Jets Game Preview: Week 5 vs. Texans

QB Mark Sanchez has an anemic 69.6 quarterback rating. Usually, as the quarterback goes, so goes the team. Sanchez has to take hold of his offense and start to make things happen.

By Lisa Zimmerman

Oct 6, 2012 at 12:09 pm ET • 3 min read

Jets QB Mark Sanchez needs to produce or the fans will be calling for backup Tim Tebow. (US Presswire)

Texans at Jets -- Week 5

Where: MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, N.J. (artificial turf, outdoors)

When: Monday, 8:30 p.m. (ESPN)

Spread: Texans by 8

Forecast: Potential for showers. Temperature in the 50s.

Records: Jets (Overall: 2-2, AFC East: 2-0); Texans (Overall: 4-0, AFC South: 2-0)

Past results: Two most recent meetings -- Nov. 21, 2010 Jets 30, Texans 27); Sept. 13, 2009 Jets 24, Texans 7. Series record: Jets lead 5-0.

What matters: It’s Groundhog Day. The Jets need to find a way to run the ball and the Jets have got to stop the run. They are 31st in the league in run defense, which is galling to coach Rex Ryan. With his No. 1 receiver Santonio Holmes done for the year with a
Lisfranc injury and WR Stephen Hill and TE Dustin Keller both likely out with hamstring injuries, QB Mark Sanchez is going to have to step up and make something happen with this offense. The team may not have a better situation in which to get QB Tim Tebow and the wildcat going.

Who matters: QB Mark Sanchez. Sanchez has an anemic 69.6 quarterback rating. Usually, as the quarterback goes, so goes the team. Sanchez has to take hold of his offense and start to make things happen. It will be an uphill battle with all of the issues at wide receiver, but
he has to make better decisions, which will allow the offense to be more productive.

Key matchups: 1) RB Arian Foster vs. the Jets front seven. Foster is in fourth place in the NFL in rushing averaging 95 yards per game. He has a total of 380 yards for the season. Stopping the run has not been the Jets forte. They need to step it up and stop Foster. 2) DE J.J.Watt vs. LT D’Brickashaw Ferguson and RT Austin Howard. Watt was named AFC Player of the Month for September and leads the NFL in sacks with 7.5. He’s also tied for the third ithe league in tackles, with 20. Watt plays both left and right, so both Ferguson and Howard will have their hands full.

Injuries of note: WR Santonio Holmes has been put on injured reserve with a Lisfranc injury. WR Stephen Hill and TE Dustin Keller are both very iffy with hamstring injuries. Although he will probably play, NT Sione Po’uha has been struggling with a back injury since training camp. LB Bryan Thomas is still battling a hamstring.

Inside stuff: Missing their best defensive player, CB Darrelle Revis, and now one of their best offensive players, Holmes, the Jets are doing a lot of re-grouping. The rest of the wide receiving group, WR Stephen Hill, Jeremy Kerley and Patrick Turner are young and will be
tested throughout the season. WR Chaz Schilens has thus far been a non-factor. Kerley has been playing well, but Hill has been dealing with a hamstring injury.

Connections: S Yeremiah Bell and Texans K Shayne Graham played together in Miami in 2011. Texans QB coach Karl Dorrell was on OC Tony Sparano’s staff from 2008-2011 when Sparano was the Dolphins head coach.

Stat you should know: The Jets' defense is 31st in the NFL in defending the run. Conversely, they are third in the league against the pass.

Record watch: LB David Harris needs 0.5 sacks for a career total of 20. TE Dustin Keller needs two touchdowns to pass Johnny Mitchell for fifth on the all-time list for most receiving TDs by a TE. He needs three touchdowns to pass Anthony Becht for fourth place. Keller has 17 touchdowns.

Looking ahead: Coming off their 34-0 loss to the 49ers, the second worst loss in coach Rex Ryan’s tenure, the Jets are desperate for a win. They finish the first half of the season by hosting the Colts and then taking on two division rivals, going to New England and then
returning home to face the Dolphins.