INDIANAPOLIS – The starters will be on the field for only a short period tonight, yet there are specific goals the Jets would like to achieve when they play the Colts at the RCA Dome.
Look for the Jets to play the offensive starters for two or three series, likely just into the second quarter. While they’re on the field, the Jets’ offense very much would like to punch the ball into the end zone and score a touchdown or even two.
They left New Orleans last week feeling mildly agitated and unsatisfied at their one offensive series when the starters moved the ball down the field efficiently, but sputtered in the red zone and settled for a short field goal.
That script looked far too much like last year’s, which is why you can expect the Jets to put an added emphasis on scoring a touchdown with the first-team offense tonight – even if it means going for it on fourth down.
Defensively, the Jets figure to have a bit more challenging task with Peyton Manning, Marvin Harrison and Edgerrin James on the field.
That’s another area where Herman Edwards will have a keen interest, particularly with how thin his secondary is at the moment, with nickel back Ray Mickens out and starting strong safety Reggie Tongue questionable.
“How we can play against a team that we know can throw the football is important,” Edwards said. “We have to be able to tackle them. You’re not going to stop them from passing. If you go into the game saying you’re going to shut down Peyton Manning, then you’re going to be mad after the first quarter. Don’t even say that because that’s not going to happen.
“What you want to do is try to control the big plays, the explosion plays,” Edwards went on. “If you can control those and make them punt five times, you have a pretty good chance of winning. They don’t punt a lot when they’re rolling.”
Edwards walked away from the Jets’ 23-13 loss to the Saints last week disgusted at the fact that the offense failed to execute in the red zone and by the three turnovers and six penalties his team committed. Tonight, against the team that went to the AFC Championship Game, Edwards is looking for a cleaner performance.
Because backup QB Brooks Bollinger is out with a knee injury, the No. 3 QB, Ricky Ray, will play from about the second quarter into the fourth quarter. That could make playing a clean game more of a challenge considering Ray’s inexperience.
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Chad Pennington’s agent has been meeting with Jet assistant GM Mike Tannenbaum this week in an effort to come to an agreement on a contract extension for the Jet QB.
Pennington has made it clear to his representative and the Jets that he doesn’t want the negotiations to spill into the regular season and has asked that they be tabled if anything is not done by then.
“I want to keep [the season] and the negotiations separate,” he said. “My focus is on the Colts.”
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Two key offseason acquisitions will make their respective preseason game debuts with the Jets tonight: Tongue, who’s missed most of camp with a strained calf, and LB Eric Barton, who’s missed time with a hamstring injury. Both were signed to large contracts to be impact starters on a Jets’ defense that has sagged the last couple years.
Brian Simnjanovski, who was re-signed on Wednesday after being released on Sunday, will handle the punting duties tonight with Toby Gowin resting his sore groin. Gowin will, however, suit up as the holder.
