Sunday's Jets-Vikings game has many storylines, but the headline matchup is Jets two-time All-Pro CB Sauce Gardner vs. Vikings All-Pro WR Justin Jefferson.

"He's an extreme challenge," Gardner told reporters after Friday's practice in London. "He's widely known as the No. 1 receiver by a lot of people. Rightfully so. The things that he puts on tape, he's quick, shifty, great route runner, great hands. Everything about him is great.

"They're doing their thing and me and D.J. [Reed] love to compete. I know Justin loves to compete as well. We're looking forward to the challenge. We're going to go out there, have fun and compete."

The last time these teams met was during Gardner's rookie season in 2022 as Gardner held Jefferson to 2 catches for 14 yards as the nearest defender in coverage. Jefferson finished with 45 yards and a touchdown on 7 catches.

This trip is Gardner's first time overseas and not just for football. That's not the case for Jefferson, who had 10 receptions for 147 yards in Week 4 of the 2022 season at Tottenham Hotpsur Stadium. But the 2022 Offensive Player of the Year is catching passes from a different quarterback, who is a familiar face to Jets fans – Sam Darnold.

"He looks extremely confident," Gardner said of Darnold. "He has great receivers around him. … He has a lot of weapons around him not to mention their running back, Aaron [Jones]. That just makes his job easier and he's making pretty good throws. He has a pretty big arm."

From Practice to Gameday
Jets WR Garrett Wilson is looking to turn efficient practices into efficient gamedays. He had 5 receptions for 41 yards in Week 4 in the Green & White's 10-9 loss to the Broncos and will play against the NFL's last-ranked Vikings pass defense.

"I plan to do a lot of things differently than last week," Wilson said. "A whole lot. It's time to go do it now and I'm excited for the opportunity."

Wilson, a self-described history buff, is hoping history repeats itself. He had a career-high 162 yards on 8 catches the last time he lined up against the Vikings. Instead of playing in front raucous Minnesota fans and their patented SKOL chant, he's anticipating a true "football" crowd surrounding the pitch.

"I'm expecting it to be super lively," he said. "I'm a big football person. I love Man United. I watch a lot of soccer and the energy, I've got to go to a few soccer games. It's special to see, so I hope they can find a way to bottle that up and bring it to the football game, cheering throughout the whole thing whether it's a sack or a touchdown. Just loud all the way through, I like it and I feel like that's what we might see on Sunday. I'm excited."

First-Down Efficiency
Jets RB Breece Hall, coming off a career-low 4 rushing yards, will line up against the NFL's No. 2 rushing defense Sunday. Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores' unit also leads the NFL in sacks and is No. 2 in blitz rate.

"We have to be really sound," Hall said. "I feel like against them, we have to be really efficient on first down because going against a defense like them, if you can keep them on their toes and their heels on first down and get positive yards, then you kind of make them not be able to get into the more exotic stuff that they do. Winning first down, staying efficient on second down so you can get to the third-and-short and more third-and-manageable and we'll be fine."

Injury Update
After landing on the injury report on Wednesday with an ankle injury, Alijah Vera-Tucker was limited in practice on Thursday. HC Robert Saleh spoke to the media before practice Friday and said Vera-Tucker will be a full participant in Friday's practice.

As for C.J. Mosley's availability (toe), Saleh said, "Not going to lie to you, it's probably a stretch, but we are not going to rule him out quite yet."

Mosley, who has been sidelined the last two weeks, said Thursday: "If I can go and be 100%, I'm definitely going to play. I'm staying realistic, I don't want to hype myself up and get out there and do anything crazy."