EVEN KEEL: Kyle Wilson — tackling receiver Early Doucet during the Jets’ ugly 7-6 win over Arizona Sunday — said Gang Green won’t be taking the Jaguars receiving corps lightly, though Jacksonville will be without leading receiver Cecil Shorts (inset). (CSM/Landov, Getty Images (inset))
The Jets won’t have to deal with Jaguars’ leading receiver Cecil Shorts tomorrow. But that doesn’t mean they are breathing a sigh of relief.
“We treat everybody the same. We expect the best each week and we know what we are getting into,” Jets cornerback Kyle Wilson said. “You don’t look at how this team plays. We get everybody’s best and go out and give our best. That’s how we look at it. We put together a good week of practice. Come game time, we are going to use all that to our advantage.”
Shorts, who is out with a concussion, is having a Pro Bowl-type season in his sophomore year. He has 43 receptions and 824 receiving yards, including three 100-yard receiving games to go along with seven touchdowns. Shorts also has scored in four straight games. He was knocked out early in the Jaguars’ 34-18 loss to the Bills last weekend and was not cleared to play.
Kevin Elliot and Jordan Shipley will see more time at receiver in his absence, with Elliot most likely being the starter. Elliot has seven catches for 70 yards, while Shipley has four grabs for 43 yards. Neither has a touchdown.
Though the Jaguars sport a 2-10 record, they have scored a little more than 26 points per game over their last three contests, including a tough 43-37 road overtime loss to the AFC-leading Texans.
Nevertheless, Wilson and his fellow corners still will have their hands full with rookie receiver Justin Blackmon (who had 236 yards in the loss to the Texans) and tight end Marcedes Lewis. It’s imperative the Jets get an early lead after four-straight games of allowing the opposing team to score first, especially because a loss would put them at 5-8 and cripple any slight playoff chances they may have left.
“Every game, you want to start out with a fast start,” Wilson said. “You want to jump on your opponent. But whatever it takes, we are down for the fight. We’re going to do whatever it takes to win the game and that’s our focus.”
Mark Sanchez will need a better performance tomorrow than his 10-for-21, three interception debacle in the Jets’ ugly 7-6 win over the Cardinals that forced coach Rex Ryan to pull him in the third quarter.
Any offense would be appreciated by Wilson and the rest of the Jets secondary, which seemingly needs to play flawlessly for the Jets to have any chance to win.
It hasn’t been the easiest season for Wilson, who has bounced around in the Jets’ defensive schemes and has been tortured by opposing wide receivers and fans alike. But he has kept a positive outlook.
“I’m used to playing nickel,” he said. “But I just enjoying playing, and looking at it from the aspect of doing different things, moving around. I don’t look at it as a bad thing. And I like doing that because you get to play different techniques. It’s a lot of thinking but I really enjoy it.”