Week 3 in the NFL begins at MetLife Stadium, where the New York Jets will play the New England Patriots in the AFC East. This is the first of two games these players will have this season. New York snapped its 15-game losing streak against the Patriots in Week 18 to end the 2023 campaign and will look to start its streak as it faces Thursday night.
Both teams are 1-1 on the year. The Patriots opened the year with a blowout win at Cincinnati, but fell to the Seattle Seahawks in their home opener on Sunday. As for the Jets, they started the year on the road for the first two weeks and opened MetLife Stadium after seeing their first win — a 24-17 win over Tennessee — in Week 2.
New York is favored by six in this game. As long as that continues, this will be the first time they have been favored against New England since 2011. How does the head-to-head shake out? Let’s dive in.
How to watch
- Date: Thursday, Sep. 19 | Time: 8:15 pm ET
- Location: MetLife Stadium (East Rutherford, New Jersey)
- Stream: Great video
- Chances: Jets -6 | O/U 38.5 (SportsLine consensus)
When the players have the ball
New England has shown in the first few weeks that they want to be a floor and heavy offense led by Rhamondre Stevenson. The back is averaging 23 carries per game this season, which is 10 more than his career high of 13 carries per game set in 2023. He has caught the end zone in the last two games and has recorded at least 80 yards. .
Although Stevenson’s flowing offense will be an option for the Patriots, they will need to do a better job of attacking defenses through the air. Quarterback Jacoby Brissett has passed for under 150 yards in both games this season. Hunter Henry was able to make an impact in the Week 2 loss to Seattle with 109 yards on eight catches, but the rest of the catchers did nothing. In particular, many receivers have not been a part of New England’s offense thus far. Wideouts registered just three catches for 19 yards in Week 2. The team’s leading receiver, DeMario Douglas, was held without a catch.
Part of the lack of performance the Patriots’ receivers are seeing may be due to the team’s offensive struggles. The team has struggled to keep Brissett upright this season as they consolidate their line, especially on the left side. Chukwuma Okorafor started the year as the team’s starting left tackle but was benched before opening for Vederian Lowe and has since left. placed on the list of the forgotten/left group. Then, Lowe went down with a knee injury in Week 2, meaning rookie Caedan Wallace is slated to start at left tackle in this game. So far, the Patriots are allowing a 44.3% pass rush rate this season, which is the third worst in the NFL.
When the Jets have the ball
Of course, Aaron Rodgers is the middle man and the straw that will stir the drink of the New York offense. He gives the Jets the best quarterback play the franchise has seen in decades, and while they’ve been running hot and cold the first few weeks, they may be starting to find their footing. Breece Hall will be a key chess piece for Rodgers as the back has been a factor on the ground and in the passing attack this season. In the Week 2 win over Tennessee, Hall had 114 yards from scrimmage and a reception. He is responsible for 32.2% of the team’s offense from last year. With New England losing linebacker Ja’Whaun Bentley (fractured pec) for the season, New York may be doubling down on the star back. And when Hall needs a breather, rookie Braelon Allen showed in Week 2 that he can carry the load. He had 56 scrimmage yards against the Titans and found the end zone twice.
When Rodgers decides to step back and look outside, Garrett Wilson will be his first read, more often than not. Wilson is one of the top receivers in the NFL but hasn’t really exploded into 2024. He registered 57 receiving yards in Week 1 and then 60 in Week 1. 2. When he can be compared to the early Christian. Gonzalez in this game against the Patriots, New England just allowed both DK Metcalf and Jaxon Smith-Njigba to pass 110 yards receiving on Sunday.
Patriots vs. Jets key matchup
The Patriots’ strength is undoubtedly their ability to pressure the quarterback, led by sophomore defensive end Keion White, who already has four sacks this season. While removing Rodger from his position would go a long way in New England to remove the confusion, they may not have the chance to do so. The Jets are allowing a 20.3% pass rush rate this season, which is the best in the NFL. That’s partly due to Rodgers taking the ball out in 2.4 seconds, which is the fastest in the NFL over two weeks. If that continues and the Jets offense is able to quickly get down the field to build a lead, the Patriots could be behind the ball in no time.
Prophecy
New England’s issues on offense, led by a dysfunctional attack and a deteriorating offensive line, are enough to eliminate them from this spot. That doesn’t even mean the loss of starting quarterback Ja’Whaun Bentley on defense. The Jets offense has the ability to wake up early in this game, and, with the way the Patriots are currently constructed, it’s hard to imagine them throwing themselves back into the mix.
Scheduled points: Jets 27, Patriots 17
ChoiceAirplanes -6
SportsLine’s Emory Hunt knows the game from a player’s perspective and has a strong read on the Patriots. He is 18-5 (+1244) in his last 23 NFL starts in games involving New England. Whoever follows him goes up. Visit SportsLine to see how he’s leaning on Thursday night.
#watch #Jets #Patriots #Spread #odds #predictions #picks #Thursday #Night #Football