Jets look to snap a 14-game losing skid to Pats

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ—Fool me once; shame on you. Fool me twice; shame on me. Fool me 14 straight times; shame on everybody in the building and associated with the brand.

Bill Belichick’s New England Patriots have beaten the New York Jets 14 straight times, dating back to the 2016 NFL season.

Not since Ryan Fitzpatrick found Eric Decker in the endzone two days after Christmas 2015 have the Jets knocked off the Pats. Not even Tom Brady’s Patriots exit has turned things around for Gang Green.

Whether it’s been Cam Newton or Mac Jones taking snaps, the Evil Empire has rattled off six more victories since Brady took his talents to the greater Tampa, FL, area.

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New York Jets vs. New England Patriots, NFL Week 3 Preview
New York Jets vs. New England Patriots, NFL Week 3 Preview (Getty Images)

Jets vs. Patriots game info

  • New York Jets (1-1)
  • New England Patriots (0-2)
  • NFL, Week 3, Sept. 24, 2023, 1:00 p.m. ET, CBS
  • MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ

The Jets enter the AFC East clash with a 1-1 mark, whereas the Pats reek of desperation at 0-2. Then again, many could argue the franchise that’s lost 14 straight could be the more desperate squad.

With the Miami Dolphins set to host the struggling Denver Broncos at home, and the Buffalo Bills on the road against the surprising yet perhaps not yet ready-for-primetime Washington Commanders, the Jets and Pats find themselves in a big one.

New York is set to wear its all-white uniforms at home, and the game will be broadcast on CBS, with Jim Nantz and Tony Romo on the call.

Jets vs. Patriots history

  • The Patriots lead the all-time series, 73-54-1.

The teams’ head-to-head history is the over-the-top narrative going into this one, and that won’t change on Sunday morning.

Winning the last 14 games, New England needs to extend the streak to 15 to avoid falling to 0-3. Worse yet, the Pats have defeated the Jets in 17 of their last 18 meetings, as well as 22 of their last 24.

Jets vs. Patriots odds (FanDuel Sportsbook)

  • Spread: Jets +2.5 (-105), Patriots -2.5 (-115)
  • Moneyline: Jets +124, Patriots -146
  • Over/Under: 36.5 (O: -105, U: -115)

Belichick’s team enters this one as 2.5-point road favorites—in spite of its unimpressive 0-2 record. The Patriots did hang tough with the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 1, and did the same against the Miami Dolphins in Week 2, but both of those contests were in Foxborough.

This is probably the trickiest NFL line in Week 3 for a myriad of reasons—including the sloppy weather forecasted due to Tropical Storm Ophelia.

Jets vs. Patriots injury report

Of course, the Jets will be without Aaron Rodgers still (for those starry-eyed and perhaps insane optimists who continue praying for a miracle), but the rest of the weekly injury report isn’t as devastating.

New York Jets

  • S Tony Adams (Out)
  • OL Wes Schweitzer (Out)
  • OL Duane Brown (Questionable)
  • DL John Franklin-Myers (Questionable)
  • K Greg Zuerlein (Questionable)

Unfortunately, Jets starting safety Tony Adams will miss the game. Who replaces the young undrafted free agent remains to be seen—either Adrian Amost, Ashtyn Davis, or perhaps a combination of both.

Backup interior offensive lineman Wes Schweitzer is also out, whereas Duane Brown, John Franklin-Myers, and kicker Greg Zuerlein are all questionable. If Brown can’t suit up—which appears to be a legitimate possibility—Robert Saleh and Nathaniel Hackett will be forced to do something different up front.

If Zuerlein can’t play and misses his second straight, veteran Austin Seibert, who replaced Greg the Leg in Dallas, will be called up from the practice squad (as one of the two Jets’ game-day elevations).

New England Patriots

  • DL Christian Barmore (Questionable)
  • CB Jonathan Jones (Questionable)
  • OL Mike Onwenu (Questionable)
  • OL Sidy Sow (Questionable)
  • G Cole Strange (Questionable)

Both Patriots starting guards Cole Strange and Mike Onwenu come into the game questionable, which could serve Quinnen Williams and the rest of the Jets’ front extremely well on Sunday afternoon in the swaps of Northern New Jersey.

Jets’ keys to victory

Offense: Do not shackle Zach Wilson

Trying to win games with a talented roster yet big-time questions at quarterback is a tricky thing—especially in today’s NFL that heavily favors the passing game. But this is exactly the same reason why the Jets cannot shackle Zach Wilson.

The bad weather most definitely throws a wrench into the day, but that also cannot be the determining factor in the team’s offensive game plan.

Yes, a heavy dose of Breece Hall and Dalvin Cook should commence from snap one, but Hackett and the Jets offense must dial up early-down opportunities early in the game.

Not until the Jets force the Pats’ defense to back up a bit, and start respecting at least a semblance of the passing game, will the Jets have much fun offensively.

Defense: Come out with a transparent challenge to Mac Jones

What Belichick is prepared to come out with against Wilson is what the Jets should do against Mac Jones: Get in the wide receivers’ faces and think short-passing game.

No NFL quarterback loves to throw the under 10 (or even five) yard pass more than Jones. The troubling aspect to this is New York’s natural tendency defensively, which is a quarters look that tends to lag across the field.

It works well against a quarterback like Josh Allen who’s always looking to push the ball downfield. But major problems arise when guys graciously take the underneath game (i.e. Dak Prescott in Week 2).

Expect a lot more man-to-man and solo high coverage against the Patriots offense in Week 3.

Jets vs. Patriots prediction

  • New York Jets 26, New England Patriots 17

I’ll take the Jets, 26-17. Although the wise man might take the team with the 14-game winning streak and force the losing team to prove it first, and gambling man who loves the Xs and Os would be hard-pressed to not take the much more talented team at home.

The New York Jets do possess much more talent than the New England Patriots. That, combined with the encouraging signs Zach Wilson put on tape in Week 2, forces me to go Jets over the Pats—thus ending the nagging 14-game skid.