New York Jets vs. Minnesota Vikings: Complete Week 14 Preview for New York
The New York Jets lost another heartbreaker on Monday night, marking their 10 loss on the season.
Gang Green is headed toward its worst season since 2007, when the team went 4-12.
Hopes of getting something out of this season have long since evaporated, but the Jets can still head into the offseason on a high note if they can string some wins together in the final month of the year.
This Sunday's game against Teddy Bridgewater and the Minnesota Vikings is winnable, but New York must bring the same kind of intensity and focus it displayed for the majority of the game against the Dolphins.
Click through for a full preview and analysis, as well as a final score prediction, of the Week 14 clash in Minnesota.
Jets' Week 13 Recap
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The Jets should have beaten the Miami Dolphins on Monday.
Gang Green controlled the pace of the game for three quarters. The Jets attacked the nose of Miami's defense at will for the majority of the night. And perhaps most importantly, they managed to win the turnover battle.
New York ran the ball an astounding 49 times in the contest, and it was mostly successful. The offense totaled 277 yards on the ground and a yards-per-carry mark of 5.7.
However, as has been the case way too often this season, the Jets failed to turn successful drives into points.
Geno Smith and Co. drove well inside Miami territory several times, but mistakes and missed field goals held them to just 13 points.
In the final quarter, the Dolphins offense finally broke through against a Gang Green defense that played admirably all night, and one touchdown was enough for the victory.
Mark this one up as another gut-wrenching loss for Rex Ryan's troops.
News and Notes
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Former Teammates Face Each Other
Vikings signal-caller Teddy Bridgewater and Jets safety Calvin Pryor will have an unusual experience on Sunday, as they will be matched up against each other.
Bridgewater and Pryor were teammates under Mark Strong at Louisville for three seasons, and they helped lead one of the country's most underrated teams during that time.
In 2012 and 2013, the Cardinals went a combined 23-3 and won a Sugar Bowl.
Following the pair's success in college, they were each selected in the first round of the draft. And while each has had their growing pains at the NFL level, they've shown they're more than capable of holding their own.
The former teammates knew this day would come, but it will still be an odd moment for the two rookies.
Chris Johnson Looks to Stay Hot
It was all Chris Ivory at the beginning of the season, but the backfield pecking order has slowly begun to shift.
He has slowed down considerably after his monster start to the year, rushing for just 209 yards on 58 carries in the last five games.
Chris Johnson, meanwhile, has been stunningly efficient, taking 58 carries for 305 yards in the last six contests. The former Pro Bowler's skill set has seemingly dawned upon him, and he's beginning to show flashes of his 2009-10 self.
Despite the recent hot stretch, the former first-round selection is still on pace for the worst rushing season of his career. He'll look to change that on Sunday.
Rex Ryan No Longer a Draft Guru
The embattled head coach stirred up headlines last year when he gave the Jets' largely disappointing draft class an A-plus rating.
This season, Ryan didn't spew the same nonsense.
Ryan said the grade has to be "incomplete," saying it was impossible for anyone to judge what kind of players the rookies will turn out to be, per Rich Cimini of ESPN New York.
Ryan has a point, but his lack of outright support for the class has to be considered an indictment of general manager John Idzik.
Idzik's 2014 draft selections have received a lot of heat, as none of the 12 players picked has made an immediate impact.
Injury Report
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| Player | Injury | Status |
| Jace Amaro | Concussion | Questionable |
| Willie Colon | Knee/Shoulder | Probable |
| Jeff Cumberland | Illness | Questionable |
| Nick Folk | Hip | Questionable |
| Chris Johnson | Knee | Probable |
| Jeremy Kerley | Illness | Questionable |
| Greg Salas | Hamstring | Out |
| Josh Thomas | Illness | Probable |
| Muhammad Wilkerson | Toe | Out |
After a stretch in which injuries didn't really play a factor, the Jets have been hit with a rash of them in recent weeks.
Star defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson and rookie tight end Jace Amaro missed last week's game because of injuries, and Wilkerson and Amaro are both unlikely to suit up this Sunday as well, per USA Today.
Meanwhile, kicker Nick Folk is a question mark because of a hip flexor, and wide receiver Greg Salas, who injured himself on a touchdown run on Monday night, was put on injured reserve, according to Rich Cimini of ESPN New York.
The Jets have been struggling with the roster nearly completely healthy, so a rash of injuries is not good for their prospects.
However, it will likely give some youngsters an opportunity to show what they can do.
*Injury report courtesy of the official website of the New York Jets.
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X-Factor and Matchups to Watch
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Jets' Front Seven vs. Jerick McKinnon
New York's front seven currently ranks third in the league in run defense, and it did an admirable job against Miami's running game last week, even without Muhammad Wilkerson.
However, Vikings rookie running back Jerick McKinnon could give the front seven some issues this weekend.
Since taking over the majority of the carries, McKinnon has been very effective. He has rushed for 538 yards on 113 totes, good for nearly five yards per touch.
The Georgia Southern product possesses tremendous speed and underrated vision, and he could give fits to a New York defense that lacks speed.
Chris Johnson vs. Vikings' Front Seven
Just as McKinnon has the ability to shred Gang Green's front, Chris Johnson can do the same to Minnesota.
The Vikings rush defense is not as nearly as strong as New York's, as Minnesota currently ranks 24th in the NFL against the run.
Moreover, it has allowed four straight feature backs to top 85 rushing yards.
Johnson is just reaching his top form now, so a matchup with the Vikings could not come at a better time.
If the former 2,000-yard rusher gets a good amount of carries, he should put together another nice stat line.
D'Brickashaw Ferguson vs. Everson Griffen
D'Brickashaw Ferguson had to match up with Pro Bowler Cameron Wake last week, and he'll have to face off against another top-end pass-rusher on Sunday.
Everson Griffin isn't a household name, but he's quietly putting together one of the best defensive seasons in the league.
The 26-year-old has 46 tackles and 11 sacks in 12 games, as he has been an absolute monster for Minnesota up front.
Ferguson isn't the player he once was, but he still has the ability to raise his game to a Pro Bowl level. He will need to do just that against Griffen.
Jets' X-Factor of the Week: Quinton Coples
Instead of inserting backup Leger Douzable in the starting lineup in Wilkerson's absence against Miami, Rex Ryan opted to move outside linebacker Quinton Coples up to his original position of defensive end.
Coples put together a decent performance, especially in the pass-rushing department, as he recorded two quarterback hits and put consistent pressure on Ryan Tannehill.
With Wilkerson out again Sunday, Coples will have another chance to make an impact in his natural spot.
Don't be surprised if the North Carolina product has one of his finest efforts.
Prediction
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The Vikings are three games better than New York in the standings, but they are hardly the most talented team on paper.
Teddy Bridgewater has held up decently well, but he can be forced into mistakes if he fails to get comfortable. If Gang Green's pass rush can get some pressure on the rookie, the defense could have its way with Minnesota's offense.
However, the pass rush, like the rest of the team, has been inconsistent all year.
On the other side of the ball, the Jets will likely come in with the same strategy that they had against the Dolphins. Minnesota is weak against the run but possesses a near-elite pass defense.
It will be up to the offensive line to get some push in the running game, but the Jets can't win without any semblance of a passing attack.
Expect Gang Green to stick with the Vikings until the very end but for the offense to ultimately fail to come up with the points needed to win on the road.
Vikings 19, Jets 13
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