NEW YORK — Hours leading up to the first preseason game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Jets coach Robert Saleh decided to rest several starters.
It appears that could once again be the case for Gang Green’s second preseason game against the Atlanta Falcons Monday night.
“I’m torn on it,” Saleh said after Saturday’s practice. “I wake up one day and ask do I play them and I wake up the next day and decide I’m not going to play them. I think there’s tremendous value in this one and it is different because it’s Monday Night Football. We are such a young team and a lot of young guys — that’s what they dream of, Monday Night Football.
“You never want to make a game bigger than it needs to be, but there’s still that human aspect of how they grew up and how people view Monday night as that’s the only game on and all your peers are watching. It’s a perfect opportunity to give our guys to go through the mental aspect of a heightened environment so they can manage Week 1.”
As with any preseason game, there’s always the risk of starters suffering an injury. That’s exactly what happened during the first preseason game against the Eagles.
Quarterback Zach Wilson suffered a bone bruise and meniscus injury while scrambling during the first quarter. Although the damage isn’t as severe as some predicted, Wilson could miss the season opener against the Baltimore Ravens after surgery to the right knee this week.
Like many teams in the league, the Jets have scheduled joint practices with the idea of evaluating players better than they could during a preseason game. During the last two days, the Jets’ first, second and third teams participated in 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 drills with Friday being a padded practice.
“It’s good going up against another opponent,” Jets safety Jordan Whitehead said. “Being at camp, we are used to our offense. But going towards the season, it is helpful going up against another opponent.”
