Sunday at MetLife Stadium will feature two rookie quarterbacks, both in search of their first NFL win.
In Week 1, Mac Jones and the Patriots fell to Miami 17-16, while Zach Wilson and the Jets also lost a close one, 19-14 to Carolina.
There may be more pressure on Jones and the Patriots, as they have the more talented roster and much higher expectations. Falling to 0-2 would be a killer start to the year. Meanwhile, the Jets are just hoping to see progress from Wilson as they look to prepare themselves well for the next few years with a first-year head coach in Robert Saleh.
It’s the Jets’ home opener, so there should be a fun and lively crowd, creating a good atmosphere.
Patriots vs. Jets
Sunday, Sept. 19, 2021
1:00, CBS
Patriots -6, over/under 43
3 keys to the game
Take care of the football
It’s obvious, but after putting the ball on the ground four times against Miami in Week 1, the Patriots cannot let the trend continue. Committing turnovers also seems to be one of the few paths for the Jets to come away with a win. It’s also worth paying attention to penalties as the Patriots committed eight for 84 yards last week, continuing the poor trend from the preseason. This is another area the team would like to clean up.
Make Wilson uncomfortable
The Patriots only recorded two sacks last week and that should change this week facing a Jets offense that allowed six a week ago. They do have some weapons at the receiver position in Corey Davis and Jamison Crowder, so the Patriots cornerbacks will have their hands full. The front seven putting pressure on Wilson will help force bad throws and not allow those players to beat them. Wilson has a cannon of an arm, so allowing him to have all day in the pocket would not be a good thing for the Patriots defense.
Let Mac Jones go
Josh McDaniels seemed to have the training wheels on Jones, especially early in the Week 1 game against the Jets. In the second half the Patriots spread things out and that was when the rookie seemed most comfortable. The offensive coordinator should let Jones go and allow him to make some of the deep throws we saw in training camp and during the preseason. Don’t be surprised to see the Patriots have a few big plays in the passing game, as the Jets do not have much depth at the cornerback spot.
Fun Facts
1. New England is 25-6 against starting rookie quarterbacks under Bill Belichick. In those 31 games, those rookies have completed just 54.2% of their passes for 6.3 yards per attempt and have thrown 25 touchdowns compared to 43 interceptions.
2. Nick Folk has made 29 straight field goals, which is the second-longest streak in team history. Stephen Gostkowski made 31 straight (2014-15).
3. The Patriots have won 10 straight games against the Jets, which is the third-longest winning streak against an opponent in Patriots history. The longest is 15 games against the Bills from 2003-10.
4. Dating back to high school, Jones hasn’t lost back-to-back games.
5. The Patriots have gone 87 straight games (regular and postseason) scoring in the first half, an NFL record. The Patriots also own the second-longest streak at 82 games with a first-half score (2006-11).
Prediction
Patriots 27, Jets 7 (Our season record: 0-1)
This figures to be a huge bounce-back, get-right game for the Patriots, especially on defense. Look for the front seven to really confuse Wilson and force a couple of turnovers. Offensively, Jones should make more plays in the passing game than a week ago, but we don’t think they are there yet when it comes to eclipsing the 30 point mark. Look for the Patriots to control the game from start to finish and come away with their first win of the year.
