The New York Jets will host the Denver Broncos in their upcoming Week 4 matchup.
Even with it being a big, early season AFC clash, it will still be the games, within the game, that will make all the difference.
Here are three key matchups to watch during Sunday’s Jets (2-1) against the Broncos (1-2) matchup:
OL Olu Fashanu vs. ED Jonathon Cooper
Pretty simple one here: How does Fashanu look in his first-career start? Cooper will be lining up on the edge on the right side of the Jets’ offensive line. Cooper has three sacks so far this season and Pro Football Focus grades him positively in the run game, too. He is PFF’s 10th best edge defender against the run this season (73.3).
DL Quinnen Williams vs. OL Luke Wattenberg
Coming into Sunday’s matchup, PFF has ranked Wattenberg as the 31st best center in the NFL with an overall grade of 51.5. That’s No. 31 out of 32 qualifying centers. That is bad.
Williams looked elite against the New England Patriots in Week 3. And as we saw, if he has a big game, that ripples down the Jets’ defensive front. If Williams can do that again, it’s going to be a bad day to be Broncos rookie quarterback Bo Nix.
WR Garrett Wilson vs. CB Patrick Surtain II
The Broncos’ secondary is among the best in the NFL so far this season. Even so, the Jets still have Aaron Rodgers at quarterback who should be trying to keep Denver’s defense on their toes by toss the ball around the yard. Let’s see him and Wilson officially have a breakout party in this one against Surtain.