Tag: Robert Salah

Seahawks vs. Jets: Week 17 preview and prediction

However, both teams have cratered a bit in the second half of the year, each losing five of their last six games.

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The Seattle Seahawks are making their final stand of the season. With a 7-8 record, Seattle’s playoff hopes are slim… but not non-existent. They will end the year with two final games at home against tough but beatable opponents. Win these two, and they have a chance to return to the postseason. First on the docket is the New York Jets.

In many ways, the Jets have been the AFC’s version of the Seahawks. A team that finished in last place in their division a year ago started the 2022 campaign surprisingly strong. Both the Seahawks and the Jets cruised their way to a 6-3 record, making the case they would be playoff contenders. However, both teams have cratered a bit in the second half of the year, each losing five of their last six games.

For Seattle and New York, the problems have been polar opposites. Seattle’s defensive collapse has been costing them wins left and right. Meanwhile, New York’s defense has remained strong. The issue has been an anemic offense led by second-year quarterback Zach Wilson, who has made the case for being one of the biggest draft busts in recent memory.

However, the Seahawks will not be fortunate enough to play against Wilson. Instead they will play backup-turned-starter Mike White at quarterback, who is returning from injury. With White under center, the Jets offense has life and can be quite frisky. Seattle’s defense has turned it around in the last two weeks, playing reasonably well against the likes of San Francisco and Kansas City, so there’s reason for optimism they can keep the Jets in check.

The real challenge will be if Seattle’s offense can move against head coach Robert Salah’s defense. Geno Smith and Co. have struggled mightily in the last three games, finding it hard to get into any sense of a rhythm, and when they do, it’s been far too late in the game. If the Seahawks offense can get back to the efficient machine they were early in the season they have a chance.

Both the Jets and Seahawks are struggling, but the vibes around these teams feel different. For New York, a sense of frustration as a potential playoff team has been undone by a quarterback they felt was the franchise’s savior. For Seattle, optimism they can still right the ship. I trust a desperate Pete Carroll team to find a way to grind out a low scoring win.

Prediction: Seahawks over Jets 20-17.

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Jets QB Joe Flacco to start in Week 1 vs. Ravens

Jets head coach Robert Salah announced that quarterback Joe Flacco will start Week 1 against the Ravens

The Baltimore Ravens will be at the Meadowlands on Sunday to open their 2022 season against the New York Jets. Many familiar faces from the Ravens’ past will be on the field as members of the Jets, including one that led the team to a Super Bowl victory in 2013.

New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh announced on Wednesday that quarterback Joe Flacco will start Week 1 against Baltimore while quarterback Zach Wilson continues to recover from a knee injury. The news doesn’t come as much of a surprise, as the buildup for a potential matchup between Flacco and the Ravens have been building up for weeks.

Flacco was drafted by the Ravens in the 2008 NFL Draft and spent 11 seasons in Baltimore. The veteran quarterback had success during his time in a Ravens’ uniform, which included leading the team to a Super Bowl where they defeated the San Francisco 49ers.

Following practice on Wednesday, Ravens head coach John Harbaugh spoke with the media. When asked about facing off against the quarterback he spent a decade with, Harbaugh said it may feel a little different, but the end goal is to win.

“Probably, before the game it will be good to say hello, but once you get into the game, it’s the game. We have to defend their offense, and Joe [Flacco]’s ability to play in that offense, and that’s really what we’re looking at. We talked about it today, we anticipated that Joe would be the guy. That’s who we talked about today in our meetings. We’re on track, and we’re going to have to do a good job. Joe’s a heck of a quarterback. He’s capable of making plays, making throws, he’s experienced, he knows what he’s doing. They’re confident in him, so we’re going to be at our best and put our best foot forward defensively against that offense on Sunday.”

Harbaugh wasn’t the only one to speak about facing off against Flacco. Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson also made some comments about playing against his former teammate and what he learned during his time with the veteran.

“Actually, I’m not going against Joe [Flacco], the defense is. I’m going against the Jets defense, but he meant a lot. Playing with a Super Bowl quarterback, seeing what he did on the field, stuff like that, how he took apart the game, took apart practice and stuff like that. Seeing him sling the ball from one side of the field to the next side of the field, from our 20 [-yard27453 line] to the opposite opponent’s 20 [-yard line] … It was ridiculous. It will be great seeing him.”

Flacco accounted for 38,245 passing yards and 212 touchdowns during his 11 years in Baltimore.

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Will Jets’ new hire throw a wrench in Dolphins’ draft aspirations?

Will Jets’ new hire throw a wrench in Dolphins’ draft aspirations?

The New York Jets entered this offseason as the only AFC East team without a coach. As of this morning, they’ve got one. And, ironically enough, amid the offensive rat race that so many teams fall into across the league, the entire division now has head coaches rooted in defensive backgrounds. McDermott. Flores. Belichick. And now, Robert Salah.

With the Jets’ front office and coaching situation now established, the Jets must turn their eyes towards decoding how to their offseason strategy should run. And ESPN’s Adam Schefter has provided the first clue that New York may depart from the vast assumption that they’ll be drafting a quarterback to pair with their new regime.

Of course, this is still very early in the process and much will change over the course of the next three months. But Adam Schefter stating what he did on Sportscenter last night should hold a lot of weight.

“I would be surprised if Sam Darnold were not the (Jets’)’ starting quarterback on opening day.”

This of course, would not change all that much for Miami other that potentially removing a player of interest off the board ahead of the Dolphins, who pick at No. 3. But where this decision, should it become reality, will hurt Miami most is in the bidding war for quarterback hungry teams to trade up in the draft. Miami was presumed to be the team at the top of the order that would benefit from teams like Carolina and San Francisco and Chicago calling about a trade for a quarterback.

But if the Jets stay committed to Darnold, it may move them, in year one of a new regime, to field offers as well. And if that happens, Miami may be “stuck” at No. 3.

But then again, who knows. It is officially “lying season” in the NFL, so the Jets may be teasing a direction they don’t really intent to do in order to drive the up the perceived value of Sam Darnold before the trade lines start ringing this spring.