From Week 10 of the NFL Season featuring the Washington Commanders at the Philadelphia Eagles from Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, November 14, 2022. (All-Pro Reels / Joe Glorioso)
New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh has never been afraid to utilize the common phrase of “iron sharpening iron” when it comes to game day.
When his Jets take on the Philadelphia Eagles Sunday at MetLife Stadium, that mantra will be put to the test in several different position groups. Whether it’s New York’s defensive line against Philadelphia’s vaunted offensive line, or two of the best special teams groups battling, Sunday evening will be an excellent test for both teams.
Perhaps no position group battle is more enticing to watch than in the Jets’ secondary. Sauce Gardner and D.J. Reed are arguably the best cornerback duo in the NFL today with past examples of locking down some of the best overall groups in football.
Sunday will be the first time this year that they get a chance to face the best receiver duo in the game. Well, sort of.
With Reed not being able to pass concussion protocol Friday afternoon, the Jets will be without one of their top corner duos. The same cannot be said for their opponent’s top skill group.
A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith are two of the best receivers in the modern game. The fact that they just happen to play on the same team makes them a tough matchup for any team across the league – even if the Jets are confident in their ability to defend both at the same time.
“I’ve got tremendous confidence in our guys,” Jets defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich said. “They are in my opinion the best duo in the League, and because of that, you can lean on them a lot of times, especially times like this… They’re super excited about this challenge because you’re right, it’s one of the better wide receiver tandems if not the best one we’ll see all season long.”
The duo of Brown and Smith have…
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