Like we've done every pre-season game, I emailed John Butchko, the lead Editor for SBN's Jets' website, Gang Green Nation, for some matchup insight. What strikes me as interesting is that Trent WIlliams will have to face Kris Jenkins....what a test for the kid! Haynesworth versus D'Brickashaw Ferguson is another intriguing one.
| Redskins | Gang Green Nation |
| Who will Trent Williams matchup against in the 1st half? | Kris Jenkins has been seeing a lot of snaps at right end with the first team. He had been the starting nose tackle the last two years, but Sione Pouha played very well in his place after Jenkins tore his ACL last year. That gave the team the luxury to shift him to end. It will be a difficult task for the rookie. Jenkins has a rare blend of size and athleticism. While staying healthy has been a big issue, when he is healthy, he usually dominates. If Williams so much as holds his own, Redskins fans should feel very good about the rookie heading into the season. |
| Who will Ma'ake Kemoeatu see most in the 1st half? | That's another tough matchup for the Redskins. He'll be up against Nick Mangold, a guy many believe is the best center in the game. The Jets face 3-4 fronts relatively frequently, but the nose tackle usually does not require a double team. |
| NT/DE Haynesworth (2nd team NT and 1st team RDE for nickel pagages) | When he sees time on passing downs against the first team, he'll face D'Brickashaw Ferguson. Ferguson has steadily improved during his first four years and just made his first Pro Bowl team. One key aspect of his development has been the way he has improved playing consistently with leverage. Three years ago, a power guy like Haynesworth would leave me sleepless. Now I feel he's up to the task. It should be a fun battle to watch. Robert Turner has been the second team center for the Jets. That's probably the guy Haynesworth will face at nose tackle. Turner has been a valuable part of power packages where the Jets use extra linemen. He started in place of an injured Mangold, though, against the Giants, and the offense struggled to get a push up the gut. He might be overmatched in this battle. |
| RT Jammal Brown (1st team for prob 1st quarter...than Stephon Heyer will come in). | Brown will be up against Shaun Ellis, the longest tenured Jet. Ellis is quietly productive. He'll benefit a lot this year from having a pair of nose tackles on the line with him and the one on one matchups they will create. I'm not sure there's a clear edge here, though. |
Tonight will be a good test to see how well Haynesworth's conditioning is coming along since he's always been able to crush opponents on 1-1s. For at least ONE play, I'd love to see Shanahan put Haynesworth opposite Mangold for the $21 million Battle Royale (Mangold just got a $22m bonus and Haynesworth of course got a $21 million one in April).
As for Trent Williams, after watching Hard Knocks and what Kris Jenkins brings physically and verbally....LOOK OUT. Kris Jenkins is listed as 6-4 - 360 lbs to Trent Williams 315 lbs. Dockery or Portis is going to have to chip.