Alex Brandon/Associated Press

New York Jets head coach Todd Bowles isn't allowing his team to overlook Dez Bryant this week despite the fact the Dallas Cowboys wide receiver's numbers are not up to his usual standards.

Brian Costello of the New York Post passed along comments from Bowles, who compared Bryant to NBA superstar LeBron James in terms of the variety of ways he can beat you.

"Dez Bryant being slow is like LeBron being slow," Bowles said. "You're going to get something from him. You're going to get something out of him. He's a great player. You never slow down, you just find different ways to beat people. We expect the best Dez Bryant we're going to see."

Jets safety Calvin Pryor stated this week that the Cowboys' top offensive threat has "not looked the same since he had his foot injury," per Rich Cimini of ESPN.com. But he also admitted trying to keep him from breaking out is still a tough matchup for the team's secondary.

Bowles doesn't know exactly how healthy Bryant is but explained that won't change the fact they have to take the threat he poses seriously, as noted by the New York Post.

"He's so athletic and he does enough that at 90 percent, he's better than 90 percent of the receivers, at 80 percent, he's better than 90 percent of the receivers," Bowles said. "We expect him to be at 100 percent, and we expect to play the best Dez Bryant we know we're going to see."

Quarterback play has also been a factor in the wideout's lack of involvement. The combination of Matt Cassel and Brandon Weeden has spent more time under center this season than banged-up starter Tony Romo, which obviously has a negative impact on the passing game.

Bowles is smart to continue stressing the importance of shutting Bryant down, though. Even with Cassel leading the offense, he's capable of completely taking over a game if he gets enough targets. So Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis must be ready for a battle.

The Jets and Cowboys are still battling for playoff spots, making Sunday's game an important one for both sides. The amount of plays Bryant is able to make will have a sizable impact on the outcome.