National Football League

Jets-Seahawks features two on-the-bubble teams just trying to get a win

Updated Dec. 29, 2022 6:02 p.m. ET

The student faces the teacher when the New York Jets travel to the Pacific Northwest Sunday to take on the Seattle Seahawks (4:05 p.m. ET on FOX), with postseason hopes in the balance.

Jets head coach Robert Saleh served as a defensive quality control coach in Seattle under Pete Carroll from 2011 to 2013.

Now in his second season with the Jets, Saleh has his team at 7-8 and on the brink of the playoffs despite losing four in a row. For the Jets to earn a postseason spot for the first time since 2010, New York needs to win its final two games and for the New England Patriots to lose or tie one of their last two contests.

"It's a fun place to play," Saleh said about Seattle. "I also appreciate it for Pete, for what he did for me and my family. The nostalgia part has worn off, but just being with that coaching staff when I was there. You had obviously Pete. And you had Gus Bradley, Dan Quinn, Ken Norton Jr. — even Kris Richard and Rocky Seto — they were very impactful people for me."

Losers of three straight, the 7-8 Seahawks are in a similar situation, just on the outside looking in for the NFC wild card.

Saleh will return to quarterback Mike White to lead the offense now that he's been cleared after missing two games with broken ribs. Benched starter Zach Wilson is expected to be inactive.

Is Mike White healthy, or should Jets be panicking?

Craig Carton pulls out the Panic Button as the Jets name Mike White the starting QB against Seattle. Greg Jennings questions whether White can stay healthy.

The Seahawks are also hopeful to get an important player back, with veteran receiver Tyler Lockett possibly returning this week from a broken finger that required surgery.

Both Carroll and quarterback Geno Smith face their former team when the Jets come to town. Carroll served as head coach of the Jets in 1994, finishing 6-10 and being fired at the end of the season. Smith was selected in the second round of the 2013 draft by the Jets, compiling a 12-18 record in four seasons with New York.

"We are kind of going as partners in crime, that we were both there," Carroll said this week. "It didn't quite work out right at the end, so we are just sharing the experience a little bit, but it was such a long time ago that it's not a factor."

Matchup to watch: Seahawks WR DK Metcalf vs. Jets CB Sauce Gardner

Metcalf leads the Seahawks with 86 catches for 1,005 receiving yards and six touchdowns. He is one of five pass-catchers with 300 receptions, 4,000 receiving yards and 35 touchdowns since he entered the NFL in 2019, joining Davante Adams, Cooper Kupp, Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill.

Metcalf, however, has just one 100-yard game in his past 11 contests.

On Sunday he'll likely match up at times with Gardner, who, along with Seattle cornerback Tariq Woolen and Detroit Lions defensive end Aidan Hutchinson, is a front-runner for the Defensive Rookie of the Year award. Gardner is not expected to follow Metcalf all over the field. According to Pro Football Focus, Gardner has played 80% of his snaps on the left side of the defense.

New York's other cornerback, D.J. Reed, spent two seasons with the Seahawks before joining the Jets this year.

"They know their technique, they know who they are, and they know their strengths and weaknesses when they are playing corner," Metcalf said about matching up with Gardner and Reed. "They stay away from their weaknesses, and they play to their strengths."

Key stat: The Seahawks have not created a turnover in their past three games after forcing at least one in 11 of their first 12 games. Seattle is 0-4 this season when failing to create a turnover.

Prediction: Geno Smith has 11 games with at least two passing touchdowns this season, tied for the league lead with Patrick Mahomes and Joe Burrow. However, the Jets are holding offenses to 195.5 passing yards per game, fifth-best in the NFL.

So this contest will likely hinge on Seattle's ability to create balance on offense by running the football with Kenneth Walker III, who rushed for 107 yards in a loss to the Chiefs last week. The Seahawks also must keep Jets QB White from generating big plays on offense in his return to the starting lineup.

Seahawks 24, Jets 21

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Eric D. Williams has reported on the NFL for more than a decade, covering the Los Angeles Rams for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Chargers for ESPN and the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma News Tribune. Follow him on Twitter at @eric_d_williams.