Jets vs. Chiefs: Breaking Down New York's Game Plan

The result of the remaining games on the New York Jets' schedule may not mean much for observing fans, but they could determine the careers of those responsible for this dreadful season. If these players and coaches value their careers, there will only be an uptick in preparation and intensity during these final two months of the season.

While the bulk of their tough games are in the rearview mirror, the Kansas City Chiefs will hardly be a cakewalk as they continue their fight for a playoff spot. While jobs may not be on the line in Kansas City just yet, the Chiefs need this game just as badly as the Jets to keep their playoff hopes intact in one of the most difficult divisions in football. 

The Chiefs are essentially the team the Jets were striving to be from the start of the season: a well-rounded unit with a stout front seven, a dangerous running game and an efficient passing game that allows them to win games in multiple ways.

While not as dominant as the were a year ago in Andy Reid's first season as head coach, the Jets will need to put together nothing less than a quality game plan to emerge victorious for the first time since Week 1. 

Protect Michael Vick

More than anything else, the Jets have to be concerned about their ability to block the Chiefs' two stud outside linebackers, Tamba Hali and Justin Houston. 

The youngster, Houston, is having a career year statistically with a league-leading 10 sacks. However, Rex Ryan still finds the veteran Hali to be the superior player:

Either way, selecting between Houston and Hali is splitting hairs—the Jets are going to have their hands full blocking both of them, especially with a turnover-prone quarterback like Michael Vick under center (he had three turnovers last week). The Chiefs sport the league's No. 1 passing defense for no bigger reason than these two players. 

Luckily for Gang Green, the Jets do have two proven players at the tackle position in D'Brickashaw Ferguson and Breno Giacomini. The Jets' pass protection has been anything but stellar to date, but not because of the work of these two veterans. According to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), only one sack has been allowed by each player this season. 

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However, this tandem of pass-rushers will be unlike anything the Jets have seen to this point—simply dropping back and running a pass offense as if Ferguson and Giacomini will stonewall them is asking for trouble. 

Instead of using their already substandard guards to provide assistance in blocking these rushers, the Jets would be better off slowing them down mentally by running the ball through the interior early and often.

No skill-position player on the Jets should touch the ball more than Ivory this coming Sunday. The most effective inside runner on the team by a mile, Ivory is the key to sustaining drives and forcing the Chiefs to focus on slowing down the run game, which in turn will take some of the sting off Hali and Houston's explosiveness. 

Running the ball will not be easy against a defensive line that features Dontari Poe, but the Jets should not be swayed by the effectiveness of the run early on. The longer they stay with the run, the better chance they have of surviving the three-hour assault from these edge-rushers. 

Attack the No. 2 Corner Position

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Outside of having a quality pass rush, the Chiefs share an unfortunate commonality in that they both have question marks at the cornerback position (although not to the same extremes as the Jets).  

While Sean Smith has been a mainstay at the right cornerback spot, enjoying one of his best professional seasons to date, the opposite position has been somewhat of a revolving door. With Marcus Cooper struggling mightily in his sophomore season, special teamer Jamell Fleming was manning the position until he suffered a hamstring injury last week, putting his status for Sunday in question. 

Cooper figures to step in to Fleming's place if he is unable to play. If his results are anything like the rest of this season, Cooper will be a huge downgrade for the Chiefs' otherwise stellar pass defense. 

Player	Targets	Completion %	Yards	TDs	QB Rating Against
Jamell Fleming	10	60.0	50	0	72.9
Marcus Cooper	38	60.5	391	5	135.0

Regardless of who starts, the Jets need to attack the side of the field opposite Smith. If Fleming starts, the Jets will need to see exactly how well he can move with his bum hamstring for themselves or else Cooper will be considered as a liability until proven otherwise. 

The Chiefs do not have many holes in their pass defense, and the protection will have to hold up in order for them to even have a chance to test Fleming/Cooper. But throwing in that direction is their best chance of moving the ball against the best pass defense in football.

Test Eric Fisher

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The biggest matchup advantage the Jets will have in this game is with their defensive line against the Chiefs' offensive line, particularly at the premium left tackle spot held down by Eric Fisher. 

The No. 1 overall selection from the 2013 draft, the Central Michigan product has been somewhat of a disaster for the Chiefs so far. After failing at right tackle as a rookie, the Chiefs were hoping a switch back to his natural position on the left side would iron out his difficulties, but the results have only gotten worse. 

According to Pro Football Focus, only six offensive tackles (both left and right) have graded out worse than Fisher. He has allowed three sacks, eight hits and 10 hurries on the season so far and has been generally useless as a run-blocker. 

There is no need for Rex Ryan and his defensive staff to overthink this: simply give Fisher a heavy dose of Muhammad Wilkerson, Sheldon Richardson and Jason Babin. The athletic Fisher has a bit more difficulty dealing with power moves, making Wilkerson and Richardson ideal rushers to use against him, but keeping the speed element in the mix with Babin will make sure Fisher's head is swimming all game. 

Wilkerson and Richardson may be considered as interior players, but they can be used on the outside as well. During their Thursday night meeting with the New England Patriots two weeks ago, Richardson is lined up as an edge-rusher on this third-down play (with Babin on the opposite side):

Credit: NFL Game Rewind

If the Jets can get to Alex Smith via the Fisher portal early and often, it will put a huge handicap on the rest of the Chiefs offense. Suddenly, covering the likes of Dwayne Bowe and Travis Kelce is not nearly as daunting of a task with pressure in Smith's face on nearly every snap. 

There is no question that the Chiefs, like about 30 other NFL teams, are more talented than the Jets. However, there are enough weaknesses on this Chiefs team to exploit to have a chance a coming away with the upset, even in a place as difficult to play in as Arrowhead Stadium. 

If Vick can give the Jets an emotional spark they need in a lost season to play as if the playoffs were on the line, the Jets stand a fighting chance to get their second win of the season since early September. 

Advanced statistics provided by ProFootballFocus.com (subscription required).

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