New York Jets vs. New York Giants: What's the Game Plan for the Jets?

For a game between two teams that meet once every four years and are in opposite conferences, this Sunday's matchup between the New York Jets and New York Giants has an awful lot of playoff implications. And that's for both sides of the equation. 

The Jets will take the field at MetLife Stadium as a visitor fresh off a victory—unlike the Giants. Sitting at 6-5, the Jets are in a three-way tie for one of the AFC's two wild-card spots. At the moment, the Houston Texans (head-to-head advantage) and Kansas City Chiefs (conference-record advantage) would be in over the Jets if the playoffs started today. But a loss by either of those two teams, coupled with a win by the Jets, and suddenly Gang Green leapfrogs both. 

The Giants, meanwhile, are in their own tie. Having fallen to the Redskins a week ago, Big Blue is tied with Washington for first place in the dreadful NFC East. Just behind the two? The Philadelphia Eagles, who are a game back. Just behind them? The Dallas Cowboys, who are two games back. 

Yes, that's right. The 3-8 Cowboys are very much alive in the NFC East divisional race. 

That is what makes this game between the Jets and Giants so big. Both teams need a win. So, what's the game plan for the Jets to pull out a victory over the Giants? Here's what the team must accomplish this weekend. 

Offensive Game Plan

Here's the thing for the Jets: On paper, they are a much better team than the New York Giants. The Jets have the better running backs, receivers (as a whole), offensive line, defensive line, linebackers, safeties and cornerbacks. About the only advantage the Giants have is at quarterback with Eli Manning and coaching with Tom Coughlin. 

The Jets should win this game outright. The one thing that could prevent that from happening? If Jets quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick starts throwing 50/50 balls more often than not. If he forces the issue, the Giants defense will get the turnover. And if the Giants defense starts forcing turnovers? That's when this game turns from a should-be Jets victory to a back-breaking defeat. 

0-1 Interceptions	6-1 Record
2+ Interceptions	0-3 Record

When looking at Fitzpatrick's season as a whole this year, the veteran quarterback has done a solid job avoiding the turnover. He's still a gunslinger and will still throw a ball or two up there each game that could truthfully go either way, but he has been more "good" than "bad." In his 11th season, Fitzpatrick has thrown for 2,476 yards with 20 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. But in his last seven games, he's been particularly impressive. 

Fitzpatrick has thrown 13 touchdowns and just five interceptions during that span. To put those 13 touchdowns in perspective, that's more than Geno Smith threw in any full season over the last two years. 

Against the Giants, the Fitzpatrick who takes care of the football is going to need to be the one on who takes the field. The Giants don't have a pass rush and aren't particularly great at stopping the run, and with no pass rush, there are holes in the secondary after three or four seconds.  

Where the Giants defense has kept its head slightly above water this season has been in its ability to force turnovers. Big Blue is second in the NFL, having taken the ball away 22 times (14 interceptions, eight fumbles). No, the Giants can't get to the quarterback (league-low 12 times), but they make up for that with how well they steal the ball from an opposing offense. 

Fitzpatrick, this season, has done a sufficient job protecting the ball. In his career, however, he has not. It's imperative the quarterback avoid the turnover. If he doesn't? It could get ugly for the visiting team at MetLife. 

Defensive Game Plan

Giants receiver Odell Beckham Jr. has dominated the headlines in the days leading up to Sunday's game. Any defensive player who stood in front of the media scrum at the Atlantic Health Training Facility had to field two, three, sometimes four questions about arguably the NFL's most polarizing player. 

What makes OBJ so special?

How are you going to stop OBJ?

Have you ever seen someone like OBJ before?

How good was his one-handed catch last week?

But stopping Beckham Jr. isn't the key for the Jets defense Sunday afternoon. Odds are, the 2014 Rookie of the Year is going to get his catches, get his yards and score a touchdown or two. But you know what? The Jets can survive that. Plenty of other teams have. 

Over the last two years, Beckham has had the following stat lines, among other eye-popping games:

Receptions	Yards	Touchdowns
4	104	1
7	146	1
8	130	3
9	142	1
10	146	2
12	185	1

You know what the commonality is in each of those games? The Giants lost all of them. Teams let Beckham have his catches while turning their attention to shutting down the rest of the Giants' mediocre offense. Eventually, it caught up to Big Blue and resulted in losses. 

For the Jets, more important than shutting down or containing Beckham is pressuring quarterback Eli Manning. The Jets cannot let Manning sit back and scan the field, because while Beckham is being targeted an average of 11 times per game this season, Manning has no problem throwing to the likes of Rueben Randle and Dwayne Harris. 

The best way the Jets can limit the Giants passing attack? Put Manning on his back. Giants starting guard Geoff Schwartz was placed on season-ending injured reserve earlier this week. Starting right tackle Marshall Newhouse and starting center Weston Richburg are listed as questionable and may not play. Fellow starting guard Justin Pugh is expected to play but is just working himself back after recovering from a concussion. 

That means Sheldon Richardson, Leonard Williams and Muhammad Wilkerson could be facing Bobby Hart, Dallas Reynolds and John Jerry. 

"[We need to] try to get [Manning] on the ground," Jets defensive coordinator Kacy Rodgers said. "When we sit there and look at Eli, this guy can make all the throws, and the way they run their offense, he's taking a look, studying the defense and putting them in the right position. 

"So right now with him, we're going to have to disrupt him as much as we can."

The thing that the Jets are going to need to ensure that they do, though, is keep the pressure on Manning. One of the greatest traits the two-time Super Bowl MVP possesses is the fact he doesn't feel phantom pressure. If Manning goes down 12 times, he'll drop back the 13th as if he hasn't been sacked all day. The Jets need to keep getting to Manning. 

If the team can do that? Well, whatever numbers Beckham posts won't matter much. 

Key Matchups 

Julio Cortez/Associated Press

Shane Vereen vs. Jets Linebackers

While the Jets defense, when on, has been one of the NFL's best, there has been one glaring weakness even in its best performances.

If an opposing offense has a running back who's a threat out of the backfield, and that running back gets matched up against a Jets linebacker, look out. 

Neither of the Jets' two starting inside linebackers is very good against the pass, as both Demario Davis and David Harris have struggled throughout their careers. The Philadelphia Eagles exploited the weakness, as did the Buffalo Bills. It's a good assumption Giants offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo has not only studied those two game plans but will be looking to mimic it on Sunday.

Originally taken in the second round of the 2011 NFL draft, running back Shane Vereen established himself as quite the receiving threat out of the backfield during his first four seasons with the New England Patriots. Specifically from 2013-2014, Vereen caught 99 passes for 874 yards and six touchdowns. In the Patriots' victory over the Seattle Seahawks in last year's Super Bowl, Vereen caught a Super Bowl-record 11 passes. 

While Vereen hasn't been quite as successful with the Giants this year (40 catches, 312 yards, three touchdowns)—some have criticized the Giants for underusing him—this may be the game in which he breaks out. The Jets will look to use a safety or even corner on Vereen when he checks into the ballgame, but if somehow he ends up man-to-man with Davis? 

Manning may throw the ball to him faster than any pass to No. 13. 

This season, per Pro Football Focus, Davis has allowed 48 completions for 484 yards and four touchdowns. An opposing quarterback's rating when throwing his way is a staggering 116.9. 

Dominique Rodgers Cromartie, Prince Amukamara vs. Eric Decker, Brandon Marshall

Giants cornerback Prince Amukamara made quite the headlines earlier this week when he told reporters in a group interview that he believed he and fellow cornerback Dominique Rodgers Cromartie could go man-to-man with any set of receivers out there. 

"I think we've put that on film," Amukamara said.

With the Giants now set to face the Jets, that means Amukamara and DRC will be able to cover Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker one-on-one with no problem. Safety help? Who needs it?

Seth Wenig/Associated Press

The issue? There really hasn't been a team the Jets have faced this year that has been able to "shut down" the two playmaking wideouts.

This season, both Decker and Marshall are on pace to cross the 1,000 yard mark. That's a pretty high accomplishment for the Jets, considering the team hasn't had a 1,000-yard receiver since 2006. Decker's pulled in 51 passes for 700 yards and eight scores, while Marshall has caught 71 for 900 yards and nine touchdowns. 

The two have been dominant, one of the best tandems in the league. Will DRC and Amukamara be able to hang? It'll certainly be interesting to watch. 

With a Jets Win

The team may race to the locker room to check the score of the Texans and Chiefs games. A victory for the Jets, coupled with a loss by either of the other two, and New York takes command of one of the two AFC wild-card spots. Having not made the playoffs in four years, and coming off a 4-12 season a year ago, simply getting to the postseason would be quite the accomplishment for Gang Green. 

With a Jets Loss

It won't be devastating...unless the Chiefs, Texans and Pittsburgh Steelers win. If that situation unfolds, New York will suddenly find itself tiebreakers and a full game out of the playoff picture. The season won't be over, but the Jets will go from controlling their own destiny to having to wait to see what other teams do. The key thing to remember is the Jets still have another game against the New England Patriots looming.

Prediction

The Jets on paper are the better team. As outlined above, the only advantage the Giants really have is at the quarterback position and head coach. 

For the Giants to win, it will likely take an unbelievable showing from Manning, a horrid outing from Fitzpatrick and a complete dud laid by the Jets defense. If those three things happen, then sure, Big Blue can easily hand Gang Green its sixth loss of the year. 

It's just difficult to see that happening. 

On Sunday, look for Manning to be running for his life for the majority of the game. The Jets will line Muhammad Wilkerson and his eight sacks over rookie seventh-round pick Bobby Hart, a player making his first NFL start. Wilkerson's a tall task for some of the best in the NFL to block, let alone a rookie. 

The Giants pass rush won't get to Fitzpatrick quickly enough before Decker and Marshall find holes in the secondary. Once the Jets start connecting on a few shots down the field, and the Giants empty the box, expect running back Chris Ivory to take over. 

See, it's not just that the Jets have the better roster; the team has the edge in the matchup category, too. 

It's been quite some time since the Jets defeated the Giants. But this weekend, it's going to happen. 

Jets 31, Giants 17

Connor Hughes is the New York Jets beat writer for the Journal Inquirer and Scout.com. All quotes, practice observations and advanced stats referenced are gathered firsthand unless otherwise noted.

Connor can be reached on Twitter (@Connor_J_Hughes) or via email ([e-mail]).