SmashMouth

New Orleans (6-1) at NY Jets (4-4) — 1 p.m. ET, FOX: This matchup looks a lot better for New Orleans defensive coordinator Rob Ryan than it does for twin brother Rex, the Jets’ head coach. While the Saints’ new multiple and diverse defense has all it takes to confuse rookie quarterback Geno Smith into making counterproductive reads and throws, the Jets secondary — fresh off its embarrassment at the hands of the Cincinnati Bengals’ passing offense last Sunday — seem singularly ill-equipped to deal with the kind of firepower Drew Brees can dispense.

Rex Ryan said that the Bengals loss was so bad, he told his players to skip watching the tape and just move on to the next opponent. However, what the Saints do is nightmare fuel for any struggling defense — vertical concepts, dizzying receiver distribution and all sorts of routes and formations.

“It’s a team that really pushes the ball vertically on you probably more so than anybody,” Rex said of the Saints this week. “Quite honestly, they’re going to watch that tape from what happened last week, [and] I wouldn’t be surprised if Drew Brees and Co. aren’t on the flight here early to make sure they got here. We have to play a heck of a lot better and we will.”

The Jets are the fifth team since the NFL started the 16-game schedule in 1978 to alternate wins and losses in their first four games, which means that their 4-4 record is less a tribute to stability and more an indication of wild variance.

The Saints, meanwhile, are one Tom Brady touchdown pass away from an undefeated record. No surprise that their offense is explosive, but the real improvement has been on defense. Rob Ryan took over a Steve Spagnuolo-led bunch that set league records for futility, and has it playing at a Super Bowl level. Only the Patriots have scored more than 18 points on New Orleans, and Cameron Jordan must be mentioned along with J.J. Watt and the Jets’ Muhammad Wilkerson as the best 3-4 ends in the game. The Jets are still trying to figure out their offensive M.O., and Smith has been frustratingly game-to-game. All signs point to Rob having bragging rights at the Ryan family holiday table after this one. – Doug Farrar
NFL Week 9 preview: Examining Chicago Bears- Green Bay Packers, more games | Audibles - SI.com

... and from Mr King:

8. Geno Smith the oddball. Smith, the Jets quarterback, in odd games (weeks 1, 3, 5, 7): seven touchdowns, four interceptions. Smith in even games (weeks 2, 4, 6, 8): one touchdown, nine picks. It’s an odd week. Give me the Jets against Drew Brees! (Uh, kidding. Really.)

Sean Lee, Dallas Cowboys MLB, highlights NFL Week 9 Preview | The MMQB with Peter King

homerj07

Interesting.

saintsfan1976

The middle of jets D is scary. What's that dudes name Wilkerson? Yeah he May beatch slap DLP all day.

I see this being closer than most.

31-24 saints