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The list of issues facing the Jets is lengthy — they do not have a win and do not have a publicly known starting quarterback, as a couple of examples atop the ledger — and includes a glaring one this weekend.
The Bengals will unleash one of the best wide receivers in football against a team likely lacking its best cornerback.
Ja’Marr Chase, who is about as explosive a wideout as exists and who leads the NFL in receptions for a second straight season, probably will not be opposed by Sauce Gardner, who has not yet practiced this week after suffering a concussion in last Sunday’s loss to the Panthers.
Jets wide receivers have 65 catches this season. Chase has 58.
“Potential Hall of Famer,” defensive coordinator Steve Wilks said Thursday. “He’s that kind of player. So you have to put yourself in a situation — you want to go in a game and say we want to take him out. That’s hard. You want to try to limit his touches in so many different ways, and sometimes that’s tough to do, but he’s a great player.
“Again, I’m looking forward to the challenge.”
The challenge of containing notably Chase but also Tee Higgins may fall primarily to Brandon Stephens and Azareye’h Thomas.
Stephens — who spent his first four seasons with the Ravens — is plenty familiar with his former AFC North rival and has gone head-to-head with Chase plenty. Stephens said he is “absolutely” fired up at the possibility he will be lined up again against Chase, who is coming off a 16-catch, 23-target, 161-yard explosion in a win over the Steelers.
“He’s one of the best receivers in this game,” said Stephens, who was signed to a three-year, $36 million pact in the offseason. “He can do it all.”
Stephens himself has seemed more comfortable as the season has gone on in his first time playing with a team that isn’t the Ravens.
“I’m feeling like I’m playing my game,” said Stephens, who essentially has replaced D.J. Reed.
It is possible that if Gardner indeed sits, it will be Thomas — a rookie third-round pick out of Florida State — who steps up as a starter to match up with either Chase or Higgins, who has caught 11 passes for 158 yards and a touchdown over the past two weeks.
Thomas said he prepares every week as if he will be starting. He has not gotten the nod yet, but Gardner remaining in the concussion protocol could change that.
“You want to play against the best,” Thomas said. “This week, if Sauce is out and the opportunity presents itself, I will be going against the best, and so that excites me.”
Yes, this is opportunity, but it is one that can easily go poorly. Chase has proven nearly impossible to stop this season no matter who is throwing him the ball. Joe Burrow went down in Week 2, passed the baton to Jake Browning, who gave it up to Joe Flacco. The Bengals’ production has fluctuated, but Chase’s hasn’t much, and he immediately was in sync with Flacco.
The Jets’ defense, meanwhile, has taken encouraging steps over the past two weeks and given up a total of 26 points in a pair of losses.
“Very proud of how the guys have responded the last couple of weeks,” said Wilks, though those steps were taken against offenses led by Bo Nix and Bryce Young.
Flacco, Chase and Higgins will be a far stiffer challenge and one that likely will not include arguably the Jets’ best player. Losing Gardner — maybe the best cornerback in the NFL and a weapon the Jets have allowed to travel this year, often shadowing the opposing team’s best receiver wherever he goes — hurts.
The Jets are hopeful it can be overcome.
“We know Chase and Higgins are outstanding players,” Wilks said, “but again, I have total confidence in our guys that we can get it done.”
