Pregame Thoughts and Analysis: Patriots Host Division Rival Jets in Primetime
 With Jerod Mayo sidelined for the remainder of the season, second-year linebacker Jamie Collins must step up in his absence. (USA TODAY Images) |
The New England Patriots return home this week to face the New York Jets on Thursday Night Football.
This is the third-straight season these two teams have met on Thursday night. The Patriots are coming off a 37-22 victory against the Buffalo Bills, lifting New England to first place in the AFC East.
The Jets hosted the Denver Broncos in week 6, losing 31-17 at home. New York has lost five games in a row, currently last place in the division.
Pregame Thoughts --
First Impressions: The Jets have struggled this season, with their last win on opening weekend against the Oakland Raiders. They have faced a tough schedule, going against the Green Bay Packers, Chicago Bears, San Diego Chargers and Denver Broncos in a six week stretch.
While the Jets defense is very strong up front, the secondary has been exposed this year. The Jets are thin at defensive back and just lost cornerback Dee Milliner for the season with a torn achilles.
They are no doubt at their best when the defense can generate pressure, registering 19 sacks on the season, and also running the ball effectively, averaging over 121 yards-per-game. Scoring has been an issue during their five-game losing streak, averaging just 15.4 points-per-game and allowing opponents to average 28.8.
Jets Defensive Line: The biggest challenge for New England this week will be defending a big, physical and talented Jets defensive line. Muhammad Wilkerson and Sheldon Richardon are some of the league's best defensive lineman, wreaking havoc on opposing offensive lineman.
Given the mediocre play by the Patriots offensive line this season, it's fair to be concerned. With Bryan Stork and Dan Connolly questionable with head injuries, the middle of the line could be without two starters. While New England has improved in pass protection over recent weeks, this could be the matchup that tells the overall story of the game.
Stopping the Run is Priority One: The Jets offense is a mess. Geno Smith has been sporadic, the receivers have underwhelmed, the offensive line is shaky and the unit struggles to put points on the board.
What New York does well is run the football with tremendous consistency. Chris Ivory and Chris Johnson are a solid one-two combo, giving the Jets the sixth best rushing attack in the NFL.
With Ivory emerging as the lead back, averaging 4.9 yards-per-carry and 325 yards on the season, New England must focus on shutting him down. With the loss of defensive captain Jerod Mayo, how the Patriots respond this week will be key. Taking away the run game and forcing the Jets to throw could be a big advantage for New England.
The Pats Must Adjust Without Ridley: After leading New England in rushing the past two seasons, the Patriots lost starting running back Stevan Ridley to a torn ACL and MCL last Sunday. While the Pats have leaned on Ridley for their ground attack, they must adjust on the fly with such a short turnaround this week.
The Jets rush defense has allowed only 92.2 yards-per-game this year, so running up the gut isn't necessarily how you want to attack New York. With a depleted secondary, however, the Pats might be more inclined to spread the Jets defense out and use a quick passing game to move the ball. Look for Shane Vereen, Brandon LaFell and Tim Wright to be used in a variety of ways in order to create the most personnel mismatches.
Prediction: Patriots 27, Jets 13
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