EA: Hold your horses. After six games, the Jets are off to a good start with a 4-2 record and a 1-1 mark inside the division. But the Patriots have an unblemished 6-0 record and a 2-0 mark inside the division. The defending Super Bowl champions are an elite ball club and I think they'll probably favored in seven of their next eight – perhaps the Pats are a slight underdog when they visit the Broncos in Week 12. The Jets, who won't face the Patriots again until Week 16 at MetLife Stadium, truly cannot afford to look past the Raiders. This is an improving Silver & Black outfit and Jack Del Rio's club is gaining with confidence after a road smack-down of the Chargers. In a few weeks, let's see how the AFC East looks. The general consensus nationally is the Green & White impressed in defeat against the Pats, but can they stack some wins together and put themselves to be in position to make a run in the winter?
EA: It would seem likely, but that does not mean he will shadow the explosive rookie every play. Darrelle Revis is the NFL's top cornerback and Amari Cooper is the Raiders' most explosive weapon. Cooper, an Alabama product who is the first rookie to record three 100-yard receiving games in his team's first six games since Mike Ditka in 1961, is the real deal and young QB Derek Carr loves him. "He's amazing, he's awesome and he's one of the best in this league," Carr said Sunday. "Obviously because he's a rookie and hasn't done it for a certain amount of time people won't say that but he's one of the best." High praise for Coop (and Brandon Marshall said Wednesday that the rookie seems like a cross between Chad Ochocinco & A.J. Green) , but he'll see an all-time great on Sunday.
EA: Here is your uniform alert today – the Jets will don green jerseys at home for their remaining five contests at MetLife Stadium. That's all… for now.
EA: Ivory, who's hamstring tightened up on him Sunday, practiced full on Wednesday. That is a good sign as the Jets will face a Raiders rush defense that is ranked third in the NFL.
EA: It's execution. I spoke to Chad Pennington about this on Jets Audibles and he said zone was the right call. They blitzed on Gronk's late score, but nobody is talking about that one. Calvin Pryor played very well against the Pats and he was out of the ball game on the third-and-17. You also have to give Edelman credit for the adjustment he made on the play and of course you have to give Brady a tip of the cap as well. If the Jets brought heat and they got beat (like the Brady long toss to Chandler up the home sideline), then everyone would be barking. You weren't happy with the result. Todd Bowles and Kacy Rodgers called a good game – again.
EA:Both are doing well. Skrine (shoulder, hand) was limited in practice, but he told reporters he will play Sunday. And Ivory (hamstring) practiced full on Wednesday.
@eallenjets what's a bigger issue: the lack of turnovers since week 2 or the the lack of a pass rush? — M O (@Mike_Motown) October 28, 2015
EA: The Jets had averaged three takeaways per game until Sunday and that marked the first time in 2015 that the defense failed to pick up one. One game against an all-time great QB does not make it a trend. When you analyze the pass rush, you can't measure it by sacks alone. Sure the Jets are T25 in the NFL with 11 QB takedowns, but Brady gets that ball out quick and they got to him a few times at Gillette. The Jets strength in rushing has always been the interior when you think about guys like Muhammad Wilkerson (5 sacks) and Sheldon Richardson (1.5 sacks in two games).
EA: I can assure you Chan Gailey did not think about Derek Carr one second when devising this week's game plan. The Jets did a lot of good things offensively Sunday while totaling 373 yards and converting 57% of their third downs (8 of 14). They had three scoring drives that covered 15, 14 and 13 plays. Ryan Fitpatrick wasn't intercepted for the first time this year and Eric Decker (6-94) did well in his individual matchup with Malcolm Butler. They had success moving the ball against a team that loaded up to stop the run and sent constant double coverage towards Brandon Marshall. But the Green & White turned it over once, had 3 three-and-outs to close the first half and punted the ball away after four plays once the Patriots took a 23-20 lead. You don't have to score every time you have the ball, but the offense can help the special teams in terms of field position as well. While the Raiders are ranked 32nd overall against the pass, they intercepted Philip Rivers twice last week and stormed out to a 37-6 lead over the Chargers in three quarters of action. The Jets should be fine offensively if they hold onto the football and they convert in the Red Zone.
EA: The Raiders are a young team brimming with confidence and the Jets are a veteran club looking to rebound. To me, the Green & White have to stay true to who they are and that means staying focused in the moment. The Patriots game is over and I fully expect this club to put it in the past. This is not a short trip and the crazies in the Black Hole will be waiting for the Green & White. While talented on offense, the Raiders were held to just 13 points and 10 points at home against the top two defenses they've faced – the Bengals and the Broncos. But Derek Carr left that 33-13 loss to the Bengals in the second quarter with a hand injury. The Raiders have surrounded Carr with quality weapons, but the Jets are one of the better defensive units in football. While the Raiders will be tough to run against, the Jets may find some openings in the secondary if they provide Fitzpatrick time against Khalil Mack and Aldon Smith.
EA: What is your specialty?* *Nick Mangold (neck) didn't practice Wednesday and we don't know about his availability for Sunday just yet.
