The New England Patriots (1-6) are back in Foxborough after a rough trip overseas, but home turf won’t make Sunday’s matchup against the New York Jets (2-5) any easier. Coming off a four-game losing streak, Gang Green is hungry to sweep the Pats in the regular season for the first time since 2000.
This Week 8 clash at Gillette Stadium marks the second meeting between these rivals in 2024. The last one? An absolute drubbing, with the Jets walking away from MetLife Stadium with a 24-3 win. That game feels like eons ago for New England fans, but the scars still linger. In that contest, Jets QB Aaron Rodgers lit up the scoreboard, and the Pats offense never got off the bus.
Now, the stakes are even higher as both teams are in freefall. The Jets are coming off a brutal 37-15 loss to the Steelers, where they blew a 15-6 lead late in the second quarter. For New York’s interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich, this game is a chance to right the ship after Robert Saleh’s mid-season firing. Adding three-time All-Pro Davante Adams to the roster hasn’t sparked the turnaround the Jets hoped for, but Adams, Rodgers, and the rest of the squad won’t go down without a fight.
On the Patriots’ side, rookie quarterback Drake Maye will be under the microscope. Maye has shown flashes of brilliance in his first two starts, racking up 500 passing yards and 5 TDs—joining Dan Marino in an exclusive club of rookies with those numbers in their first two games. But make no mistake, this Jets defense has been a menace, already racking up 21 sacks this season. They’ll be coming for the kid.
Maye’s emergence is one of the few bright spots in an otherwise grim season for New England. Head coach Jerod Mayo didn’t mince words after last week’s loss to Jacksonville, calling his squad “soft” after they surrendered 171 rushing yards and allowed the Jags to dominate the line of scrimmage. Mayo’s challenge now is to get his team to play with grit, but at 1-6, the question is whether this roster is still buying in.
The Jets, under Ulbrich’s leadership, also have their share of internal strife. Rodgers has been dealing with a slew of injuries and hasn’t quite looked like his usual self, throwing 7 interceptions so far this season. But the veteran QB remains optimistic. “We need to get rid of the anger or frustration and play with the excitement and joy that we love this game for,” Rodgers said earlier this week.
For fans, the storyline is simple: two struggling teams, a storied rivalry, and the possibility of one club’s season spiraling even further into oblivion. Will the Jets complete the sweep and bury New England deeper in the AFC East standings, or will Maye lead the Pats to a long-awaited redemption? Sunday at 1 PM, it’s go time.
5 Things to Watch for in Patriots vs. Jets
- Drake Maye’s Encore – The rookie sensation has thrown 5 touchdowns in his first two starts, but facing the Jets’ sixth-ranked pass rush will be his toughest test yet. Can he continue his hot streak?
- Rodgers-Adams Reunion – Davante Adams hasn’t quite hit his stride since joining New York, but the chemistry between him and Rodgers is undeniable. Will this be the game they break out?
- Jets Sack Attack – With 21 sacks on the season and newly added Haason Reddick ready to join the fray, the Patriots’ offensive line will have their hands full.
- Breece Hall Factor – Hall rushed for 178 yards in a win against the Pats last season. Expect New York to lean heavily on their run game again, especially with New England struggling to stop the ground attack.
- Jerod Mayo’s Last Stand? – After calling his team “soft,” all eyes will be on the Patriots’ head coach. If New England falls to 1-7, the whispers about Mayo’s future in Foxborough will only get louder.
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