The Green Bay Packers are staring down an 0-2 start, and their Week 2 opponent, the New York Jets, just rolled for 152 rushing yards in a 23-10 win against a truly rough Tennessee Titans squad. New York’s defense held Titans quarterback Cam Ward to a measly 34.4 QBR in that low-scoring opener. This isn’t just another game for Green Bay; it’s about setting the tone early in the season, and the Jets are showing some early trends that could cause serious trouble.
Geno’s Back and The Jets Are Shaking Up The Playbook
Folks, you won’t believe it, but quarterback Geno Smith looked spry against Tennessee. I’m talking about the Seattle Seahawks version of Geno Smith, not the guy we saw struggling with the Las Vegas Raiders last year. This is a crucial early season development for the Jets, and it changes how teams have to prepare for them. Of course, their number one running back is Breece Hall, a legitimate threat, but keep an eye out for Braelon Allen to get some touches too. There’s also some chatter around the running back position as Kene Nwangwu, mostly known for his return game, missed Week 1 due to injury and didn’t even practice Wednesday.
Adding to the complexity, the Jets are banged up at receiver. Rookie Omar Cooper Jr. is out for several weeks with an ankle sprain, a pretty big hit considering they’re already down Tim Patrick, a projected starter on injured reserve with a groin issue. This means third-year undrafted free agent Isaiah Williams, already on his third NFL team, is lining up as their third receiver. What does this mean for the offense? Don’t be surprised if New York leans hard into their tight ends against the Packers. Mason Taylor and Jeremy Ruckert were their most-used tight ends in Week 1, but first-round pick Kenyon Sadiq, Jelani Woods, and even former Packer fullback Andrew Beck all saw action. They even got wild in the red zone in Week 1, playing all five tight ends on the field at once, with Sadiq even getting a rushing touchdown from the backfield. That’s a creative way to use personnel, and it’s going to put Green Bay’s base 3-4 defense to the test.
Youth on the Line, Old Faces in the Trenches
Up front, the Jets have a mix of young talent and a familiar face. Their tackles, Olu Fashanu at left tackle and Armand Membou at right tackle, are both young guys with a lot of potential. But right in the middle, you’ve got former Packer Josh Myers at center. He’ll be snapping to Geno, and if Green Bay’s offensive line struggles at all, you know we’ll hear all the “what if” talk about Myers on Sunday. The rest of the line rounds out with Dylan Parham at left guard and Joe Tippman at right guard.
On the defensive side, the Jets talked a big game about running a 4-3, 3-4 hybrid all offseason. But guess what? In Week 1, they basically ran a 3-4 defense exclusively. Their new-look defensive line, bolstered by free agent signing David Onyemata and trade acquisition T’Vondre Sweat, will be aiming to shut down the run game and put pressure on the quarterback.
This Week 2 matchup is absolutely critical for the Packers to avoid an 0-2 hole, and the Jets, with a revitalized Geno and a tight end heavy scheme, are looking like a trickier opponent than some might expect.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Acme Packing Company.
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