The New York Jets will be visiting Foxborough in Week 6 to face the New England Patriots, with a chance to get to .500. Both teams are banged up, but the Patriots will be bringing a pair of stars back to the lineup.
New England will be returning cornerback Christian Gonzalez and, barring a setback, wide receiver A.J. Brown. Gonzalez missed the last two weeks with a shoulder injury but was building on his 2025 season, which earned a Pro Bowl nod.
Meanwhile, Brown was acquired in an offseason trade from the Philadelphia Eagles. However, Brown went on injured reserve with an ankle injury after Week 1.
Despite missing two of their best players, the Patriots have been rolling the last two weeks. Coming off a 45-17 blowout over the Las Vegas Raiders, Gillette Stadium will be loud. The Jets will need to start fast. Thankfully for them, they’ll get a key return that will help.
Rookie wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. is making his return from injured reserve after going down with an ankle injury just five snaps into the season opener. He quickly showed why the Jets traded up for him in the first round, recording an impressive 30-yard catch-and-run where he broke several tackles.
Tight end Kenyon Sadiq will also be available following a concussion that knocked him out of the game in Week 5. It’ll be interesting to see how his usage in the Jets’ offense changes with the return of Cooper and Mason Taylor last week.
Jets head coach Aaron Glenn has an opportunity to make a statement this weekend. Can he travel to Foxborough and upset the heavily favored Patriots to get to 3-3?
With winnable games at home against the Miami Dolphins and Las Vegas Raiders on the horizon, this game feels especially important. Win, and the Jets will have a visible path to compete for their first playoff appearance since 2010. Lose, and the Jets will be buried in the standings once again.
