Robert Saleh undecided on playing New York Jets' starters in second preseason game

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — New York Jets coach Robert Saleh can't make up his mind on whether to play his starters Monday night against the Atlanta Falcons.

«I'm torn on it,» Saleh said Saturday after the second joint practice with the Falcons. «I wake up one day and I'm like, 'OK, they're going to play.' The next day I wake up and they're not going to play.»

It's a multilayered decision for Saleh. The starters played only two series in the preseason opener against the Philadelphia Eagles, and they typically don't play in the final game. If they sit against the Falcons, it would be like having three consecutive bye weeks before the Sept. 11 season opener.

On the flip side, there's the injury factor. The Jets already have suffered key injuries to right tackle Mekhi Becton (season-ending knee surgery) and quarterback Zach Wilson (arthroscopic knee surgery). Wilson, hurt against the Eagles, is expected to miss about a month, making it likely that Joe Flacco will face the Ravens in Week 1.

Flacco, 37, saw no action against the Eagles, so he would have no game reps before the opener — a risky proposition for a quarterback who hasn't seen much game action in recent years.

«He doesn't need it, but I feel like everybody can use it as a reminder of how to get yourself prepared and making sure every game is just a normal game,» said Saleh, hedging once again.

Saleh said they got two productive days of work against the Falcons, reducing the need to see his starters in the game. The Jets were in a similar situation last year, and those memories aren't pleasant.

They lost defensive end Carl Lawson to a season-ending Achilles injury in a joint practice against the Green Bay Packers, then played their starters in the subsequent game. One of