Patriots News 10-27, Keys and Players to Watch Vs. the Jets
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Good morning. Here are your Patriots news and notes for October 27. The Patriots meet the Jets for the 132nd time. The Patriots have a 74-56-1 advantage all-time against the Jets. Since Kraft bought the Patriots, they have a 45-18 advantage over the Jets.
However, the Jets have won the last two meetings and are favored to make it three in a row. The Patriots have lost six in a row but can play spoiler because the Jets, at 2-5, still believe they can turn the season around and make the playoffs. However, a loss to New England today would really damper those hopes.
With these two teams, you never know what will happen. So, prepare for the unexpected or not. It is Jets week, and frequently, the games take on an added flavor. For the Patriots, what better way to break a long losing streak, than beating the Jets.
Bill Belichick: The former Patriots head coach fired back at the Patriots after Robert Kraft threw more shade his way. Kraft said last week that he fired Belichick. This was after the announcement that the team had “mutually parted ways” with the coach and GM. Then Jerod Mayo called his team “soft” after the Jaguars game, which he tried to walk back on Monday.
After being fairly quiet on the Patriots’ front early in the season, Belichick took the gloves off. As we all know, he holds a grudge, just ask this week’s opponent, the Jets, or Tom Jackson.
He was on his “Coach With Bill Belichick” podcast with Matt Patricia and guest Michael Lombardi when he unloaded on the current state of the Patriots.
“It’s Jets week, but boy, the Patriots got a lot of questions to answer between the head coach, the atmosphere, who’s soft and who’s not soft and so forth,” said Belichick. “…The Patriots can’t even get the same five guys on the field [on the offensive line]. That’s been an issue whether [Mike] Onwenu is playing guard or tackle. Two guys they signed in the offseason aren’t even on the team anymore. So it’s been a little bit of a musical chairs.”
After “The Dynasty,” a documentary that skewered Belichick at every turn, and all the talk of “changing the culture” around Gillette Stadium, this quiet detente would never last. And one can hardly blame Bill for what has come out from the Patriots’ front offices.
Injury Report – Polk, Robinson Out: The Patriots have ruled out WR Ja’Lynn Polk (concussion) and OL Layden Robinson (ankle) this week. Eight other players have been listed as questionable to play this week against the Jets.
DT Daniel Ekuale (abdomen), CB Jonathan Jones (shoulder/personal), G Michael Jordan (ankle), T Vederian Lowe (ankle), LB Raekwon McMillan (knee), G Sidy Sow (illness), LB Sione Takitaki (knee), DL Keion White (ankle) were all listed on the injury report on Friday.
Tyquan Thornton: The Patriots’ wide receiver will be active this week and should see some action due to the Polk concussion, which will keep the rookie WR shelved this week. Thornton has performed well in practice with the Patriots, but that has not translated into production on game days.
“Tyquan has done a good job at practice,” Jerod Mayo said Friday via Patriots.com. “I’m looking forward to seeing him in a game. He will be at the game. He’s had a great week of practice; he’ll be there, and hopefully, it translates.”
Patriots 4th & 2 Podcast: This week, Derek Havens and I wrapped up the Jaguars game, broke down Drake Maye’s performance, and discussed the Jets matchup. We also gave our predictions for the game. Please check it out.
Russ Francis/Chuck Fairbanks: The former Patriot tight end and head coach should be in the Patriots team Hall of Fame, and the fact that Francis isn’t in is an absolute travesty. Francis and the Raiders’ Dave Casper changed how teams used the tight end position. This will be discussed in our Sunday posts until it happens. Casper is in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Francis’ numbers stand up well against Casper’s, yet he isn’t even in the team’s HOF.
Key Matchups and Keys to the Game —
The Patriots and Jets renew unpleasantries in Gillette Stadium today and will finish their season series early. The Patriots are 1-6, and the Jets are surprisingly not much better at 2-5 despite having a high-powered offense and a Top 10 defense. But there have been changes since the two teams met in Week 3, a 24-3 win by the Jets in the Meadowlands.
Head coach Robert Saleh has been fired and replaced with interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich. Offensive Coordinator Paul Hackett lost play-calling duties to Todd Downing. And they’ve added another Aaron Rodgers binkie, WR Davante Adams, to the mix. The Patriots have moved on from Jacoby Brissett and replaced him with rookie QB Drake Maye, who has played well.
The Jets haven’t swept the Patriots in a season series since 2000, Bill Belichick’s first year with the team. And now they look to make it three games in a row, after the season finale last year and the earlier game in NJ.
With the Patriots being absolutely gashed by the run the past several weeks, the Jets matchup looks bad already with Breece Hall and Braelon Allen in the Jets’ backfield. Unless they can find some answers there and clean up mistakes in the pass defense, this looks like it could be another long afternoon for the team.
Here are our keys to the game from a Patriots’ perspective.
Slow Down the Jets Running Game:
The Patriots’ run defense, absent Christian Barmore, Ja’Whaun Bentley, and Jabrill Peppers, has been an abject disaster of late. They’ve allowed 193, 192, and 171 yards rushing in the past three games.
However, despite the Jets having two stellar running backs, their production hasn’t been close to what it probably should be. The Jets rank 31st in rush offense, averaging only 82.4 yards per game.
This week, the Jets’ duo should see plenty of snaps early. The Jets will test the Patriots’ sieve-like run defense, hoping to set up play-action passing of Rodgers to get chunk plays down the field.
The Patriots need the front seven to step up big-time. The DL and inside linebackers must find combinations to turn things around. They’ll need Jahlani Tavai, Raekwon McMillan, and Sione Takitaki to improve this week. Davon Godchaux has been good, but others (Jacqueline Roy, Jeremiah Pharms) have to step up along the defensive line.
Beat the Blitz:
The Jets mercilessly blitzed the heck out of Jacoby Brissett in Week 3. And it was very successful. The Patriots had no answers, even when Drake Maye came on in garbage time. Since Robert Saleh’s firing, the Jets have continued the blitzing on a larger scale.
This worked in Week 3, and I expect they will try to overwhelm the Patriots’ patchwork offensive line again. They’ll have Haason Reddick in the lineup for the first time this season. The Patriots’ starting OL unit is still unknown due to the injury situation, but Maye and AVP could attempt to figure in some quick hitters to combat the blitz this week.
Having Pop Douglas back this week should be a big boost for the offense. He can get open quickly and separate from defenders. In Week 3, there were plays there for the taking, but they missed them. Evan Lazar of Patriots.com, in his game plan column, made a great point that the Patriots are not using much rub routes against opposing defenses despite facing a lot of man coverage.
Running Game Must Return:
The Jets’ run defense is in the middle of the road, allowing 127.6 yards per game, which is good for 16th in the league. That is surprising, considering the Jets’ talent on their front seven. And it begins with Quinnen Williams, a game-wrecker in the Jets’ interior DL. Accounting for him will be a big factor this week.
The Patriots were very good at run-blocking early in the year, but their pass-blocking was awful. Now, things have flipped. Drake Maye’s pass protection has improved, while the run-blocking has regressed badly in the past few games.
The Patriots need Rhamondre Stevenson to get untracked and make the Jets pay for stacking the box and blitzing. But that won’t be easy… at all.
Stop Rodgers From Easy Layups:
The Jets and Rodgers had arguably their best game of the year in Week 3, shredding the defense, especially when they didn’t set the edge and allowed Rodgers to break containment, making plays with his feet and scrambling for first downs. That can’t happen this week.
Rodgers feasted on the quick slants and plays up the seam against the Patriot’s Tampa 2. I expect Rodgers to spread out the Patriots’ defense this week and find favorable matchups.
Now that they’ve traded for Davante Adams, the Jets have him and Garrett Wilson, who need coverage. In the last game in the Meadowlands, Christian Gonzalez did a good job covering Wilson, and I expect that to continue. They may use double-team coverage on Adams.
Man coverage with a deep safety may be the call here. But they have to contain and pressure Rodgers without allowing him to escape.
The Patriots can break a six-game losing streak with a win today at Gillette Stadium, but this particular matchup isn’t great for New England.
The Jets’ offense had one of its best games of the year against the Patriots in Week 3. Given that the Patriots’ run defense has been getting gashed week after week, they’ll need to turn things around, which includes the coaching staff making in-game adjustments.
Drake Maye has shown signs of improving the Patriots’ passing game. He and Dan Marino are the only two quarterbacks since 1950 who have passed for a combined 500 yards and five touchdowns in their first two starts. If Maye passes for 240 or more today, he’ll be the first quarterback to do so since 1950. That is an excellent stat from Stacey James’ PR department.
Here are our Patriots Players to Watch this afternoon if the Patriots are to win today.
Drake Maye: The Patriots’ young quarterback has been impressive during his first two NFL starts, but this Jets defensive group is a tough nut to crack. The Jets own the #2 defense against the pass, allowing just 164.7 yards per game.
Last week, starting corners D.J. Reed and Michael Carter were out due to injury, but both will be back this week. However, starting safety Ashtyn Davis is out, and fellow starting safety Tony Adams is doubtful. This could be an area for the Patriots to exploit. Look for the Patriots to try to get backup safety Isaiah Oliver isolated in coverage with TE Hunter Henry or one of the wide receivers.
Maye must take what’s there and use the hot receiver if the pressure gets to him too early. His athleticism will serve him well this week.
Demario Douglas: The Patriots’ quick wide receiver wasn’t able to play much last week after suffering from a stomach ailment (those English beers can play the Devil with you if you’re not used to them).
But he’ll be needed in a big way in this game. The Jets are excellent at bringing pressure on an opposing quarterback, and now they’ve added Haason Reddick. Maye will have to get rid of the ball quickly and Douglas can get open quickly.
If the Patriots make this a game and can hang with the Jets, Douglas will play a big role. It should be quite a matchup.
Rhamondre Stevenson: Stevenson is one of the best Patriot players on the offense. And his team needs him to step up and play like it. He’s been banged up for much of the season, plus he had a bout with fumbles that hurt his production as well as the team.
We all know the offensive line has had different starting combinations every week thus far in the season. And it has robbed them of gaining any continuity and chemistry as a unit. But as difficult as that has been, guys like Stevenson have to start making yards after contact.
During the last two Jets’ losses, the team has given up about 149 yards per game on the ground. Giving Maye a complementary running game will go a long way in being able to challenge the Jets’ secondary.
Offensive Line: The Patriots’ offensive line has been scuttled by injuries and subpar play all season. They really need to get Vederian Lowe back this week and try to build some continuity.
It has been one or the other this year. First the running game was going while Jacoby Brissett was pressured on nearly 50 percent of his dropbacks. The pass protection has improved slightly, but the running game has fallen off a cliff. The Patriots now rank 32nd in the league in DVOA in the running game.
The Patriots have yet to have a game in which both parts of the offense work in synch. Today would be a great day for that.
Davon Godchaux:
Godchaux has been a bright spot on the Patriots’ former strength and now the Achilles Heel of the defense—the run defense. Godchaux has spoken more in the past few weeks than he has in the past. The frustration he’s feeling is the pride he takes in his job. And he’s trying to, and he needs the players next to him to step up.
Until the other defensive linemen and inside linebackers start playing the way they are capable of, the run defense will suffer. Godchaux will do his part, and hopefully, he’ll set the example for a group of players sorely in need of a shot in the arm this week.
Prediction: The Patriots don’t have the personnel across the board to beat the Jets. They will play hard but fall to 1-7.
Jets 27-16
The Dolphins get quarterback Tua Tagoviola back from IR today as they meet the Arizona Cardinals. But backup Tyler Huntley, who started three games, will go to IR with a shoulder injury.
Now, the Fins must decide who will back up Tua. Tim Boyle, Skylar Thompson, and newcomer C.J. Beathard are now under consideration. Since Tua was injured, the Dolphins offense has sunk to 32nd in the league in points scored, averaging just 11.2 points per game.
It was announced that Tua will now wear a Guardian cap, as many players have opted to do. However, according to the leading league medical official, Dr. Allen Sills, the helmet that he wears, the Vicis Zero2 Matrix ID QB helmet, is one that testing data has shown makes no difference by adding a Guardian cap will decrease the possibility of a head injury.
The Dolphins are favored by four today.
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Week 8 Predictions:
Thursday Night Football:
LARams over Minnesota 1-0
Sunday, October 27:
Philadelphia over Cincinnati
Baltimore over Cleveland
Detroit over Tennessee
NYJ over New England
Arizona over Miami
Atlanta over Tampa Bay
Green Bay over Jacksonville
Houston over Indianapolis
LAChargers over New Orleans
Buffalo over Seattle
Denver over Carolina
Kansas City over Las Vegas
Chicago over Washington
Sunday Night Football:
San Francisco over Dallas
Monday Night Football:
Pittsburgh over NYG
Bye Week: None – Patriots opted not to take bye week after London
Last week: 11—4
2024 Season 77—30
2023 Season 178—94
2022 Season: 178—92—2
2021 Season: 183—88—1
2020 Season: 169—86—1
2019 Season: 162—93—1
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“ lWe have a huge challenge in front of us in the Jets, and really it starts with the quarterback. He’s done it for a long time. One of those guys that… He’s played at a very high level for an extended period of time, and can really do it all. Can move outside the pocket, can make all the throws. It’s a very difficult challenge defensively to try to contain. I would also say, the backs. I think the backs, let’s start with [Breece] Hall. Just one of those guys that whether you’re talking about the pass game or the run game, is a very explosive player.”
Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo on the challenges they face trying to stop the Jets’ offense specifically Breece Hall.
“Hunter and Hoop [Austin Hooper] have spent, I don’t know, combined, probably 17 plus or almost 20 years in the NFL. You can see the vet experience in that room of their feel for space and their feel for, ‘hey, this guy’s playing a man’ versus those young guys. I think they’re feeling it out. And JP may be saying, ‘hey, it’s a man. I’m working my route.’ And little things like that, or Pop [DeMario Douglas]. So I don’t really understand things. It’s just kind of the reps of getting it. I think that’s something they continue to find. And as the weeks go on, you’ll see that improve.”
Patriots QB Drake Maye was asked about the tight ends perhaps having a better understanding of the offense right now.
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“Talent sets the floor; Character sets the ceiling.” Bill Belichick
Follow me on Twitter @SteveB7SFG or email me at [email protected]
Listen to our Patriots 4th and 2 podcasts on Apple and YouTube as Russ Goldman, Derek Havens, and myself from PatsFans.com discuss the latest Patriots news and game analysis.
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