Sauce Gardner was downgraded Saturday to out with a concussion, leaving the New York Jets without their top two starting cornerbacks for their game against the Philadelphia Eagles. Gardner was added to the Jets' injury report Friday with what the team called an “illness,” although coach Robert Saleh said before practice he thought last season's AP Defensive Rookie of the Year would be fine to play Sunday. The Jets already were without D.J. Reed, who is missing his second straight game — also with a concussion — against an Eagles wide receivers group that includes arguably the best duo in the NFL with A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith.
The Philadelphia Eagles and New York Jets will be without a few key defensive players when they square off at MetLife Stadium on Sunday. Rookie defensive tackle Jalen Carter, the undefeated Eagles' sacks leader, was ruled out Friday with an ankle injury that occurred during practice Wednesday and kept him out the next two days. The ninth overall pick in April out of Georgia has 3 1/2 sacks in his first five NFL games.
Robert Saleh and the New York Jets know it's probably coming and it's nearly impossible to stop. The Philadelphia Eagles' “tush push” could make an appearance during the teams' showdown Sunday at MetLife Stadium. “You've got to be sound, you've got to be disciplined, so we’ll do our best in that regard,” Saleh said Wednesday before smiling.
JETS OFFENSE: OVERALL (27), RUSH (11), PASS (32), SCORING (24) JETS DEFENSE: OVERALL (22), RUSH (29), PASS (14), SCORING (14) TURNOVER DIFFERENTIAL: Eagles plus-3; Jets plus-1. EAGLES PLAYER TO WATCH: WR A.J. Brown. After a slow start, Brown has come on strong with three straight games with 125-plus yards receiving.
Zach Wilson remembers looking across the New York Jets' offensive line during a joint practice with the Philadelphia Eagles as a rookie and seeing Fletcher Cox snarling. “I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, Fletcher Cox is yelling at me right now,'” Wilson said with a laugh Thursday. “It was right from the jump, so it was just a little welcome to the NFL moment.”