- WHERE: MetLife Stadium | East Rutherford, NJ
- WHEN: 8:15 p.m. ET | NFL+
The Patriots and Jets meet at MetLife Stadium on Thursday. Both teams are tied 1-1 and both teams’ offenses are stuck on defense.
It’s not surprising that Jacoby Brissett and the Patriots haven’t been explosive offensively so far. That was the expectation entering the season, as New England has struggled on that side of the ball in recent years. A coaching change and subpar offensive personnel are also plausible explanations for their slow start on that side of the ball.
Expectations were higher for the Jets, even though it was clear that Aaron Rodgers would return to the field in 2023 after his season-ending injury in Week 1, so the offense would be a wait-and-see affair. That, along with a disappointing start on defense, led to a lukewarm start to the season.
The Patriots have been the big brother in the rivalry for years. The Jets have only beaten them three times since the 2011 season, and two of those were in overtime. The last time they beat the Patriots in New York was in 2015.
But if there was ever a time to rewrite the script, it’s now. Do Rodgers and the Jets have enough to make a statement in a surprisingly important game early in the season?
Here are four things to watch for when the Patriots visit the Jets on Football on Thursday evening on Prime Video and NFL+:
1) Aaron Rodgers faces another difficult task. After their opener against the 49ers, the Jets were a little more successful — though not much more successful — moving the ball in Tennessee. There’s evidence that both teams have good defenses, and Thursday’s game could play out similarly. The Patriots had some mishaps in Sunday’s loss to the Seahawks, but they’ve kept the run game under control for two straight weeks, allowing just 16.5 points per game. Rodgers actually played against Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo in 2010, and now Mayo gets a chance to work out a plan to stop him. The Jets were good on third downs and in the red zone, but they were too inconsistent, drive to drive. Rodgers has thrown the ball to Allen Lazard and Breece Hall almost as often as he has to Garrett Wilson, who is off to a slow start. The Patriots’ coverage has been solid in the two games, thanks largely to the return of cornerbacks Christian Gonzalez and Marcus Jones. However, there were some mishaps against the Seahawks that should give the Jets courage. Rodgers has to watch out for the pass rush, but he can get the quick passing game going.
2) The Patriots need to find ways to relieve the pressure and make big plays. Jacoby Brissett remains the Patriots’ captain and has done a good job of escaping pressure and keeping the ball out of harm’s way. But the Patriots have not consistently blocked passes well and have failed to advance the ball. Brissett has been under pressure on nearly half of his dropbacks and has only completed one pass for 17 yards. Presumed WR1 Demario Douglas has just two short catches on three targets. The Patriots could also make a switch at the left tackle position, possibly their third in three games. Chuks Okorafor started the opener there, then Vederian Lowe was at the left tackle position in Week 2. With Lowe injured, third-round rookie Caedan Wallace — a college right tackle with only a handful of pro snaps at left — could start there on Thursday night. The run game has remained New England’s bread and butter so far and it’s hard to imagine that changing anytime soon. How are the Patriots supposed to make big plays with such a limited offensive line? That’s the challenge for offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt.
3) The Jets defense must make a statement. The Jets looked like a top-10 defense in some games last season. In others, that was certainly not the case. But the talent is there, and if the Jets want to be more successful as a team, it depends on the defense being even more productive than it was in the first two games. There’s no shame in losing to the 49ers, and the Jets held them in check in the red zone, but they also allowed eight consecutive scoring drives by San Francisco. On Sunday against the Titans, the defense made some game-winning plays, but was also too lenient, leaving the door open for Will Levis and Co. The task on Thursday will be even more difficult if the Jets are without linebacker CJ Mosley. They are already without Jermaine Johnson II (torn Achilles) for the season. They traded John Franklin-Myers in the offseason. Haason Reddick has not yet signed a contract. The defensive front looked like a strength of the team before, but has become one of the biggest question marks. If there is ever an opponent the Jets can prove their worth against, it is this Patriots offense. If the Jets struggle defensively in this game, it is appropriate to raise alarm bells.
4) The Patriots have to get beat by anyone except Breece Hall. Hall is off to a solid start this season, although he has faltered a bit as a runner, averaging just 3.9 yards per carry behind a rebuilt Jets offensive line. That number should rise as that line solidifies and Aaron Rodgers and the passing game continue to make progress. But Hall has already shown he can sting teams in multiple ways with his work in the passing game, catching a beautiful fade from Rodgers for a touchdown on Sunday, and will likely continue to have plenty of work to do in that area. The Patriots have played about 60-40 in zone coverage against man coverage and generally haven’t assigned one person to track back; it’s been a shared task. Then again, they haven’t had a running back like Hall yet who could be a threat as a pass receiver. Hall capped the Bill Belichick era with a 50-yard touchdown run and two-point conversion in Week 18 to close out the Patriots last season, but he didn’t do much in the passing game in his two meetings with New England. The Jets will look to change that on Thursday. Will Mayo find a way to slow it down?
