Big questions for the Jets in today's season finale against the Patriots at Gillette Stadium are:
Who are their starting cornerbacks?
Who will rookie QB Sam Darnold be throwing to?
Jets head coach Todd Bowles deactivated CB Trumaine Johnson for this game, after Johnson was a healthy scratch from Wednesday's practice. With 15-game CB starter Morris Claiborne (shoulder/ankle) going on Injured Reserve on Saturday, two players were stepping into the starting lineup. Buster Skrine has started at CB this season, as has Darryl Roberts, but Roberts in the past five games had been starting at safety alongside Jamal Adams.
Also available in the secondary are safeties Rontez Miles and Terrence Brooks, both special teams leaders, CB Rashard Robinson, rookie CB Parry Nickerson and last year's late-round DBs, Derrick Jones and Jeremy Clark.
Besides Claiborne, key WR Quincy Enunwa and punt blocker Kevin Pierre-Louis went on IR. With WR Jermaine Kearse (Achilles) also sidelined today, Darnold's WR corps includes Robby Anderson, Andre Roberts, Charone Peake, rookie Deontay Burnett and rookie J.J. Jones, just signed from the practice squad.
And with Eric Tomlinson going on IR earlier in the week, the Jets TEs are now Chris Herndon, Jordan Leggett and Clive Walford, who had been with the team through the offseason and preseason and was re-signed when Tomlinson went down.
But Darnold's top pass-catchers recently are Anderson and Herndon, who combined for 15 catches, 222 yards and two TDs in last week's 44-38 overtime loss to the Packers.
The Jets' full seven-player inactive list:
- QB Davis Webb
- WR Jermaine Kearse
- CB Trumaine Johnson
- S Brandon Bryant
- T Eric Smith
- DL Destiny Vaeao
- DL Folorunso Fatukasi
And the Patriots' inactives:
- S Obi Melifonwu
- DB Duke Dawson
- TE Jake Hollister
- DL Keionta Davis
- OL James Ferentz
- WR Cordarrelle Patterson
- DE Adrian Clayborn
The Jets are wearing their white jerseys and green pants for this game. It's the 26th time in Bowles' four seasons as head coach that they've worn that combination. They won their first four games in white/green in 2015 but since then have won only the 2015 game at the Giants and 2016 matches at Cleveland and San Francisco.
Top Photos of the Green & White During the Week 17 Trip to Face the Patriots