The New York Jets take on the Atlanta Falcons in an NFL preseason game on Thursday night. Both teams are looking for their first wins, with the Jets coming in 0-1 and the Falcons sitting at 0-2.
Looking For More
The New York Jets are coming off a 4-12 season in which they finished dead last in the AFC East. Their QB, Sam Darnold, now has his rookie season under his belt and looks to build on last year with Pro Bowl running back Le’Veon Bell behind him.
It’s hard telling how much work these two will get in this preseason game, as they will most likely get all their work together in game three, where most teams play their starters. In this game, look for new head coach Adam Gase to implement his style of offense and see how it takes form with the Jets’ personnel.
On the defensive side of the ball, the Jets have a ton of talent that was covered up by their lack of success as a team last year. At all levels, they have Pro Bowl-caliber talent, including Leonard Williams and safety Jamal Adams. Someone they are very excited about and will test in the preseason is their rookie defensive end, Quinnen Williams. Williams was selected with the third overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft.
Trying To Bounce Back
The Falcons finished last season with a disappointing 7-9 record. They simply have too much talent to finish with a record below .500. Atlanta had to deal with injuries all last season. If they can keep healthy this year, Pro Bowlers Matt Ryan and Julio Jones will look to will their way to a better season on offense with the backup of young stars Calvin Ridley and Devonta Freeman.
In the 2019 NFL Draft, Atlanta had two first-round picks and focused on building up its offensive line. The 14th pick was spent on guard Chris Lindstrom, while the 31st pick was used on offensive tackle Kaleb McGary. It’s hard to go wrong selecting anyone in the trenches to help fortify your team. The Falcons already have all the talent on the outsides, and if they can stay healthy, they should be a serious playoff contender this season.
Something to keep an eye on in this game is not only the rookie linemen but also their rookie running back, Qadree Ollison, who was selected in the fifth round. He is currently battling for the second running back spot on the roster and will likely get a lot of chances to prove himself this week.
What To Expect
In this game, both teams should implement their game plans a little more than Week 1, and both will push the envelope a little more as guys battle for roster spots. I like the Jets to step up and put a good game together with their new coach looking to prove to his team and everyone else they have something special coming together there and that they will be a threat to the league this season. Several Jets players have spoken out this preseason about being an underrated team, and I believe they want to prove that as early as the preseason. I have the Jets winning this game.
