A Great Opportunity to Get Right

What we saw last week – and down the stretch last season – does not feel like a simple “it’s only Week 1” anomaly. Still, we have to hope that is exactly what it was. The New York Jets present Green Bay with an opportunity to put together a complete game, restore some confidence and, most importantly, get the offensive line back on track.

The Jets entered the 2026 season with Aaron Glenn in his second year as head coach, and they are coming off a convincing 23-10 Week 1 win at Tennessee. New York and Cleveland have been prime examples of losing organizations in recent years, but Packers fans do not need a reminder that a bad opponent can still ruin a Sunday. Green Bay went into Cleveland in Week 3 last season and dropped a game to an awful Browns team.

The Jets have not made the playoffs since the 2010 season, when they lost to Pittsburgh in the AFC Championship Game before Green Bay beat the Steelers in Super Bowl XLV. Since 2011, New York has produced just one winning season – a 10-6 finish in 2015 – while compiling an 85-160 record (.347).

Some believe the Jets may finally be turning things around after last week’s win. They dominated time of possession, overcame a lost turnover battle and committed twice as many penalties as Tennessee, yet still won comfortably. Their defense allowed only 195 total yards and 10 points. Then again, the Titans could be competing for the No. 1 overall pick in the next draft, and Week 1 results can be deceptive. This may still be a mirage.

How Do These Teams Match Up

There is no Matchup Matrix yet, but the Packers offense is not the Titans offense. It is hard to imagine Green Bay’s offensive line putting worse tape on film than it did last week, so the Jets should have a much tougher time holding Love and company under 400 yards, let alone near the 195 yards Tennessee managed.

Beyond the offensive line, the biggest issue to watch is ball control. Establishing the run and winning in the trenches should allow Green Bay to control possession in the first half. That, in turn, would let Matt LaFleur and Jordan Love open things up and play loose after halftime – ideally with a lead large enough that even LaFleur and the Packers cannot piss it away.

When New York has the ball, the Packers defense needs to perform the way it did last week. If that unit is not stuck on the field for more than 18 minutes in the first half, it should be good enough to win this game.

Players to Watch

Sticking with the time-of-possession theme, the Jets fully committed to the run against Tennessee: 39 rushing attempts compared with only 24 passes. New York has two capable halfbacks in No. 20 Breece Hall and former Wisconsin Badger No. 0 Braelon Allen. They combined for 32 carries, 142 yards (4.4 per carry) and a touchdown. The Jets’ other touchdown also came on the ground, courtesy of tight end Kenyon Sadiq.

Green Bay allowed 107 rushing yards on 34 attempts last week – only 3.1 yards per carry – and must repeat that performance. If the Packers can play from ahead and force the Jets to throw, the game should tilt heavily in Green Bay’s favor.

Lukas Van Ness had a solid game at U.S. Bank Stadium aside from the offsides penalty that helped set up Minnesota’s first touchdown. He and Keisean Nixon will need to keep setting the tone for Green Bay to come out victorious. That will be true every week until Micah Parsons returns.

Prediction

Packers 27
Jets 17

Season: 1-0    |    Overall: 118-77