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Jets 3 storylines to watch – Metro US

Jets 3 storylines to watch

1 Will Sanchez shake off a bad game?

Two weeks ago, Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez went 17-for-30 for 198 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. Rewind a year ago and the Jets would have gladly taken that statline from their then rookie quarterback. This year, however, the expectations are higher for Sanchez, who needs to protect the football with Pro Bowl corner Charles Woodson in the secondary and NFL?sack leader Clay Matthews chasing him around on Sunday.

“[I got] away from some of the fundamentals [like] holding the ball in one hand, getting my feet set,” Sanchez said.

2 Can the D shut down another air attack?

The defense held the league’s top passer, Kyle Orton, to just 209 yards and 14 completions in week 6. This weekend, they face another top five passing attack, led by Aaron Rodgers.

The man who finally beat Brett Favre last Sunday has thrown for more than 290 yards in four games this season but already has nine picks.

“Really, their whole secondary is ball-hawk guys, guys who are making plays around the ball,” Rodgers said. “A lot of respect for that defense.”

That vaunted secondary, for all its big names, actually ranks in the bottom third, giving up 229 passing yards a game.

3 Did the bye help or hurt the Jets?

Coming off the bye week, the Jets should be rested and healed, something cornerback Darrelle Revis and his injured hamstring desperately needed.

“The [bye] week helped out for me to stay up here and get all the treatment that I needed to get, so I’m ready to go,” Revis said earlier this week. “I’m 100 percent.”

But for a team that was rolling atop the AFC?East, the time off may have messed with their rhythm. Coach Rex Ryan said the bye couldn’t have come at a worse time for his team, which has won five straight games.

Key matchups:

1. Jets Backfield vs. Green Bay’s Defense – Behind LaDainian Tomlinson and Shonn Greene, the Jets have the second best ground game in the league. On Sunday, they face a defense ranked 23rd in stopping the run. Advantage: Jets

2. Clay Matthews vs. New York’s Pass Protection – Mark Sanchez has been sacked just nine times this season, just a ½ a sack more than former USC teammate Clay Matthews’ league leading number. Matthews gets off that edge in a hurry, but he’s “only” had 2 ½ sacks over his last four games. Advantage: Even

3. The Kicking Game – Nick Folk has impressed this year, nailing every point-after attempt and hitting a 56-yard field goal in Denver last game. But Mason Crosby is no slouch either, having made five of his seven attempts over 40 yards this season. Folk, however, has been close to automatic this year. Advantage: Jets

Prediction: Green Bay 27 New York 13