Throughout the regular season, NewYorkJets.com reporters Eric Allen, Ethan Greenberg, Randy Lange, Caroline Hendershot and John Pullano will give their responses to a series of questions regarding this year's Jets.
Today's question: Which matchup do the Jets have to take advantage of vs. the Colts?
EA: This is the game where the Jets offense should eclipse 24 points for the first time this season. Indianapolis has been opportunistic with 17 takeaways but it's a group that gives up yards on the ground and through the air. The Colts rank 29th overall (386.7 yds/g), 30th against the rush (148.3 yds/g) and 27th against the pass (238.4 yds/g). The Colts have also struggled on third down -- their 44.29% ranks 27th. While the Jets don't counter with great offensive numbers, they rank No. 9 in third-down efficiency (40.63%) and Aaron Rodgers has gone without an interception for three straight games. The Colts are a bend but don't break unit, but the Jets must break out of the gates early on Sunday. Pro Football Focus noted this week that the Jets have scored on 27.8% of their first-half possessions, which is 28th in the NFL. Despite a one-sided score in Arizona, the Jets moved inside the Cardinals' 30 on four of their six trips. If the offense – featuring playmakers Garrett Wilson, Breece Hall and Davante Adams – can finish, the defense, whose strength is the pass rush, can get after Anthony Richardson in the pocket and get some takeaways.
EG: Takeaways. The Jets have just 2 interceptions this season -- both by CB Brandin Echols -- and Colts QB Anthony Richardson's 7 interceptions in Weeks 1-3, 7 and 8 (games he's started and finished) are tied for the second most in the NFL. Richardson's 44.4% completion percentage is the lowest in the league among quarterbacks with at least 100 pass attempts. If the Jets are able to pick off Richardson and climb out to a lead, it should make for tough sledding for Indianapolis' offense. With Richardson in the lineup, Indy has averaged 142.4 rushing yards per game, which ranks No. 7 in the NFL. The Jets cannot let the second-year QB and RB Jonathan Taylor, whose 88 yards per game is the fourth most in the NFL, get going on the ground. If the Jets are able to climb out to a lead and put the ball in Richardson's hands, they'll have a good chance to remain undefeated against AFC South teams this season.
RL: This would be a great game for the Jets to play that complementary defensive football we have seen on many but not all occasions in the first 10 games. Anthony Richardson can be a problematic QB for the Jets, who have yielded scramble and bootleg yardage to Will Levis, Drake Maye, C.J. Stroud and last week Kyler Murray. But they also put the pass-rush clamps to Levis, Maye/Jacoby Brissett and Stroud. And now Quinnen Williams, Will McDonald IV and Micheal Clemons are joined by an increasingly acclimated Haason Reddick. A key will be limiting the damage of talented RB Jonathan Taylor, but if they do that, they can force Richardson (lowest accuracy at 44.4% among 36 QBs with 100 attempts) and the Colts' offense into mistakes — their 12 INTs are tied for most in the NFL — and short drives — their 25:55 average possession time is last in the league. And those metrics could well add up to a hard-earned and much-needed win for the Green & White to take with them into their Week 12 bye.
CH: The Jets have to take advantage of Breece Hall and the Colts' run defense in Sunday's matchup. Indianapolis ranks No. 30 in rushing yards allowed per game at 148.3 and it allows 4.44 yards per rush. Hall is one of two players in the league with 350 or more rushing and receiving yards and he leads the Jets with 554 rush yards. This season, Hall is averaging 4.1 yards per rush, but in the last three weeks his average has been 5.02 yards per rush attempt. The Jets' emphasis on getting the run game going and Hall's career-high average of 13.6 carries per game could create the perfect opportunity for Hall to have his best performance this season.
JP: CB Kenny Moore vs. WR Garrett Wilson. Moore is shutdown corner and strong tackler with a versatile skillset. Moore, a Pro Bowler in 2021, missed Weeks 4 and 5 with an injury and opponents averaged 30.5 points over the two contests. For reference, the Colts have allowed 22.3 points per game this season. An eight-year veteran, Moore, 30, is a leader for a young Colts secondary that has one starter drafted before 2020. He's strong against the run, registering 49 tackles this season. Over the last two weeks, he has an interception and a fumble recovery, which he returned for a touchdown. If Wilson, who is having one of the strongest receiving seasons in Jets franchise history, will garner attention from Moore, it will help soften up the Colts' secondary. Wilson leads the Jets with 65 receptions, second most in the NFL, 704 yards and his 5 touchdowns are tied for the team lead. He has 5-plus receptions in 8 straight games, which is the longest active streak in the NFL. In 8 starts this season, Moore has allowed 29 receptions for 206 yards, according to Pro Football Focus.
