Falcons Look To Stay On Top In NFC South When They Face The Struggling Jets

ATLANTA (5-6) at NEW YORK JETS (4-7)

Sunday, 1 p.m. EST, Fox

OPENING LINE: Falcons by 3, in keeping with FanDuel Sportsbook.

AGAINST THE SPREAD: Falcons 3-8; Jets 4-6-1.

SERIES RECORD: Falcons lead 8-6.

LAST MEETING: Falcons beat Jets 27-20 on Oct. 10, 2021, at Atlanta.

LAST WEEK: Falcons beat Saints 24-15; Jets misplaced to Dolphins 34-13.

FALCONS OFFENSE: OVERALL (16), RUSH (4), PASS (21), SCORING (22)

FALCONS DEFENSE: OVERALL (14), RUSH (16), PASS (10), SCORING (14T)

JETS OFFENSE: OVERALL (31), RUSH (27), PASS (31), SCORING (30)

JETS DEFENSE: OVERALL (15), RUSH (31), PASS (6), SCORING (18)

TURNOVER DIFFERENTIAL: Falcons minus-6; Jets minus-1.

FALCONS PLAYER TO WATCH: RB Bijan Robinson. The first-round choose is having fun with an elevated position as coach Arthur Smith has acknowledged Robinson has proven no signal of rookie fatigue. Robinson had his first two-touchdown sport final week in opposition to New Orleans, scoring on runs and receptions. He had 16 carries for 91 yards one sport after a season-high 22 carries for 95 yards and a landing in opposition to Arizona. Robinson has thrived within the lead position regardless that the run-first offense additionally discovered room for Tyler Allgeier and Cordarrelle Patterson to have vital contributions whereas quarterback Desmond Ridder additionally was efficient on the bottom. The Falcons set a season excessive with 228 dashing yards and it appears clear Robinson’s lead position will proceed with Ridder’s return because the starter.

JETS PLAYER TO WATCH: RB Breece Hall. The speedy working again has been stifled recently, dashing for simply 76 yards on 27 carries — a measly 2.8 yards per try — in his previous three video games. He additionally opened the week of apply restricted by a hamstring situation. Hall, thought-about by the coaches the engine of the Jets’ offense, has run for not more than 50 yards within the six video games since dashing for a career-high 177 at Denver. Hall was crucial of himself after final week’s sport, and coach Robert Saleh stated the working again was urgent an excessive amount of to attempt to make huge performs for the struggling offense.

KEY MATCHUP: Robinson vs. Jets’ run protection. The weak point of New York’s total very strong protection is its efficiency in opposition to the run. The Jets are permitting the second-most yards per sport on the bottom with 140.3. That comes after Miami ran for 167 yards and two TDs on 37 makes an attempt in opposition to them final week. The Falcons’ mixture of Robinson, Allgeier and Patterson may set the tone early.

KEY INJURIES: Falcons LB Nate Landman was held out Wednesday with a decrease physique harm. … WR Mack Hollins (ankle) didn’t play final week, however may return in opposition to New York. … Jets QB Aaron Rodgers returned to apply on a restricted foundation after tearing his left Achilles tendon within the season opener. He hasn’t been cleared for full soccer actions. … In addition to Hall and Rodgers, LT Mekhi Becton (ankle/knee) and rookie DL Will McDonald (shoulder) had been amongst those that opened the week as restricted apply members.

SERIES NOTES: The Falcons have received two straight and 4 of the previous 5 within the collection. … Atlanta received 25-20 in its earlier sport on the Jets on Oct. 29, 2017. … The groups’ first assembly got here in 1973, when the Falcons received 28-20 behind two landing runs by Eddie Ray and two TD tosses by Bob Lee.

STATS AND STUFF: The Falcons, who’re tied with New Orleans to guide the NFC South, are on the lookout for back-to-back wins for the primary time since opening the season with wins over Carolina and Green Bay. … The Falcons overcame Ridder’s two interceptions to beat the Saints. Turnovers had been a significant motive Ridder misplaced the beginning job and Taylor Heinicke began two straight video games. Ridder now has seven TD passes and eight interceptions this season. … Ridder has no interceptions in six of seven profession highway begins. … Robinson leads NFL rookies with 703 yards dashing and 943 scrimmage yards. He joined Lynn Cain (Week 7, 1979) because the Falcons’ second rookie with dashing and receiving TDs in the identical sport. … WR Drake London has a minimum of 5 catches in 5 of his previous six video games, together with 5 for 91 yards final week. … S Jessie Bates had 12 tackles, one compelled fumble and an interception returned 92 yards for a TD in opposition to the Saints and was chosen NFC defensive participant of the week for the second time this season. … LB Kaden Elliss has a career-high 79 tackles. … The Jets try to finish a four-game skid, their longest since dropping the final six video games of final season. … Tim Boyle will get his second begin in a row at QB instead of the benched Zach Wilson. Boyle was 27 of 38 for 179 yards and a TD with two interceptions in opposition to Miami in his first begin for the reason that 2021 season. He was sacked seven occasions and threw solely 4 passes of 10 yards or extra. … Offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett’s unit has scored simply 10 touchdowns in 11 video games. The Jets rank final within the NFL in a number of classes, together with third down conversion charges (24.1%) and pink zone (28%) effectivity. … New York has used eight beginning combos on the offensive line, together with in every of the previous six video games. … DL Bryce Huff leads the Jets with six sacks and tops the NFL in QB strain price (24.4%). … S Ashtyn Davis has two INTs and two fumble recoveries on protection in simply 100 snaps performed. He’s considered one of solely seven gamers within the NFL with a minimum of two of every.

FANTASY TIP: Jets WR Garrett Wilson remains to be seeing loads of targets — eight or extra in six straight video games. But he has only one landing in that span and New York’s offense simply isn’t doing sufficient to depend on any particular person participant from a fantasy standpoint. Wilson might be a WR3 at greatest with fantasy groups jockeying for playoff place.

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(This story has not been edited by News18 employees and is printed from a syndicated information company feed – Associated Press)