The Jets have a tall task this weekend trying to slow down the physical Baltimore Ravens.

So how does Gang Green plan to match the Ravens’ intensity on both sides of the ball?

“We’re physical too,” Jets coach Robert Saleh said. “That’s how you match it.”

Easier said than done for the Jets as they will need to find a way to stop arguably the most potent rushing attack in the league. The Ravens averaged 145.8 yards per game on the ground in 2021, which was the third best in the NFL.

On the flip side, the Jets finished 29th in rushing defense, allowing 138.3 yards on the ground. They’re hoping the additions of Jermaine Johnson, Micheal Clemons along with getting Carl Lawson back from an Achilles injury he suffered last season, will improve Gang Green’s rushing defense from a season ago.

“I think as we get more familiar with this front, we’re going to get better, just naturally,” Jets defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich said. “I think the addition of some of the guys that we’ve gotten will help a little that.

“In this league, you’ve got to create the second and longs, you’ve got to create those third down [opportunities] on second down where you can absolutely let this pass rush just go and jump out the shoes and affect quarterbacks, so playing the run at a higher level is necessary to play the defense that we want to play.”

Baltimore’s backfield could also have a bonus this weekend as running back J.K. Dobbins could play. After averaging 6.0 yards per carry as a rookie in 2020, Dobbins suffered a knee injury during the 2021 preseason and missed the entire campaign.

If Dobbins plays, he will join a Ravens ground game led by star quarterback Lamar Jackson, who finished with 767 yards before suffering a season-ending bone bruise in his ankle. Jackson also rushed for back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons in 2019 and ‘20.

But it’s not just Jackson’s legs the Jets need to be concerned about. Jackson passed for 2,757 yards and 26 touchdowns in 2020 and then for 2,882 yards and 16 TDs last season.

The two-time Pro Bowler also has a connection with tight end Mark Andrews that’s been used as a security blanket for the Ravens offense. This is another element the Jets will need to be aware of during Sunday’s game.

“Dynamic, fast, violent as a runner, he’s got a really good arm, can throw the football, he’s got good targets to throw to,” Saleh said about Jackson. “He is special, it’s basically wildcat offense with him.

“His ability to tuck the ball and run, they’ve always had an extra gap and then his speed to capture edges. He’s one of the most dynamic football players in the league and he’s an absolute bear to prepare for, so this is the ultimate challenge and it’s in Week 1, so thankfully, we’ve had all offseason to prepare, we’ll see how it works out.”

Plus, Jackson will be playing with a chip on his shoulder after he and the Ravens couldn’t agree on a contract extension ahead of the season.

Although the Ravens offense has a bruising old-school style, so does their defense. Baltimore finished first in the NFL in rushing defense, allowing 84.5 yards per game.

Joe Flacco knows better than anyone how physical the Ravens defense can be. He played with the club for 11 seasons, winning 10 playoff games, including Super Bowl XLVII and being named the game’s MVP.

The Ravens also have former All-Pros in Calais Campbell and Marlon Humphries, who could make Flacco’s job that much more challenging. Baltimore also has a new defensive coordinator in Michael Macdonald, who was the Michigan Wolverines’ D-coordinator last season.

“They’ve had good defenses and they have something that they believe in,” Flacco said when asked about the leadership change. “So there is going to be [differences], obviously, with the person that’s behind the window calling the games. But ultimately I think they’re going to rely on the things that they kind of always found consistency in and therefore you got to rely on that a little bit yourself and just go play football.”

Can the Jets match the Ravens’ physicalness and intensity on the field? That remains to be seen.

But it is undoubtedly the key to securing a Jets victory on Sunday.

“You do your best to stick to your principles,” Saleh said. “Obviously, you have to adjust some stuff based on what you have seen and you’re going to have your wrinkles that you’ve been working on throughout all of OTA’s and training camp, but at the end of the day, you are playing rules football and just trying to make sure that you digest as much information.

“They’ll reveal their game plan early just like we will and vice versa with our offense and defense. Then, just who can make that adjustment in-game and continue to find ways to get better all the way into the fourth quarter so you can finish fast.”

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