The New England Patriots are heading to hostile territory tonight, set to face off against the New York Jets under the bright lights of Thursday Night Football. The AFC East showdown at MetLife Stadium marks the first time the division rivals will meet on a Thursday night since 2014, when the Pats edged out a 27-25 win. Historically, New England has owned these primetime matchups, leading the series 4-1 on Thursday nights.
This year’s game has all the ingredients for a high-stakes grudge match. The Patriots are coming off back-to-back rushing performances of over 170 yards, including a bruising 185-yard ground game against Seattle. If they rack up another 170+ yards on the ground against the Jets, it will be the first time in team history they’ve started a season with such a rushing streak.
But it’s not just about the run game. The Pats are riding an eight-game winning streak at MetLife Stadium, and the Jets haven’t beaten them on home turf since what feels like forever. New England has been absolutely dominant in this rivalry, boasting 74 wins overall against the Jets, including a playoff victory. Even Robert Kraft’s Patriots have made it personal — they’ve swept the Jets 23 times, with 16 of those coming since Kraft bought the team in 1994.
Of course, the Jets are desperate to break New England’s stranglehold on the series. Their 15-game losing streak finally snapped earlier this year with a 17-3 win in the regular season finale at Gillette Stadium. But the bad news for Gang Green? The Pats are 11-3 at MetLife Stadium and 2-0 in Thursday night games on the Jets’ turf. History is not on New York’s side.
The Patriots have kept their hands clean this season, going two games without a turnover. If they extend that streak to three games, it’ll be the first time since 2022 they’ve started a season this disciplined. On the defensive side, New England has been stingy as well, holding opponents to under 100 rushing yards in the first two games. If they can keep the Jets bottled up on the ground, it will be the first time they’ve done so in their opening three games since 2019.
The stage is set for another bruising battle in this storied rivalry. Can the Patriots continue their reign, or will the Jets finally get revenge in front of a national audience? Thursday night’s clash at MetLife Stadium will provide the answer.
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