Throughout the regular season, NewYorkJets.com reporters Eric Allen, Randy Lange, Susanna Weir and Jack Bell will give their responses to a series of questions regarding the Jets.

Today's question:

How do you expect Brady Cook to build on his first NFL Start in Week 16?

EA: After a full week of practice with the Jets' first-string offense, Brady Cook came out hot last week in the Jacksonville sun. He was dealing early, hitting on all six of his pass attempts in the first quarter including a 9-yard scoring rip to Adonai Mitchell. The ball distribution was impressive as well considering five different pass catchers caught balls in the opening stanza. I'm thinking he can again find early success against a Saints' defense that has allowed opening-drive TDs in consecutive weeks to the Buccaneers in Week 14 and the Panthers last Sunday. But this is a good defense that has held opponents to 21 points or fewer in four of the last five games. New Orleans is 6^th in the NFL against the pass (180.6 yds/g) and 9th on third down (36.69%). Chase Young is playing the best football of his career and LB Demario Davis is still playing at a high level. The most important thing Cook must do at the Superdome is protect the football. In his 7.5 quarters against the Dolphins and the Jaguars, Cook was intercepted 5 times including 3 inside the red area and 4 in plus-territory. But the rookie has yet to take an NFL snap when the Jets were either tied or had a lead. If the Jets can stay even in the turnover department, this should be a low-scoring game considering the Saints have been held under 21 points in the eight of the past nine games.

RL: I know Cook, OC Tanner Engstrand and HC Aaron Glenn all want to see the QB tighten up on the turnovers. He's thrown five interceptions in his extended action against Miami and his first pro start at Jacksonville. All five were targeted for WRs, while he found Breece Hall for just three completions and Isaiah Davis one in those games. Rookie TE Mason Taylor, whom Brady looked to vs. the Dolphins, missed the Jaguars and is out vs. the Saints with his neck injury, so Brady might especially be advised to seek his checkdowns more. I'd like to see more plays where Cook rolls out rather than drops straight back and either finds an open wideout, as happened early on his 25-yard completion to Isaiah Williams, or takes off on some 11- and 12-yard scrambles, as he also did vs. the Jags. And I expect to continue to see him sling it. He's got a strong, confident ball delivery mechanism that just needs to find more green and white uniforms and fewer of the black and gold unis in the Big Easy on Sunday.

JB: I think one the keys for QB Brady Cook and the Jets to succeed against the Saints on Sunday is -- unlikely as it may sound -- for the defense to give the kid a break. Remember that he entered the Week 14 game against Miami after Tyrod Taylor departed with a groin injury, with the Green & White in a 21-0 hole. Then last week at Jacksonville, Cook found his team behind the 8-ball, trailing by 21-7 at the start of the second quarter. "I want to see him in a situation where man, the defense and offense and special teams complement each other," HC Aaron Glenn said, speaking about Cook. "I think he deserves an opportunity to do it." Yes, Cook has thrown 5 INTs in 2 games and has been sacked 9 times, but those numbers are really a reflection of the desperate situation the Jets found themselves dealing with as they chased not one, but two games. Cook has shown a coolness under pressure and has begun to build rapport with WRs like Isaiah Williams, Adonai Mitchell and John Metchie III, plus TE Jeremy Ruckert (who signed a contract extension this week), especially with rookie Mason Taylor out injured. out.

SW: I expect to see Brady Cook's chemistry with young receivers continue to grow. Last week in Jacksonville, we saw Cook connect with WR Adonai Mitchell on 6 occasions, one being his first career TD pass. Cook spoke highly of his connection with Mitchell this week, sharing that the duo watch film together and consistently get extra reps in. The rookie QB also connected with WR Isaiah Williams for 6 completions and John Metchie III for 4 in Sunday's loss. Cook said with more reps, he has gotten more comfortable, and I expect to see the young trio continue to flash their potential to be reliable playmakers for the Missouri product. The Jets offense will have their work cut out for them as they face a challenging Saints defense allowing just 180.6 passing yards per game, the sixth fewest in the league. The Saints, however, rank toward the bottom of the league in INTs with 8 this season. Cook said ball security will be the priority this week, and he will have a prime opportunity to showcase that on Sunday.