CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Ed Reed has reason to believe.
The veteran safety was part of a Ravens team that lost three games in December last season, fired its offensive coordinator then went on a hot streak that ended with a Super Bowl title.
He knows funny things can happen in the NFL.
“ All we have to do is take care of what we can control, and that’s our games,” the Jets safety said this week. “Everything else will take care of itself. I’ve been in this position before. You just don’t know in the National Football League how it’s going to play out, so what you better do is take care of your business and hope for the best at the end.”
No one is expecting the Jets to hoist the Lombardi Trophy, but if they find a way to back into the playoffs, this would be a remarkable season. A loss to the Panthers on Sunday does not mathematically eliminate the Jets from the playoffs, but it would be a severe blow to their hopes.
The Jets [6-7] can be eliminated this weekend with a loss in Carolina and a Ravens win in Detroit on Monday night. Even so, the Jets know another loss realistically ends all hope of making it to the playoffs.
“We’re out of lifelines at this point,” guard Willie Colon said. “It’s all or nothing.”
The Panthers [9-4] present a major challenge for the Jets. Carolina won eight games in a row before losing to the Saints last week. The Panthers have the No. 2 defense in the NFL and have not lost at home since the first week of the season.
The Jets, on the other hand, haven’t had a winning streak all season. A win Sunday would change that.
“For us right now, it’s all about this game and that’s it,” coach Rex Ryan said. “How important is this game? Well, it means everything to us. We know how important this game is, and that’s it. But our focus ends right there, so it’s all about this is what we have. What’s behind us is behind us. We’ve learned from it, and we’re at this stage and we know we’re going to do everything in our power to be at our very best when we play this game.”
A look inside the game:
Marquee match up: Jets RB Chris Ivory vs. Panthers LB Luke Kuechly
The Jets have gotten a boost from Ivory lately. He has run with a physical style that is fun to watch and has moved the chains. Ivory has 524 yards since Oct. 20, averaging 4.7 yards per carry and 74.9 yards per game, both the fifth-best in the AFC in that span.
Now, Ivory has to try to run through Kuechly, who is a tackling machine. He has 113 tackles, eighth most in the NFL. The second-year player has become one of the best linebackers in football.
“That guy is a great player and the other guys kind of feed off of him,” Jets wide receiver David Nelson said of Kuechly.
Better slam cam
Panthers quarterback Cam Newton has played well this season, leading the way during Carolina’s 8-1 stretch. He has a 92.3 passer rating over those nine games and he has rushed for five touchdowns in that time.
The Jets goal against Newton is simple: Hit him … a lot. The Jets know the 6-foot-5, 245-pounder is a load to take down, and they want him to get jittery.
“He’s a problem for defensive players,” linebacker Calvin Pace said. “It’s tough. We have to affect him. Obviously, with his stature we’re not going to stop him completely. He’s going to make some plays, but we have to make his day difficult. It might not even be a four- or five-sack game, as long as we’re getting to him and hitting him, making him feel our presence, it’s going to be good for us.”
Woe Geno
Jets QB Geno Smith played better last week than he had in the three-game losing streak, but it would have been hard to play worse. Smith completed 16-of-25 for 219 yards and a touchdown against the Raiders. He also ran for 50 yards and a score. Now, can he do it against a tough defense?
Smith said he played more naturally last week, but that might be hard if he’s getting drilled by a fearsome Panthers front seven. The Panthers have 16 interceptions this season as well, despite what Santonio Holmes thinks about their pass defense.
It could be a long day for Smith.
D-cline
The Jets have given up 836 yards combined in their past two games — the most in back-to-back games of the Rex Ryan era. It’s not like they were facing the highest-powered offenses in the world either, in the Dolphins and Raiders. The Jets defense looks worn down, and it’s hard to blame them.
The defense has been on the field a ton this season, as the offense has failed to move the ball. It probably won’t get better this week. The Panthers offense leads the NFL in time of possession, with an average of 33:07 per game. They also have 27 five-minute drives this year.
If the Jets fall behind early and the defense packs it in, this game could get really ugly.
No running room
This is a matchup of the two best run defenses in the NFL. The Panthers took the top raking from the Jets last week after the Jets let the Raiders run wild. Carolina is allowing 79.4 yards per game. The Jets have allowed 82.6 yards per game.
The Jets defense would love to get that No. 1 ranking back, and their offense can help them do it.
Numbers to know:
3-0: Jets’ record against the NFC South this season. With wins over the Buccaneers, Falcons and Saints. Can the Jets win the division?
44: Pass plays of 20 yards or more given up by the Jets. They are susceptible to the big play. They have allowed 14 passes of 40 yards or more.
9: Times the Panthers have gone for it on fourth-and-1 this season, converting it eight times.
Costello’s call
The Jets showed some signs of life last week against the Raiders, but this is a major step up in class. It’s too tough a task for the Jets (1-5 away from home) to beat a good Panthers team on the road.
Panthers 28, Jets 10