The New York Jets have caught a huge break ahead of their Week 4 scheduled matchup with the Chicago Bears.
NFL Insiders Adam Schefter and Ian Rapoport revealed that Bears quarterback Caleb Williams “has a Grade 2 hamstring injury that doctors consider a three-to-four-week injury.”
Considering that return timeline, Williams will be unavailable for the Week 4 Jets game coming up on Sunday, October 4. The Jets will be facing off against a backup QB, which dramatically increases their chances of winning.
In Week 1, the Bears put up 59 points against the Carolina Panthers. Williams finished that game 21-of-29 for 269 passing yards with two passing touchdowns and zero interceptions. He also contributed 10 rushing attempts for 65 rushing yards and two additional scores on the ground.
Wait, Is It Actually an Advantage?
This news dropped on Sunday, September 27. At the time, this seemed like a distinct advantage for the Jets. However, after the final game of Week 3, it isn’t as obvious.
The Bears rolled out 38-year-old Case Keenum in Week 3 against the Philadelphia Eagles. Keenum led his team to victory, 27-7, and he thrived in the spotlight.
Keenum finished 24-of-34 for 247 passing yards with two passing touchdowns and no interceptions. He also contributed on the ground with four rushing attempts for six yards and a touchdown.
No starting QB for the Bears? No problem.
Analyst Omari Brown joined me on “Boy Green Daily” on Tuesday, September 29, and explained that Chicago head coach Ben Johnson called the same exact game plan. Instead of adjusting and taking less off the plate of Keenum, he gave him the same thing he would have given Williams, Brown told me.
That plan worked out perfectly.
If Keenum plays like that against the Jets, New York will have their hands full.
Taking a Gander at the Vegas Line
According to Vegas Insider, the Bears opened up as an 8.5-point home favorite over the Jets. However, the line has shrunk to just 3.5 points.
The Jets started the season 1-0, but they have now lost two straight contests. This matchup against the Bears will be the Jets’ final game against the NFC North until Week 17, when they host the Minnesota Vikings on January 3.
Everything is still in front of the Jets, but this game against the Bears is pivotal. If the Jets can win, they will return to .500 with a 2-2 record. In Week 5, they host the feistier-than-expected Cleveland Browns, but that is an eminently winnable game. All of a sudden, the Jets’ season prognosis looks a lot different.
However, if they drop this game to Chicago and fall to 1-3, this year could spiral totally out of control.
“The game, man there were a number, a number of positives that came out of that game, defensively and offensively, and there were some things on special teams, but there were also some things that we have to have urgency to be able to get these things fixed and be able to move on, especially going into this game going against a good quality opponent in Chicago, who I know the coach (Ben Johnson) very well. But we’re in a race, I will say that we are in a race to improve on some of these things that we have to get fixed so we can get ready to play against another good opponent. Again, I was pleased at some of the things, not happy with the loss, never will be happy with a loss, but there are some positives that I will actually share with this team so we can make sure we continue to improve on those things that I felt like we did good with,” head coach Aaron Glenn said on Monday.
Jets Catch Huge Break Ahead of Bears Matchup