Jets Country

Jets Will Face NFL’s Leading Sack Artist Against Patriots

Matthew Judon has been unstoppable on the edge this season, poised to do some serious damage against New York's offensive line.

Daniel Kelly

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New England and Matthew Judon travel to New York this Sunday. 

Both teams find themselves in unusual and unfamiliar places. 

The Patriots are 3-4 and in last place in the AFC East after coming off of a home 33-14 loss to the Bears on Monday Night. 

Meanwhile, the Jets are nearly on top of the division at 5-2 after going into Denver and defeating the Broncos 16-9. 

However, now New York must face Judon, who not only leads the NFL in sacks this season (8.5), but he is also the defender who injured Jets’ quarterback Zach Wilson last season.

The play came in Week 7 early in the 2nd quarter in New England. Judon hammered Wilson after he got the throw off, and Wilson missed the next four games with a knee injury.

Now, Wilson is back under center for the Jets after a second-knee injury sustained this past preseason, and he will face Judon again.

The circumstances are not ideal. 

In the humiliating loss against the Bears, Judon logged 2.5 sacks, and the Jets lost their latest right tackle Alijah Vera-Tucker for the season in their latest win over the Broncos. 

New York has gone through offensive tackles this season the way the New York Times has gone through paper. 

Cedric Ogbuehi is now the latest to be penciled in as the starter at right tackle, and he will be tasked with slowing down the smarting Judon when he lines up on his side of the line off the edge. 

In my three game game film study against DET (10/9), CLV (10/16) and CHI (10/24) Judon has shown he can be a real handful when he feels like it.

About 75% of the time Judon seems fairly disinterested when he is in there wearing his signature red long sleeves under his No. 9 jersey, but his 25% is still good enough to obviously be dominant.

Judon demonstrates he still has all the pass rushing tools in his toolbox. 

He possesses extreme brute strength to authoritatively bull rush, he has enough speed to win through the back door, and he can press right through the inside gap to blow up the pocket when he feels like it. 

Judon could care less about defending the run on game film, but when he’s on as a pass rusher.

He’s on.

That’s not good news for Ogbuehi and it certainly is not good news for Wilson who is playing on a mending right knee twice injured in the past calendar year. 

This is where I don’t get Jets’ General Manager Joe Douglas. He does so much right, but then he leaves me scratching my head at times.

The Jets big trade need wasn’t going right out and replacing injured star running back Breece Hall with James Robinson, it was trading for an offensive tackle(s).

New York is Ogbuehi‘s seventh NFL team, since being selected by Cincinnati in the first round in 2015. 

Hint. That means he’s not too good. 

You better believe Judon can smell the blood in the water.

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Daniel Kelly
DANIEL KELLY

Daniel spent four years in pro scouting with the New York Jets and brings vast experience scouting pro and college talent. Daniel has appeared in many major publications, including the New York Times and USA Today. Author of Whatever it Takes, the true story of a fan making it into the NFL, which was published in 2013. He has appeared on podcasts around the world breaking down and analyzing the NFL. Currently writes for SI All Lions. You can contact Daniel at whateverittakesbook@gmail.com

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