The New York Jets take on the San Francisco 49ers in Levi Stadium this coming Sunday. Both teams have had an abysmal year, battling injuries and hardships which has led to the 3-9 record for the Jets and the 1-11 record for the 49ers. With the Jets having been eliminated from playoff contention once again, and the 49ers having been eliminated as well, the rest of the season is lost. Neither team is playing for anything aside from pride, to finish the season on a good note and bring this turbulent year to a close with some hard fought wins. Here are the New York Jets Week 14 Keys to Victory over the 49ers.
New York Jets Week 14 Keys to Victory
Bryce Petty Taking the Helm
Bryce Petty will be making only his second start of his career this Sunday. He started Week 10 for an injured Ryan Fitzpatrick and then got placed back into the backup role. Coach Todd Bowles has officially handed the reins of the team to Petty, saying he will start the remainder of the season. With the Jets having been eliminated from playoff contention, this is an opportunity for the Jets to see what Petty is capable of as a starter. That being said, Petty has to play well not just for his own sake, but so the Jets can end the season strong. Petty right now has two touchdowns and three interceptions with minimal play time; that shows that he has potential and just is making young player mistakes. If Petty struggles in the remainder of the games then the entire team will continue to struggle, they need him to play like a veteran and make good decisions with the football.
Ground Attack is Key
Both teams are relatively even when it comes down to their average stats. But one stat that stands out the most is that the 49ers have given up on average 169.3 rush yards per game, which makes them one of the worst run defenses in the league right now. This opens the door for Matt Forte to rack up massive yardage. With a young quarterback under center, the offense will rely on Forte to carry most of the work load. Forte currently has 784 yards on the year with a 3.7 yards per carry average, which is by all means respectable especially given how poorly the Jets have played overall. If Forte can get going on the ground he can open up the passing game for Petty, which will take the pass rush pressure off of the young quarterback. The ground game and passing attack go hand in hand, if the ground game is strong then the defense cannot pass rush as much because they could get burned by a run and vice versa.
Pride and Grit
The Jets are a lost cause this year for the playoffs, that became official with the loss to the Indianapolis Colts last week. But i refuse to believe that they are a beaten team. Last week they played with no heart and no grit. I think that was a wake up call for them. This weeks game will be played not for a playoff spot, but for pride. To be able to go back into the locker room with a hard fought victory because they gave their all, that is all they have going for them right now. After last weeks beating, Coach Bowles acknowledged the lack of effort, and the players did as well. In order for the Jets to end the season strong, they need pride and grit to do so.
The win over the 49ers will not come easy as both teams have struggled. But with a strong game from both Forte and Petty, as well as some grit and determination from the rest of the team, there is no reason as to why the win shouldn’t go to the Jets. The season has to end on a strong note for the team, and this game is the first step to do so.
