3 keys to victory for the New York Jets vs. the Carolina Panthers in Week 7

The Jets are back at home in Week 7 against the Carolina Panthers. Here's what they'll need to do to get their first win of the season.

The New York Jets (0-6) are back at MetLife Stadium still searching for the elusive first win of the season.

The defense had their best game of the season last week in London against the Denver Broncos, but the offense was beyond terrible in a 13-11 loss.

Justin Fields was sacked nine times and finished with a total of -10 net passing yards. The game also featured some questionable decisions from head coach Aaron Glenn that frustrated wideout Garrett Wilson.

The Carolina Panthers (3-3) are still taking baby steps towards improvement, but feature a strong running game centered around Rico Dowdle and Chuba Hubbard. Bryce Young is not an elite quarterback, but still showing improvement under head coach Dave Canales after a brutal rookie season. The Panthers are coming off a last second victory in Week 6 over the Dallas Cowboys.

Here are Jets WIre's three keys to victory for the Jets to get their first win of the season over the Panthers:

Next Man Up

Oct 12, 2025; Tottenham, United Kingdom; New York Jets wide receiver Josh Reynolds (83) is defended by Denver Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain II (2) during an NFL International Series game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Jets were dealt a tough blow after the Denver game as Garrett Wilson suffered a hyperextended knee and will miss a few weeks. That will most likely keep him out through the team's bye week as there's no reason to rush him back and risk further injury seeing how bad this season has gone.

With Wilson out, it's time for this receiving group to take on the next man up mentality. Josh Reynolds was dealing with an injury earlier this week, but should be good to go for this game. Mason Taylor needs to see more of a target share after only have one catch for two yards against Denver. It's also time to feature Arian Smith more in the passing game as the rookie already feels like a forgotten man on this Jets roster.

This is an all hands on deck game against a Panthers defense that is 10th in the league against the run, but allows an average of 24 points a game, ranking them 21st. This will be a big test for offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand. His best offensive weapon is out for the foreseeable future. He needs to step up with a solid and creative game plan after a major step back last week against Denver.

Justin Fields

Oct 5, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Jets quarterback Justin Fields (7) is pressured by Dallas Cowboys defensive end Dante Fowler Jr. (13) during the first half at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

There is no way to defend the indefensible regarding Fields last week against Denver. He held the ball too long, looked afraid to throw, didn't see open receivers etc. It was the second time this season he had a humiliating performance and the voices are only getting louder for him to be replaced by Tyrod Taylor at quarterback.

This is a make or break game for Fields. He said earlier this week that he's going to be more aggressive and feels like he's been too conservative. He can't be afraid to make a mistake. A report circulated earlier this week that some current Jets players on the roster think the team has a better chance to win with Taylor as quarterback. The coach has faith in him. Fields is the team's most dynamic weapon. He needs to let it rip on Sunday.

Shut Down the Panthers Running Game

Oct 12, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers running back Rico Dowdle (5) celebrates a first down during the second half against the Dallas Cowboys at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Kinser-Imagn Images

The Jets defense had their best game of the season in London against the Broncos. Bo Nix struggled and the Denver running game could not get anything going all game. Jermaine Johnson's return played a huge role in their performance, but there were plenty of other standouts on the defense including rookie Kiko Mauigoa and recently acquired cornerback Jarvis Brownlee Jr.

Bryce Young is not Patrick Mahomes, but he's improving with each game. The third year quarterback already has 10 touchdowns, but has also turned the ball over six times in the first six games of the season. He's not asked to do much through the air because Carolina has leaned heavily on their running game. Since Chuba Hubbard was out with an injury, Rico Dowdle has rushed for 389 yards over his last two games. Carolina is expected to have Hubbard back for Sunday's game.

The Jets are still having issues pressuring the quarterback as despite the strong game last week, they still only managed one sack on Bo Nix and that was in the fourth quarter. The defense needs another strong effort on Sunday and if they can shut down the Panthers running game, it will put pressure on Young to beat them through the air, something he's not used to doing. That type of pressure could lead to turnovers for the Jets defense and could be the difference in the game.

This article originally appeared on Jets Wire: Jets vs. Panthers: 3 keys to victory during Week 7 game

Category: Football