Jets and Saints looking for evidence of progress in a late-season matchup of rebuilding teams

New York Jets (3-11) at New Orleans (4-10)

Sunday, 1:00 p.m. EST, Fox.

BetMGM NFL odds: Saints by 4 1/2.

Against the spread: Jets 7-6-1, Saints 6-8.

Series record: Saints lead 8-6.

Last meeting: Saints beat the Jets 30-9 on Dec. 12, 2021, at New York.

Last week: Jets lost to the Jaguars 48-20; Saints beat the Panthers 20-17.

Jets offense: overall (28), rush (6t), pass (32), scoring (27).

Jets defense: overall (20), rush (29), pass (12), scoring (30).

Saints offense: overall (26), rush (27), pass (20t), scoring (29t).

Saints defense: overall (11), rush (26), pass (6), scoring (19t).

Turnover differential: Jets minus-17; Saints minus-4.

QB Brady Cook. The undrafted rookie will make his second start in a row after making his NFL regular-season debut last week. Cook, a former star at Missouri, was 22 of 33 for 176 yards and one touchdown with three interceptions in the 48-20 loss at Jacksonville. Coach Aaron Glenn said he wants to see more of Cook to evaluate him as the season winds down. Either Tyrod Taylor (groin) or Justin Fields (knee), who missed last week with injuries, will serve as Cook’s backup.

WR Chris Olave. Now in his fourth NFL season, he's closing in on his third 1,000-yard campaign. He has 82 catches for 896 yards and six TDs. Olave also eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark in his first two NFL seasons (2022 and 2023) before being sidelined for nine games in 2024 by injuries, including a major concussion.

Top Jets pass rusher Will McDonald, a defensive end who has seven sacks, 10 tackles for loss and 17 QB hurries this season, against rookie left tackle Kelvin Banks Jr., who was New Orleans' top draft choice last spring, picked ninth overall. McDonald was the Jets' top pick, 15th overall, in 2023 and has no sacks in the last five games since getting four against Cleveland.

Jets: TE Mason Taylor (neck), S Tony Adams (groin), LB Kiko Mauigoa (neck) and DL Eric Watts (concussion) were ruled out for the game early in the week. … WR Garrett Wilson (knee) remains on injured reserve with a knee injury that has sidelined him for five games.

Saints: RB Devin Neal (hamstring) and WR Devaughn Vele (shoulder) have been ruled out this week after both were injured last week. ... RB Alvin Kamara (knee, ankle), and OLs Cesar Ruiz and Asim Richards were sidelined when practice resumed this week. ... S Justin Reid (knee) and DT Nathan Shepherd (ankle, knee), a third-round pick of the Jets in 2018, were limited.

The Saints have won four of the past five meetings, including the past two. ... These teams have split six previous meetings in New Orleans.

The Jets have lost two in a row and four of their last five. … Glenn made his first major staff change by firing defensive coordinator Steve Wilks on Monday. Chris Harris, the team’s defensive backs coach and pass game coordinator, takes over for Wilks. … New York has no interceptions through 14 games, an NFL record to start a season. It also ties the league mark for most consecutive games without an INT over any 14-game stretch. San Francisco ended its drought earlier this season. … The defense has just two takeaways this season: both on fumble recoveries, including one by rookie S Malachi Moore last week. … Cook was the second undrafted rookie quarterback in franchise history to start a game, joining Bill Demory (1973). … Cook opened against the Jaguars by completing each of his first six passes, the 13th NFL QB since 1991 to do so and the first since Mike White also accomplished it for the Jets in 2021. … The Jets have used the same starting offensive line combination – left tackle Olu Fashanu, left guard John Simpson, center Josh Myers, right guard Joe Tippmann and right tackle Armand Membou – the only NFL team to do so this season. It’s the first time the Jets have used the same starting five in the first 14 games since 2012, when they used only one lineup for the entire season, according to Stats Perform. … Since making his debut with the Jets in Week 11, WR Adonai Mitchell leads the team with 236 yards and two touchdowns on 18 receptions. He needs 76 yards receiving to surpass his total from last year in his rookie season with Indianapolis. … RB Breece Hall is 100 yards rushing from his first 1,000-yard season. He would also become the eighth player in franchise history to run for 1,000 or more yards. ... Saints QB Tyler Shough passed for 272 yards and a TD, and rushed for a team-high 32 yards, in Week 15. ... Shough has at least one TD pass in two of his past three games. ... Olave led New Orleans with 85 yards receiving and a TD in Week 15. He's one of seven NFL players with at least 50 yards receiving in 11 games this season. Olave has a TD catch in two of his last three games and at least 70 yards receiving in each of his past two home games. ... LB Demario Davis had five tackles last week, including his 1,500th career tackle. Davis is one of four players since 2000 to reach the 1,500-tackle mark, along with Lavonte David, London Fletcher and Bobby Wagner. ... Davis was drafted in 2012 by the Jets, with whom he had 467 tackles, 11 1/2 sacks, 31 tackles for loss, five fumble recoveries and an interception in five seasons over two stints.... LB Pete Werner had his third fumble recovery this season in Week 15, tied with Nashon Wright for most in the NFL this season. ... DE Chase Young led the Saints with six tackles, including two tackles for loss and a sack in Week 15. ... Young has a sack in three of his past four games and also in each of his past three home games. ... DE Cameron Jordan has 128 sacks and 750 tackles since 2011 and is one of just two players since 2000, along with Terrell Suggs, with at least 125 sacks and 745 tackles in their career. ... Rookie S Jonas Sanker had six tackles in Week 15 and has at least five tackles in three of his past four games.

Given Shough's ability to produce points running or throwing, his increasing comfort with the offense and the fact he'll be at home against a struggling defense, he could be a good bet to put up decent numbers. The Saints' defense, which could finish in the top 10 in the NFL in fewest yards allowed, also could be a good fantasy play in this matchup.

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

New Orleans Saints quarterback Tyler Shough (6) high fives fans as he leaves the field after an NFL football game against the Carolina Panthers, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Ella Hall)

New York Jets running back Isaiah Davis (32) runs for a touchdown against the Jacksonville Jaguars during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

New Orleans Saints quarterback Tyler Shough (6) looks to pass in the second half of an NFL football game against the Carolina Panthers, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Ella Hall)

Jacksonville Jaguars linebacker Dennis Gardeck (47) sacks New York Jets quarterback Brady Cook (4) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

New Orleans Saints wide receiver Chris Olave (12) scores a touchdown in the second half of an NFL football game against the Carolina Panthers, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Wyatt Johnston scored twice and the Dallas Stars beat the San Jose Sharks 5–3 on Thursday night.

Roope Hintz had a goal and an assist, and Justin Hryckowian and Jamie Benn also scored for Dallas. Esa Lindell and Mikko Rantanen each had two assists, and Jake Oettinger stopped 30 shots.

Colin Graf had two goals, and Shakir Mukhamadullin also scored for the Sharks, who snapped a three-game win streak. Macklin Celebrini had two assists and Alex Nedeljkovic finished with 25 saves.

Hintz opened the scoring for Dallas with 7:35 left in the first period for his 10th goal of the season, and Johnston made it 2-0 with 2:22 remaining.

Mukhamadullin put the Sharks on the board at 1:43 of the second period with his second goal of the year.

Johnston answered at 8:40 with his second of the game and 19th of the season, moving him one behind Jason Robertson for the team lead. Rantanen got his second assist of the night and 32nd of the season on the play.

Graf cut the deficit again with 3:16 remining in the middle period, but Dallas responded quickly as Hryckowian made it 4-2 with 43 seconds left.

Graf completed his two-goal night at 4:32 of the third period, with Celebrini getting his 35th assist.

Benn sealed the win with an empty-netter with 1:18 to go.

Stars: At Anaheim on Friday.

Sharks: Host Seattle on Saturday.

AP NHL: https://www.apnews.com/nhl

San Jose Sharks defenseman Shakir Mukhamadullin, left, is called for a penalty against Dallas Stars center Colin Blackwell (15) during the second period of an NHL hockey game in San Jose, Calif., Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

San Jose Sharks right wing Collin Graf (51) scores a goal against Dallas Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger (29) during the third period of an NHL hockey game in San Jose, Calif., Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

Dallas Stars head coach Glen Gulutzan, standing, reacts behind players during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the San Jose Sharks in San Jose, Calif., Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

Dallas Stars center Roope Hintz (24) is congratulated by teammates after scoring against the San Jose Sharks during the first period of an NHL hockey game in San Jose, Calif., Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

Dallas Stars center Justin Hryckowian, middle, is congratulated by defenseman Nils Lundkvist (5) and center Oskar Bäck (10) after scoring against the San Jose Sharks during the second period of an NHL hockey game in San Jose, Calif., Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)