NFL Preview: New York Jets face San Diego Chargers live on Sky Sports

The San Diego Chargers will look to continue their impressive start to the season with a win over the struggling New York Jets in Sunday’s second live game on Sky Sports.

The 3-1 Chargers lead the way in the AFC West with even their one defeat just being a tight one-point lost in Arizona on the opening weekend of the season.

New York, by contrast, have lost three on the spin since pipping Oakland in Week 1, and things could get even worse with games against San Diego, Denver and then New England coming up in the space of 12 days.

Sunday’s forecast suggests it could be a hot one at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, and that also will make it tough for the Jets coming from the other side of the country and use to a much cooler climate.

It was also a hot game when Super Bowl champions Seattle lost in San Diego a few weeks ago and with the Chargers having that experience a warm weather plan that will also be a tick in their favour.

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Flying Rivers

QB Philip Rivers has been in devastating form so far this season. He’s got the best quarterback rating in the NFL after four weeks following a 377-yard, three-touchdown performance against the Jacksonville Jaguars last week.

The Jets have given up nine receiving touchdowns already this season and they’ve not yet managed to grab an interception – things will not get any easier for them on Sunday given the form Rivers is in the and weapons he has at his disposal.

Running game

It’s a good job Rivers is in such form, as San Diego’s rushing attack is second-last in the league with just under 78 yards a game after losing starting running back Ryan Mathews and Danny Woodhead.

Against the Jets’ league-leading rush defence it will again be tough for the Chargers to get anything going on the ground, and such is the form of their QB they’ll be leaning heavily on Rivers once again.

Calls for Vick

It wouldn’t be the New York Jets without a good quarterback saga, and it’s the same again this year with Geno Smith under fire for recent displays and the fans calling for Michael Vick to be introduced by Rex Ryan.

The coach has publicly backed second-year man Smith going forward, and at least playing on the road he won’t have to deal with his own fans heckling him – as he did in the last game when he had to apologise after swearing at an angry fan at MetLife Stadium.

Winning run

The Chargers have picked up where they left off from last year – with an 8-2 record in the last ten games including the playoffs last season, when they came close to knocking off the Broncos in Denver.

Beating the eventual champions Seattle a couple of weeks ago has given them extra belief that they can continue and that upward curve. The running game obviously needs attention, but if they can make do until Mathews returns then they’ll surely improve and may make another big p layoff run.

Watch the Chargers face the Jets live on Sky Sports 3, with coverage from 9pm on Sunday.