creative and high-energy defense Flores has established. Pro Bowl pass rusher Danielle Hunter is gone; but the Vikings they also sought and signed free agents that exactly fit Flores' system: OLB Andrew Van Ginkel, OLB Jonathan Greenard and LB Blake Cashman, to name a few. Minnesota also used one of its two first-round draft picks to select OLB Dallas Turner out of Alabama. Despite multiple new faces on the defense, the unit has quickly bonded over mutual love of the game and a team-first mentality. As mentioned earlier, Aaron Rodgers is one of the league's smartest and most-experienced quarterbacks, and Flores will certainly have a tall task in affecting the All-Pro QB and his playmakers – we'll see how it all plays out across the pond!
JP: The Jets' mantra on offense to this point should be "strength in numbers." The unit has been using its depth thus far getting production from its entire cast of receivers and running backs. Heading into Sunday's matchup with Minnesota, 5 different receivers have surpassed 120 yards receiving, 4 different players have double-digit receptions and 4 have found the endzone. So much of the media's focus has been on the connection between QB Aaron Rodgers and WR Garrett Wilson (which has gotten off to a slow start by Wilson's standard), while in reality the improvements the Jets offense has made since Week 1 has been because of the contributions from a handful of playmakers. As for how they matchup with the Vikings, Minnesota has been impressive, ranking first in sacks (17) and pressures (77) but last in passing yards allowed (274.3 per game). In his career, Rodgers is 5-0 vs the last-ranked pass defense entering the week. The last time he went against the league's last ranked pass defense was in 2022, a 41-17 victory over the Vikings.
