Five questions with a Jets expert ahead of Redskins vs. Jets in NFL Week 11

The Washington Redskins are taking on the New York Jets on Sunday afternoon. To further evaluate the Redskins chances in this game, we talked to a Jets expert to evaluate the competition.

The Redskins are taking on the Jets in NFL Week 11. And the game looks like a winnable one on paper. Both teams aren’t very good — the Redskins stand at 1-8 and the Jets are 2-7 on the year — so it’s anyone’s guess as to who will be able to win.

We’ve taken a good look at the Redskins and their chances this week. But what about the Jets? They’re coming off a win and were considered by some to be a sleeper in the AFC coming into the season. Are they finally putting things together? Or are there still some holes that the Redskins can exploit?

To get more insight on them, we decided it would be smart to talk to a Jets expert ahead of the contest. We spoke to Paul A. Esden Jr. (a.k.a Boy Green) the co-Site Expert for FanSided’s Jets site, The Jet Press to get his take on the game. Without further ado, here are his thoughts on the contest.

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1. What do you make of the Jets win over the Giants last weekend?

Paul Esden Jr.: Thank heavens! It couldn’t have come at a better time. The week prior the New York Jets lost to the then winless Miami Dolphins who many people believe are TRYING to lose. It was a dark place and this has been a dark season for New York Jets fans. To be able to win any game is huge, but for it to be against the cross-town rival New York Giants was special. Jamal Adams also had the best game of his career and silenced a lot of his critics about the kind of impact he can have on the game of football. At 2-7 the team believes they can go on a crazy unlikely playoff run, we’ll see if that’s feasible or not down the stretch.

2. Do you think the Sam Darnold could struggle against the Washington defense?

PE: Sam Darnold had a very solid game vs the Giants last Sunday. It won’t jump at you off the box score, but he had a turnover-free game and that’s huge for his confidence. Over the last several weeks he’s had a tendency to try to force the ball in a very tight window which has caused some issues understandably. But as long as he takes what is in front of him, he should be fine. This offense has several weapons that should be able to find some wiggle room vs this Redskins defense.

3. What’s going on with Le’Veon Bell this season?

PE: Man how time changes everything. Fans were so excited about this addition for the Jets and despite all the hype, there haven’t been results. You can’t blame Le’Veon for that though, he’s been working his a** off, but the offensive line has been an utter disappointment. The trenches were expected to be average, but they’ve been far from it. That has allowed defenders to get into the backfield before Bell even has time to think. He’s in the midst of a career-low season, with Darnold back healthy that should help things a bit. He’s still super talented, he just hasn’t had a lot of room to run.

4. Which player on the Jets defense should the Redskins be most concerned about?

PE: A name that should be pretty familiar to Washington Redskins fans: Jamison Crowder. This past offseason he signed a three-year deal for just under $30 million and he’s been a super reliable option for Sam Darnold short, intermediate, and long. In their first game together Jamison recorded 14 receptions, talk about chemistry. Take a look at the numbers with Darnold: 40 receptions for 411 yards and two touchdowns and without Darnold this season: 8 receptions for 75 yards and zero scores. Recently he’s been red-hot and he can carve a defense up and he’s going to be super motivated against his old team.

5. Who do you think wins this week and why?

PE: Both teams are not good. The Jets are 2-7, the Redskins are 1-8, but I think the green and white believe they’re on the verge of doing something crazy. I think the New York Jets show up, Darnold has a great day, Le’Veon Bell gets some touches both running and receiving the football. While the No. 1 rush defense in terms of yards per carry stymies Adrian Peterson and forces Dwayne Haskins to make some poor decisions when the offense becomes one-dimensional. Give me the Jets 30-20 over Washington.

Thanks again to Paul for taking the time to answer our questions. Feel free to follow him on Twitter @BoyGreen25 and for more Jets coverage, check out The Jets Press.