The Kansas City Chiefs are coming off a dominating 41-10 victory over the beleaguered Chicago Bears in Week 3.
This week, the Chiefs face another opponent that is facing serious adversity, the New York Jets.
Buy Chiefs TicketsWith Zach Wilson at quarterback, New York’s offense offers very little threat to Kansas City’s defense, which has shown tremendous improvement early in the 2023 season.
The Jets’ defense is clearly the team’s strength, but against Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs’ prolific offense, there is only so much New York will be able to do to stop the reigning MVP.
Here are a few keys to a Chiefs victory over the Jets on Sunday night at MetLife Stadium:
Don't give the Jets offense any free yards
Through three games, Zach Wilson has 467 passing yards, two touchdowns, four interceptions, a 52.4 completion percentage, and a 57 quarterback rating.
As long as Kansas City’s defense stays on top of things and does not struggle with communication in coverage or commit unnecessary penalties, the Chiefs should have no issues stopping the Jets’ offense.
Wilson has proven that he cannot be effective even in the cleanest pocket. If the Chiefs’ cornerbacks and safeties are positioned correctly, the 24-year-old quarterback will give them plenty of opportunities to pick off the ball.
Contain Jets' rushing attack
The only chance New York has of consistently moving the ball down the field is in their run game, which contains the likes of Breece Hall, Dalvin Cook, and Michael Carter.
Because Zach Wilson cannot operate the game plan cleanly, Kansas City’s defense will commit to stopping the run and stacking the box.
It should be a manageable task for the Chiefs as the Jets also possess one of the worst offensive lines in the league.
If Kansas City contains New York’s running game, the Chiefs will be able to dial up the blitz and disguise coverages to send Wilson into a state of panic, increasing the chances of forcing turnovers.
Keep the Jets' defense off balance
New York’s defense is one of the strongest units in the league, allowing 20 points per game. However, with the offense only scoring 14 points per game, there is only so much the defense can do. If the Jets had competent quarterback play, there is no reason to doubt that this unit could hold opposing offenses to 15-17 points per game.
Because the Jets’ defense is constantly on the field, they are more likely to be aggressive and hunt for the football. This will cause the secondary and linebackers to be more inclined to come up on play-action passes, leaving open space in the middle parts of the field.
If the Chiefs can orchestrate a balanced attack between the pass and run, then Kansas City will have a much easier time moving the ball down the field against an aggressive defense.
There is immense pressure on the Jets’ defensive personnel to keep New York within striking distance. Because of this, Sauce Gardner and the secondary will strive to force turnovers even if it is not the smartest play.
Mahomes will be able to take advantage of the over-aggressive play of this defense and pick it apart on different levels of the field.
