The Patriots will take on the Jets at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Patriots (8-2) are returning from a successful west coast trip, while the Jets tumultuous season has continued in a downward spiral. This game will kick off at 4:25 PM. ET.
On Sunday, the Patriots will renew their rivalry with the Jets and on paper this matchup should favor New England. But, injuries to Rob Gronkowski and Tom Brady should temper fans expectations. Gronkowski didn’t travel with the team last week due to a chest injury sustained in their loss to the Seahawks. Brady is also struggling with a knee injury he sustained when Cam Chancellor hit Brady low in the pocket. Despite the questionable designation, Brady is likely to play, but the status of Gronkowski is murkier.
Last week against the 49ers, Brady played through his knee injury and played well. He completed 24 passes for 280 yards and four touchdowns. Since returning from suspension, Brady ranks fourth in yards per game according to NFL Stats. He’s thrown 16 touchdowns to only one interception. In comparison, Jets quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick has thrown for a league high 13 interceptions according to NFL Stats.
The Jets are a turnover prone bunch and the Patriots defense will need to capitalize on New York’s sloppy play. The Jets rank 31st in turnover differentials, while the Patriots rank 16th according to NFL Stats. The Patriots’ struggles this season to generate turnovers is something to watch this week.
Last week against the 49ers, Patriots’ corner Logan Ryan missed on two interceptions on back to back plays. The Patriots also muffed on a fumble recovery. Despite the near misses, at least there were opportunities. If the Patriots keep getting opportunities, they’ll capitalize sooner or later.
The Patriots rushing attack ranks 6th in yards per game according to NFL Stats. The Patriots average 118 yards per game. Last week, LeGarrette Blount rushed for 124 yards on 19 carries. Blount has emerged as the Patriots primary runner this season, and he continues to have a breakout year. Blount ranks 8th in the NFL in terms of yards per game and he leads the NFL in rushing touchdowns with 12 according to NFL Stats. More importantly, the Jets rank 4th in run defense according to NFL Stats. However, over their last three games, the Jets have allowed over a hundred team rushing yards per game.
The Jets are coming off their bye week and have unexpectedly switched back to Ryan Fitzpatrick at quarterback. Before their bye week, the Jets started Bryce Petty over Fitzpatrick. The return to Fitzpatrick suggests that the Jets cannot decide which route to take on their season. Are they trying to look to the future by starting Petty or are they continuing with a win now approach by starting Fitzpatrick? The choice is clear this week, but fans and prognosticators are beginning to wonder how many sub par performances Fitzpatrick has left as the Jets signal caller.
The Patriots defense hasn’t passed the eye-test this season. And, it’s no secret they’ve struggled to force turnovers. Perhaps they’re not the elite unit that Patriots fans have become accustomed to over the last few seasons. But, the Patriots defense compliments the offense nicely. The Patriots rank third in terms of points allowed per game according to NFL Stats. In comparison, the Jets rank 21st in terms pf points allowed. The Patriots offense ranks 6th in terms of points scored per game according to NFL Stats. In comparison, the Jets rank 29th in terms of offensive production.
Jets Vs Patriots Betting Lines
BetOnline.ag has the Patriots favored to win the game by 7.5 points. The over/under on total points scored is 46. You can read our full BetOnline review here.
My Pick
The Jets will have the advantage of their bye week to prepare, while the Patriots will have to return from the west coast to play a well rested team on the road. New England often struggles against the Jets and their pass rushers. Expect Brady and the Patriots’ offense to struggle to make early adjustments. With a win on Sunday, Brady will tie Peyton Manning with 200 careers wins. Expect a motivated Brady to come out firing and a Patriots defense to finally capitalize on turnovers.
Play: Patriots -7.5 @ BetOnline.ag
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