The Jets' primetime cornucopia continues with Monday Night Football on ESPN tonight. But one of the original storylines as the Jets and Chargers wrap up the NFL's Week 9 schedule, like those for all other Green & White games, at night or in daylight, changed dramatically with Aaron Rodgers' injury in the MNF opener against the Bills.
Instead of ageless magician Rodgers taking on up-and-coming young gun Justin Herbert in a battle of two of the top teams of '23, it will be Zach Wilson seeking to keep the Jets' momentum going and keep their season above water against Herbert, who's playing well but is trying to rally the Bolts and their underperforming defense back to .500.
Wilson didn't light up MetLife as the visiting QB last week, at least not until his two late field goal drives, starting with 24 seconds left in regulation, rallied the Jets past the Giants in overtime, 13-10. But Wilson has shown improvements in key areas under the tutelage of Rodgers, who's already making his latest MetLife appearance tonight and reportedly throwing the ball 50 yards despite his Achilles rehab.
Two of Wilson's improvements have been not thjrowing interceptions and winning games. Another win tonight vs. Los Angeles will lift Wilson and the Jets to a 5-3 record and it would be the second four-game win streak of Wilson's young career.
See the Jets on the field for warm-ups before the big game against the Chargers.
The Jets continue to sort through injury issues. They lost centers Connor McGovern and Wes Schweitzer to IR but get back a C/G in second-round rookie Joe Tippmann, who sat out the Giants game with a quadriceps injury. Xavier Newman, the practice squadder who stepped in gamely and, after the opening missed snap exchange with Wilson, held his own at center in the second half and has been elevated from the P-squad again for this game.
The Jets continue to sort through injury issues. They lost centers Connor McGovern and Wes Schweitzer to IR but get back a C/G in second-round rookie Joe Tippmann, who sat out the Giants game with a quadriceps injury. Xavier Newman, the practice squadder who stepped in gamely and, after the opening missed snap exchange with Wilson, held his own at center in the second half and has been elevated from the P-squad again for this game.
Wideout could also be in flux, although Allen Lazard, who injured his knee in practice and was listed as questionable for the game, is active. But Randall Cobb, who looked set to return from his shoulder injury, is inactive. Behind Garrett Wilson and Lazard
and the Jets have their youth brigade of Xavier Gipson, Irv Charles and practice-squad elevation Malike Taylor, who drew the key pass interference penalty against the Giants to set up Greg Zuerlein's game-winning 33-yard field goal.
The Jets' seven-player inactive list for the Chargers:
- WR Jason Brownlee
- WR Randall Cobb
- RB Israel Abanikanda
- S Jarrick Bernard-Converse
- LB Chaz Surratt
- DL Carl Lawson
- OL Dennis Kelly
And this is the Chargers' five-man inactive list, which doesn't include WR Josh Palmer, who starts opposite Keenan Allen but was declared out Friday with a shoulder injury and placed on Injured Reserve;
- RB Isaiah Spiller
- S Jaylinn Hawkins
- RB Elijah Dotson
- OL Zack Bailey
- DL Scott Matlock
