The New York Jets keep letting their fanbase down. But they are hoping that they are catching the fading Arizona Cardinals at just the right time to come away with their first win of the season. Will the Jets do just that? Or will the Cardinals bounce back and add to the misery of the Jets?
The Cardinals’ hot start is now just a thing of the past. After winning two games in a row to start the season, Arizona has lost back-to-back games to the Detroit Lions at home (26-23) in Week 4 and to the Carolina Panthers on the road (31-21) in Week 5. Kyler Murray went 24-of-31 for 133 passing yards and tossed three touchdowns, but the majority of those came when Arizona was already trailing big. DeAndre Hopkins also only had 41 receiving yards on seven catches, though, it’s possible that he was bugged by an ankle injury that made him a true game-time decision for that game. Another week of rest should get the explosive playmaker back to or closer to 100 percent form. It’s been a disappointing past couple of weeks for Arizona, but among the best cure for malaise is a matchup against a hot mess like the Jets, whose defense is looking like chicken barbecue for Murray and company. The Jets have the third-worst scoring defense (32.8 points) in the NFL and among the most undisciplined averages 8.0 penalties per game –the highest in the league.
The Cardinals are 6-2-2 against the spread in their last 10 road games.
Adam Gase still has a job despite a 0-4 start to the season by the Jets, but he could be just another loss away from getting sacked. The Jets desperately need a win, not only for Gase’s job security but for the team’s playoff chances. The Jets, who lost to the Denver Broncos at home in Week 4 to the tune of a 37-28 score, can’t just get their offense going. Sam Darnold passed for 230 yards against the Broncos on 23-of-42 completions, and he had to improvise on the run to supply the Jets their only touchdown of the game against Denver. Darnold also sprained his shoulder in the Denver game and it could possibly cause him to miss Week 5’s showdown with Arizona. If he can’t go, the Jets could turn to veteran Joe Flacco, who might have a good game with two left in his tank. If there’s any silver lining for the Jets from that game, it’s that Jamison Crowder looked healthy and ready to assume — if he hasn’t already — the team’s WR1 spot. Crowder had 104 receiving yards on seven receptions against the Broncos.
