#Preview, predictions, what to watch for

Costello’s Call

Don’t overthink this one. The Jets are terrible. The Chiefs are great. This one could get ugly quickly. It is hard to envision any scenario in which the Jets keep this close.

Chiefs 41, Jets 10

Marquee matchup

Chiefs RB Le’Veon Bell vs. Jets coach Adam Gase

These two won’t be on the field at the same time other than during warm-ups, but this is where much of the focus of this game will be. Gase and Bell never quite got along during Bell’s short stint with the Jets. Gase never got over the team signing Bell over his objections. Bell bristled at how Gase used him. It all led to an ugly divorce, and Bell was released two weeks ago. He landed with the Chiefs and now here we are.

Is Gase worried about Bell being out to show him up?

“Yeah, I’m pretty sure that he’s going to be worried about just winning a game, period,” Gase said. “That’s what most players are worried about. They’re worried about, ‘Hey what do I got to do this week to help my team win,’ so I’m sure that’s what he’s going to be worried about doing. We got a lot of guys to worry about on that side of the ball against them.”

Four downs

Mahmoes magic: Let’s put it this way: The Jets could not beat Broncos backup QB Brett Rypien, who was making his NFL debut on a short week. How do you think it’s going to go against Patrick Mahomes, one of the best quarterbacks on Earth?

The Jets’ only hope in this game is if the Chiefs turn the ball over … a lot. Don’t count on it. Mahomes has just one interception this season and has thrown 16 touchdowns. The Jets can’t let him run wild on them or this could be even uglier than we imagine.

“It will be a tough challenge,” defensive lineman Henry Anderson said. “We’ve just got to doing a good job of making sure he doesn’t extend plays. He’s obviously very good in the pocket, but when he can extend plays outside the pocket and force the DBs to cover those fast dudes, those fast receivers for even longer, it becomes even more of a problem. We’ve just got to contain him, keep him in the pocket, get pressure on him and make his life uncomfortable back there.”

Dead zone: The Jets are the worst red-zone team in the NFL. They have scored a league-low four touchdowns on a league-low 16 trips to the red zone. They left points on the field last week against the Bills when they settled for a field goal on their first drive and later failed to convert a fourth-and-1.

The Jets should be able to move the ball on the Chiefs. Kansas City’s rushing defense is ranked 30th in the NFL, allowing 149.9 yards per game. The key will be the Jets converting any red-zone opportunities they get into touchdowns.

Receiving revolving door: The Jets will be without two of their top three receivers again this week. It has become a familiar problem for this team, which has not had its projected top three receivers on the field together once this season. Breshad Perriman (concussion) and Jamison Crowder (groin) will not play Sunday. That means Jeff Smith, Braxton Berrios and rookie Denzel Mims likely will be the starters.

“It’s probably harder for Sam [Darnold] than anybody, because it’s just a different group out there, but I look at it as this great opportunity for a lot of dudes,” coach Adam Gase said.

All the young dudes: The Jets got to see more of their draft class last week with Mims seeing his first action, Mekhi Becton returning to the lineup and La’Mical Perine getting a heavier workload. That is what the rest of this season is about. Can the Jets find some players they believe will be contributors next year and beyond?

“Obviously they’re really good players, we drafted them for a reason,” Darnold said of the rookies. “You know we draft them to come in here and make plays for us and know what to do every single play when they get in there. So, they’ve been doing a good job so far and we’re just looking forward to continuing to have them contribute in our offense and do well.”