EXCLUSIVE: New York Jets defensive tackle Harrison Phillips spoke to Mirror U.S. Sports ahead of the visit of the Las Vegas Raiders and quarterback Kirk Cousins, who he is desperate to hit
Harrison Phillips and Kirk Cousins played together on the Vikings from 2022 to 2023
Harrison Phillips and Kirk Cousins played together on the Vikings from 2022 to 2023(Image: Getty Images)
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Harrison Phillips is ready to reunite with Kirk Cousins by sacking the Las Vegas Raiders quarterback.
Both the Raiders and the New York Jets need a win to arrest their sliding form. After a hot 3-0 start, Las Vegas have fallen in four successive games, with growing calls for Cousins to be replaced by No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza.
The Jets, on the other hand, are in freefall. The AFC East franchise fell at home to the previously-winless Miami Dolphins in Week 7, sinking the Jets to 2-5 and threatening to derail their season if Aaron Glenn’s team cannot secure a win at MetLife Stadium.
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Phillips and the defensive line will be crucial to any Jets win over the Raiders. Under Klint Kubiak, the Raiders look to lean on Ashton Jeanty and the run game, and the sophomore back claimed he can get back to form against a leaky Jets defense.
For Phillips, the game against the Raiders means slightly more. He arrived in New York via a trade from the Minnesota Vikings, where he spent three seasons and teamed up with Cousins.
While he’s looking forward to seeing his former quarterback again, Phillips hopes he disrupts Cousins’ afternoon. He’s very much looking to deliver a sack - or “brotherly hit” - on the 38-year-old.
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Harrison Phillips has tallied 22 combined tackles and a fumble recovery
Harrison Phillips has tallied 22 combined tackles and a fumble recovery(Image: Getty Images)
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“I'm looking forward to chasing on Kirk because I played with him in Minnesota and I really like him as a person, love his family, a lot of great memories we've had with him,” Phillips exclusively told Mirror U.S. Sports.
“And so if I could ever get over there and give him a brotherly tap or a brotherly hit, I would really love that.”
Phillips understands the threat the Raiders pose, highlighting both Jeanty and center Tyler Linderbaum. He added: “They have a really good front.
“They paid their center a ton of money because he's dang good at football. I got to go against him last year in Baltimore and see for myself that he's the real deal.
“Their young runner has done a lot of great things and his career is just going up and up and up. Ultimately, we're trying to win this football game, and you want to try to do that by making teams one dimensional and knocking the run out and forcing them to pass the football. We're hoping that we can get that done this week.”
The 2-5 Jets take on the 3-4 Raiders at MetLife Stadium in Week 8 on Sunday, Nov. 1.