New York Jets: Top 3 keys to victory in Week 5 against the Philadelphia Eagles

FOXBOROUGH, MA – SEPTEMBER 22: Le’Veon Bell #26 of the New York Jets runs the ball past Chase Winovich #50 and Jason McCourty #30 of the New England Patriots during the second quarter at Gillette Stadium on September 22, 2019 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. New York Jets (Photo by Kathryn Riley/Getty Images) /

The New York Jets will attempt to avoid an 0-4 start this Sunday when they take on the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 5. Here are three keys to ensuring a much-needed victory.

The New York Jets are just days away from a possible make-or-break game that could decide the fate of their season. Unfortunately, fate hasn’t exactly been on their side through the first four weeks of the season.

Facing a tough Philadelphia Eagles team on the road is a difficult task for any team — let alone one still without their starting quarterback among many other missing pieces.

The Jets have looked inept through the first three games of the year — in part due to their own shortcomings on top of their misfortune. But none of that matters now. Sitting at 0-3, all that matters now is picking up a victory.

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It will be difficult, but as cliché as it may be, anything could happen in the NFL. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers walloped the Los Angeles Rams just last week. Countless upsets happen throughout the course of the season and it’s unfair to write any team off in advance.

That said, it’s certainly going to be a challenge. Here are three keys to victory if the Jets want to defeat the Eagles this Sunday.

Next: 3. Capitalize on Eagles' CB injuries

GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN – SEPTEMBER 26: Running back Aaron Jones #33 of the Green Bay Packers runs against the defense of Rasul Douglas #32 and Andrew Sendejo #42 of the Philadelphia Eagles during the game at Lambeau Field on September 26, 2019 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. New York Jets (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) /

3. Capitalize on Eagles’ CB injuries

The Jets may be dealing with their own injuries at the moment, but they won’t be the only team that will be playing shorthanded in Sunday’s contest.

The Eagles are expected to play on Sunday without their top two corners as both Ronald Darby and Avonte Maddox won’t be available for the team’s Week 5 matchup. Darby missed last week dealing with a hamstring injury and is expected to be out a number of weeks.

2. Open up the offensive gameplan

The Eagles’ cornerback injuries will give the Jets a perfect opportunity to jumpstart what has been a downright awful offensive effort so far this year.

Unfortunately, we’ve learned that they will be without starting quarterback Sam Darnold for at least one more week as he recovers from his bout with mononucleosis. In his place, it will be Luke Falk who once again takes the reigns of the offense.

But it doesn’t matter who starts under center, the Jets are going to need to find a way to be more creative on offense and that all comes down to head coach Adam Gase.

Gase has had a rough start to his Jets tenure and even though there’s still time to correct this mess, every loss makes the team’s offseason hire look worse and worse.

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Against a beat-up Eagles secondary, the Jets must come out with a reinvigorated offensive gameplan complete with more downfield passing, intermediate routes, and preferably outside runs.

The predictable, vanilla play-calling must be put aside in favor of an inventive gameplan. The excuses are endless for Gase on the offense, but at this point, what do you have to lose?

The Jets are already 0-3 and the offense can’t get much worse. What’s the harm in being a little innovative with the offensive play-calling?

If the Jets want any shot of winning come Sunday, they can’t have a repeat performance of their lifeless offense. And that all starts with the man calling the plays.

Next: 1. Win the battle up front

FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – SEPTEMBER 22: Luke Falk #8 of the New York Jets hikes the ball against the New England Patriots during the first quarter in the game at Gillette Stadium on September 22, 2019 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. New York Jets (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images) /

1. Win the battle up front

But even though the play-calling has been questionable, to say the least, through three games, there has been no bigger detriment to the Jets offense than the play of their offensive line.

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There was hope going into the 2019 season that the offensive line would be improved after a subpar showing last season. But the unit has unexpectedly gotten worse, to the point where it’s surely a bottom-five unit in the league.

And on a Jets team that has struggled to an 0-3 start, it’s been the team’s weakest position group which is saying quite a lot.

Everything about the offense boils down to how the line plays up front. It’s hard to open up the passing game when your quarterback is given two or three seconds to work. And it’s impossible to get the running game going when your backs are getting hit behind the line on nearly every snap.

Le’Veon Bell can try and Luke Falk can do his best, but the offense isn’t working right now because of the difficulties up front.

And against a stout Eagles front-four featuring the likes of Fletcher Cox, Brandon Graham, and Derek Barnett, the Jets could be in a load of trouble if things don’t improve.

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Unless we see a complete turnaround from the offensive line following the bye week, the Jets don’t stand a chance on Sunday. There remains no greater key to victory than the play of the team’s offensive line.

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