COVID-19, and its high-flying omicron variant, is the main storyline for Sunday’s Jets-Jaguars matchup at MetLife Stadium.
The latest pandemic surge has altered the lineup for both teams.
The Jets have been completely blitzed by the virus, starting with head coach Robert Saleh who tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday and is currently in isolation.
Saleh said he is feeling fine, but he would need to clear protocols by Saturday to return to the sidelines.
“I’ve got to get two negatives, that would be today and tomorrow,” Saleh said during a virtual press conference Thursday. “We’re proceeding as if I’m not coaching on Sunday. If I do come up with two negatives, it would be an easy adjustment, but we’re operating as if I will not be there Sunday.”
If Saleh isn’t cleared, tight ends coach Ron Middleton will be the head coach on Sunday. Saleh chose Middleton because of his coaching experience and to keep the majority of his coaching staff’s obligations the same.
“Ron has been in this league for a very long time. Obviously, I don’t want to say it to belittle it or anything like that but I just want everyone to [be] doing their jobs as they would in regards to coordinators and all that,” Saleh said. “He’s been around the ringer. So, there’s plenty of guys on the staff that are qualified for it, it was just something I chose with Ron.”
Along with Saleh, here’s the gigantic list of Gang Green players to land on the COVID-19 list over the past week.
Michael Carter II, Elijah Moore, Alijah Vera-Tucker, Foley Fatukasi, John Franklin-Myers, Justin Hardee, Hamsah Nasirildeen, Sharrod Neasman, Jeff Smith, Blake Cashman, Ashytn Davis, Kenny Yeboah, Jonathan Marshall, Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, Joe Flacco, Noah Dawkins, Lamar Jackson, Tanzel Smart, Vyncint Smith and Hamilcar Rashed.
That group includes seven key contributors and two special team aces. The good news for Gang Green is special team standouts Hardee and Jeff Smith were activated off the COVID-19 list on Friday. But Saleh doesn’t expect any more names to come off the COVID list in time for Sunday.
The Jets are forced to play backups and players off the street.
Let’s start on offense. Vera-Tucker and Duvernay-Tardif won’t be available and that means Dan Feeney and Greg Van Roten are thrust into the lineup in key offensive line positions.
Van Roten started nine games and struggled as he allowed 34 pressures and three sacks, which is why he was benched for Duvernay-Tardif after he was acquired from the Chiefs at the beginning of November. Feeney hasn’t started a game in 2021, but in his last season with the Chargers he allowed 33 pressures and four sacks.
So inserting Van Roten and Feeney isn’t ideal from a protection standpoint for Zach Wilson, who struggles under pressure. And rookie QBs need consistent clean pockets to have success.
On the defensive side, Carter II has been the starting slot corner and had only missed one game (concussion) before COVID entered the picture this week. Javelin Guidry will replace him. Franklin-Myers being out hurts the pass rush as he’s tied for the team lead in sacks with six.
But the most alarming situation for the Jets is at the safety spot. Davis and Neasman are out and nd Elijah Riley is recovering from his concussion and isn’t available this weekend.
The Jets added safety Kai Nacua, who is familiar with Saleh. Nacua was with the 49ers in 2020, appearing in five games. Saleh’s team also claimed Will Parks this week after the Miami Dolphins released him.
So the Jets will trot out two safeties that haven’t played a snap with the Jets.
“Nacua, obviously we had him in San Francisco, hard-nosed, very smart, instinctive, BYU kid. He was a pleasure to have in San Francisco last year,” Saleh said. “Obviously with Parks, he has a lot of experience in this league, he has experience in our system, similar systems, obviously running it in Philadelphia with Marquand Manuel and having some of that recall. So, there’s familiarity, obviously, and experience which was important.”
Jason Pinnock has some experience at safety this season, if you count 11 snaps as experience.
“We’ve been kind of sprinkling it in throughout games, but he’s going to get the full gambit, hopefully this week, but we’ll see,” Saleh said.
The Jaguars are expected to miss important players, too. They will be without three starters Sunday. Standout pass rusher Josh Allen, receiver Laviska Shenault and guard Ben Bartch were placed on the COVID list and won’t make the trip to New Jersey. Allen leads the Jaguars in sacks with 5.5 and Shenault Jr is second on the Jaguars in receiving with 544 yards.