The Jets and Eagles are coming into Week 5 with considerable time off.
New York had a bye week in Week 4, while Philadelphia had nine days to prepare following a Thursday night matchup with the Packers. Despite some extra time to get healthy, both teams will be without prominent starters. Sam Darnold was not cleared for contact, and C.J. Mosley’s groin isn’t there just yet.
New York is going to need a miracle or two entering the game as 13.5-point underdogs. With Luke Falk under center in an unimaginative offense, the Jets may be in for another long day.
Here are four things to know for Week 5:
Shuffling around the offensive line
Adam Gase indicated over the bye week that the Jets would look at reshuffling their offensive line due to early struggles.
Gase told reporters on his Monday teleconference that the team is focusing on “who are the best five guys for us.” That best five includes two changes. Alex Lewis and Chuma Edoga will be starting in the place of Kelechi Osemele and Brandon Shell, respectively, according to Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News.
Edoga, a third-round pick out of USC, will make his first career start on Sunday. Shell has started 32 games over four seasons for Gang Green. Lewis will fill in for the injured Osemele, who is dealing with shoulder and knee issues.
Luke Falk’s second career start
After receiving a scant amount of first-team reps during the week, Falk will step into the role of starter once again in Week 5.
Coming into the season, Falk was the Jets’ third-string quarterback, stashed away on the practice squad. Now, he assumes the role as starter. In two games, Falk has completed 68.1 percent of his passes for 296 yards with one interception. In Falk’s first career start, he went 12-of-22 passing for a mere 98 yards.
The Jets are going to need their quarterback to eclipse 100 yards if they want to have any chance of winning on Sunday. It helps that Philadelphia’s secondary is banged up, but Falk still has plenty of work to do if New York wants to leave the City of Brotherly Love with a win.
Eagles injuries
Eagles starting wide receiver DeSean Jackson was already ruled out for the third consecutive week with an abdominal injury. Without Jackson, the Eagles offense lacks a true deep threat. However, the Jets will still have their hands full with Alston Jeffery, Nelson Agholor and Zach Ertz.
Cornerbacks Ronald Darby (hamstring) and Avonte Maddox (concussion, neck) will both be out for the foreseeable future. The Eagles, who once had plentiful cornerback depth, will now have to rely on Rasul Douglas, Sidney Jones, Orlando Scandrick and Craig James to shut down a Jets passing attack that has been nonexistent for the past eight quarters.
Jets have never beaten Eagles
The Jets have never beaten the Eagles.
Ever.
New York enters Sunday’s contest with an 0-10 record against Philadelphia since the two teams started playing each other in 1973. The last time the Jets and Eagles met, Sam Bradford was under center for Philadelphia, while Ryan Fitzpatrick threw 58 passes on the day for Gang Green.
Leonard Williams, Bilal Powell, Rontez Miles and Brian Winters are the only active Jets remaining from that 2015 team. The record goes out the window when the two teams take the field on Sunday. However, the Jets are staring 0-11 in the face as two-touchdown underdogs.
