Odds: Patriots -13.5, O/U: 42.5
Kickoff: The Patriots take on the Jets for the second time this season. New England won the first match up, 27-14 on November 13th. With a win today and a Bills loss to the Eagles, the Patriots would clinch their first AFC East title since 2019. With a win today, the Patriots would finish the regular season undefeated on the road.
Here are four keys to the game for the Patriots.
1st Down: Depth must step up: Seven starters/contributors are out for this game. The Patriots are banged up and they will need key back ups and third string players to step up and make a difference if they are going to win this game.
2nd Down: Stop the run: The Jets ran the ball well against the Patriots but that was with Justin Fields under center. Rookie Brady Cook is starting at quarterback now and while he may not be the running threat that Fields is, the Jets will still emphasize the run in an attempt to shorten the game. That and the Patriots are playing without Milton Williams and Robert Spillane which has made them susceptible against the run the past few weeks.
3rd Down: Tight ends and running backs are the focus: With both Kayshon Boutte and Mac Hollins out, the Patriots will rely on the tight end and running backs more in the passing game today. Expect Hunter Henry, Austin Hooper, Rhamondre Stevenson and Treyveon Henderson to get a lot of targets today as the Patriots spread the wealth more in the passing game.
4th Down: Survive this game: The Patriots are limping into the playoffs and cannot afford more injuries. They need to shorten this game, get the win and more importantly, come out of it healthy. The Jets are bad. Don’t play down, execute and get the win.
Extra Points: New England leads the series 76-56-1 overall. The Patriots are 35-30 overall in games played on the road against the Jets, including 11-4 at MetLife Stadium.
New England is 47-18 against the Jets since Robert Kraft purchased the team in 1994, including two postseason games.
New England’s 76 overall victories over the Jets (including two playoff wins) are the second-most over any single opponent, trailing only the 80 all-time wins over Buffalo. (Courtesy of patriots.com, Patriots Communications)
Final Drive: It is simple today. Get the win and the hell out of New Jersey healthy. That’s it! There is no sugarcoating it. The Jets stink. This is a game the Patriots should win. How they do it doesn’t matter. Just get the job done and come out of it healthy.