NY Jets run defense has to deliver in season-defining Week 10 game

After a win over the Houston Texans in Week 9, fueled by an impressive second-half performance, the NY Jets will head out west to face the NFC West-leading Arizona Cardinals. This is another must-win game for the Jets as they look to keep their season and slim playoff hopes alive for another week.

Not only did Thursday's performance against Houston showcase an offensive outburst in the second half, but it also was a game where the Jets' pass rush dominated all night. As a team, New York held Stroud under 200 yards passing and pressured him 32 times, finishing with eight sacks.

While these were positives and something New York needs to continue, Thursday was another reminder that the Jets' run defense is still a concern. Gang Green allowed Joe Mixon and company to rush for 187 yards on the ground, which was the seventh 100+ yard game allowed by New York this season.

Sunday won't be any easier for New York, in fact, it may be their toughest test yet. The pass rush getting home to Kyler Murray will be important, but the biggest question is whether they will have an answer for James Conner and the Cardinals' rushing attack.

NY Jets must contain James Conner and the Cardinals rushing attack

This season, James Conner has tallied 147 carries for 664 yards and four touchdowns. His carries and yards both rank sixth in the NFL. Conner has also tallied four 100+ yard games this season, with all four coming at home, including a huge performance last Sunday. Against Chicago, the 29-year-old registered 18 carries for 107 yards, averaging an impressive 5.9 yards per attempt.

Sunday wasn't just Conner having success it was a full team effort. Arizona rushed 34 times for 213 yards and three touchdowns en route to a 29-9 victory. To put it simply, New York is going to have their hands full on Sunday.

Coming into this game, the Cardinals' 149.7 rush yards per game rank seventh best in the NFL. On top of this, Arizona leads the NFC in yards per attempt, averaging 5.3 this season. While Arizona is having success on the ground, the Jets are not having success stopping the run.

New York comes into Sunday's action allowing 132.6 rush yards per game, which ranks 21st in the NFL. Even when the Jets have been at their best on defense over the last few seasons, stopping the run has always been a weakness.

Without a true run-stuffer in the interior this season, New York has found themselves consistently losing reps up front on run plays and missing tackles when backs get to the second level of the defense.

With the season on the line again on Sunday, the Jets' defense needs to find a way to slow down the Cardinals' ground game. Getting pressure on Murray and containing his receiving weapons is important, but stopping the run will ultimately decide whether or not the Jets keep their season alive for another week.

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