The
Jets and Patriots will battle under the lights at Gillette Stadium on Thursday night for supremacy in the AFC East.
Neither team has the chance to revel in their respective season-opener wins with a quick three day turnaround for this divisional
contest. Both teams were able to steal a victory from their opponent in Week 1.
Tom
Brady led a late-game drive in the fourth quarter in Buffalo that featured a
heavy dose of wide receiver Danny
Amendola (four receptions for 26 yards on the drive) to set up Stephen Gostkowski's 35-yard field goal
with 5 seconds remaining to seal a 23-21 victory over the Bills.
The
Jets, meanwhile, looked doomed after Buccaneers kicker Rian Linder connected on a 37-yard field goal with 34 seconds left
to give the visitors a 17-15 lead. Rookie QB Geno Smith led a miraculous (and very lucky) drive that started on
the team's 20 yard-line. Smith first hit tight end Kellen Winslow for a 25-yard pass. The Bucs were able to put
pressure on Smith on the next play, but he was able to roll out to the right
and scrambled out of bounds to the Bucs 45-yard line where he was pushed by
Tampa Bay linebacker Lavonte David,
who was charged with a personal foul after committing the most boneheaded play
in recent NFL memory. The 15-yard penalty put the ball at the Bucs 30 yard
line, setting up a 48-yard field goal as time expired for Nick Folk as the Jets won in improbable fashion, 18-17.
Here are the key actors to watch for
Jets vs. Patriots on Thursday Night Football:
Can Patriots Continue AFC East
Dominance?
The Patriots have ripped off 11
straight wins in the division since losing at Buffalo in Week 3 of the 2011
season. The Pats have now won 24 of 26 against the Bills after defeating them
at Ralph Wilson Stadium on Sunday. The Pats have had their way with the Jets
over the past decade-plus as well. Brady has posted a 17-4 record since taking over as the
starting quarterback. The two teams split the season-series in 2008 when Brady
was injured for the season, giving the Patriots an 18-5 edge in the series over
the past 12 seasons.
Who
will Brady Throw to?
The Patriots’ injuries continue to
pile up. Danny Amendola suffered a groin injury in the first half against the
Bills on Sunday. He was able to return and help spearhead the game-winning drive alongside
Brady to seal the win, but the wide receiver is listed as doubtful for the
Patriots home-opener. Rob Gronkowski is still not ready to suit up and his
replacement tight end, Zach Suddfeld, is battling a hamstring issue after struggling
mightily in his first career NFL game. Wide receiver Aaron Dobson hopes to play on
Thursday night after missing the season-opener in Buffalo. Dobson could play an
integral role in the Patriots banged-up offense, along with slot wideout Julian
Edelman, who hauled in 7 receptions for 79 yards and two touchdowns versus the
Bills.
Can
Stevan Ridley Redeem Himself?
Shane
Vereen, who ran for 101 yards on 14 carries versus the Bills, must undergo
wrist surgery that will keep him out until at least Week 10. Stevan Ridley, the
purported No.1 tailback on the roster, was benched after coughing up a fumble
in the second quarter that Bills safety Da'Norris Searcy scooped up for a
74-yard touchdown. Ridley will now get the bulk of the carries versus the Jets,
who he torched for 97 yards and a TD on 21 attempts this past Thanksgiving.
LeGarrette Blount, Brandon Bolden and return-man Leon Washington should also
receive a decent amount of touches out of the backfield for the Patriots.
Can Geno Smith Pull off the Unthinkable?
The
Jets enter Foxboro as huge underdogs, especially with a rookie quarterback
under-center. After defeating EJ Manuel and the Bills on Sunday, the Patriots
improved their record to 14-4 against rookie QB's since 2000. Smith went 24 of 38
for 256 yards with a TD, interception and fumble in his NFL debut, but the Jets were able to win on Sunday on the strength of their defense
as defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson and defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson put
constant pressure on Bucs QB Josh Freeman. Smith played decent in the role
as a game-managing quarterback on Sunday, but if he hopes to upset the Patriots he will
have to provide much more in the passing game. The Jets cannot simply rely on
their defense to beat New England; their offense must be in-sync and should
look to attack a Patriots’ secondary that has yet to prove they have upgraded
from last season.
Prediction:
The Patriots are still a dominant
team, despite their narrow victory against the young Buffalo Bills. To that
point, the Jets are still one of the NFL’s doormats, even though they were
able to pull off a win in Week 1.
Patriots 31, Jets 14
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