Throughout the offseason, NewYorkJets.com reporters Eric Allen, Randy Lange, Jack Bell and Amanda Vogt will give their responses to a series of questions regarding the Jets.
Today's question: What is one under the radar Jets-Lions matchup you're watching this week?
EA: During the Jets' overtime loss to the Packers, they lost three key special teams contributors in LBs Marcelino McCrary-Ball and Kiko Mauigoa, and WR Arian Smith. McCrary-Ball, who forced a fumble in the Jets' Week 1 victory over the Titans, sustained an ankle injury and was placed on injured reserve this week. Mauigoa sustained a quad injury and hasn't practiced this week. Smith, who has been an excellent gunner for the Jets opposite the elite Qwan'tez Stiggers, tore his ACL late and will miss the remainder of the season. Injuries are part of life in the NFL and the multiple injuries will force special teams coordinator Chris Banjo to make several adjustments to his unit. Veteran LB Troy Reeder, who lined up in 26 special teams snaps last week, was signed to the active roster. Wideout Malik McClain, who flashed on special teams in training camp, was also promoted to the roster. The Jets yielded a long punt return to Skyy Moore in Week 2 and Isaiah Williams didn't have his best day handling the ball in the rain. The Jets didn't play to their standard and Banjo is an exceptional coach whose unit won't make excuses. Williams, the Jets 2025 Team MVP, has epitomized resilience throughout his career and he could be electric on the fast track. The Jets are shuffling pieces on special teams, but I'd expect a bounce-back performance against the Lions inside Ford Field.
RL: I'd like to see the Jets' tight ends get their pass-catching engines purring in the Motor City. The TEs are set to be a big part of the Green & White offense this season but have been quiet in the first two games. Mason Taylor has 2 catches for minus-2 yards and his personal 42-game receiving streak (college and pro) ended at 42 games with no catches vs. Green Bay. Jeremy Ruckert has 3 catches for 9 yards, rookie Kenyon Sadiq 5 for 38. The Detroit D, meanwhile, has been vulnerable to TEs in the early going. The Saints' Juwan Johnson and Noah Fant, and the Bills' Dalton Kincaid and Dawson Knox each caught a touchdown pass vs. the Lions and those four combined for 16 catches and 187 yards. This could be a good vehicle for OC Frank Reich, QB Geno Smith & Co. to pull the wraps off of in Ford Field on Sunday.
JB: My matchup to watch this week is Jets rookie edge David Bailey vs. Lions All-Pro LT Penei Sewell. Sewell (6-5, 335) is a man-mountain of an offensive tackle who was selected to the Pro Bowl from 2022 to 2025 and was named a first-team All-Pro in three straight years -- 2023-25. Last season, PFF graded (95.2) him as the league's best tackle for a second time in his career. He has taken 100% of the snaps on offense in all but one season (2025 with 97%) and has been flagged just 29 times (holding/false starts) in his pro career. Bailey, the Green & White's No. 2 overall selection in April's NFL Draft, has after only two games shown he could be a force to be reckoned with for many years to come. Bailey has put up 11 pressures -- 13th in the league -- the most through any player's first 2 games since TruMedia started tracking the stat in 2016. His pressure rate of 24.4% is tops through 2 games. Bailey's 5-plus pressures match Joey Bosa as the only two players to do it in their first 2 games, per Next Gen Stats. Pro Football Focus says his 8 pressures lead all rookies. Finally, Bailey has 2 sacks and has forced a fumble. He's just getting started while Sewell has made a significant shift across the line from RT to LT.
AV: While Aaron Glenn's return to Detroit and head coaching battle against Dan Campbell is one of the more highly anticipated matchups of the week, I'm looking at a different reunion. CB D.J. Reed will be facing the Jets for the first time since he signed with Detroit after three seasons with the Green & White (2022-24). According to Next Gen Stats, Reed has allowed 197 receiving yards in coverage, which is the most by an outside CB, and 196 of those yards have come in zone coverage. With the Lions dealing with several injuries in their secondary, the Jets may have several opportunities to cash in on explosive plays down the field. OC Frank Reich said this week that he thinks all the Jets' receivers are down-the-field threats and they play from the top down. WR Garrett Wilson recalled his battles against Reed when they were Jets teammates as some of the best he's had, and Sunday will be the first time he faces him in a game rather than practice. That matchup should be fun to watch considering so far, Wilson has aligned out wide on 86.7% of his routes this season (NGS).
