The Patriots are rolling into Week 11 with seven straight wins and sole possession of first place in the AFC East. After road wins over the Bills and Dolphins, New England faces their third divisional test of the season against the 2-7 Jets on a short week.
New York is fresh off a win over Cleveland, powered by two return touchdowns while their offense managed just 169 total yards. The Jets have struggled all season and recently traded away Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams, but Thursday night games are always unpredictable, especially when two divisional rivals meet.
Here are three important things to watch.
1. Stop Breece Hall
Breece Hall accounted for 125 of the Jets 169 total yards last week, including a 42-yard receiving touchdown. He's the clear focal point of New York's offense, with 884 total yards from scrimmage, including 664 rushing yards and 22 receptions for 220 receiving yards. Hall can do it all, as he and Garrett Wilson still have the talent to make plays and keep the Jets offense respectable.
The Patriots run defense has been elite, ranking 1st in rushing attempts faced, rushing yards allowed (792), and rushing touchdowns allowed (three), while sitting 4th in yards per carry allowed (3.8). The game plan starts with containing Hall, both on the ground and through the air, and forcing quarterback Justin Fields to make throws that he's struggled to consistently make this season (25.7 QBR in eight games).
2. Special Teams Discipline
The Jets flipped last week's game with two return touchdowns in the first quarter, setting the tone for their win over Cleveland. They've struggled offensively, ranking 28th in yards per game and 25th in points, but special teams can be a great equalizer.
The Patriots must be sharp in coverage and avoid giving up momentum-shifting plays. With rookie Andy Borregales staying steady in the kicking game and Marcus Jones a weapon in the return game, New England has the edge, but they'll need to play clean and disciplined in the third phase, especially on their kickoff and punt coverage units. They can't allow the Jets to steal points along the margins.
3. Rip It, Drake
The Jets have just one takeaway all season, a fumble recovery. They've yet to record an interception and rank 25th in passing yards allowed. That sets the stage for Drake Maye to bounce back after a season-low 51.6% completion rate last week against the Buccaneers.
Maye has been sensational overall, throwing for 2,555 yards, 19 touchdowns, and five interceptions, with a 113.9 passer rating. He's also added 283 rushing yards and two rushing scores. The Jets do have players worthy of attention at pass rusher: Will McDonald, who posted nine pressures and four sacks against the Browns, and Jermaine Johnson, who also posted nine pressures but just a single sack last week. New England's tackles will need to be ready for pressure off the edges, but otherwise, Maye should have the confidence to attack.
New England's offense ranks 8th in points (265), 11th in total yards (3,591), and 8th in EPA. By nearly all metrics they are among the best offenses in the NFL, and if the offensive line holds up, Maye should be able to pick apart a depleted Jets defense and keep the Patriots rolling.
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