With Tua Tagovailoa being placed on IR after his latest concussion, this game takes on a whole new level of meaning for these two teams, the New York Jets especially. They were expected to contend for the AFC East title with a healthy Aaron Rodgers on the field, and Tagovailoa's injury could change the playoff picture completely, potentially removing the Dolphins as contenders as the Jets chase the division-leading Buffalo Bills.
For the Patriots, though, this is a developmental year. They've played surprisingly well given the low expectations this season, but the fan base is eager to see how rookie Drake Maye can do now that the team is competent. These two teams have a lengthy history of unusual games, to say the least, so let's see how this one breaks down.
Game Details
Fixture: New England Patriots vs. New York Jets
Date and Time: September 19, 2024 @ 8:15 EST
Location: Met Life Stadium, East Rutherford NJ
New England Patriots Team Review
No one knew what to expect from the Pats this year, but the one thing everyone seemed sure about is that they'd inevitably be bad. After going 4-13 last year under Bill Belichick, the assumption was that they could go even lower under new coach Jerod Mayo, who inherited a mess of a roster.
But that's not how it's played out so far. The offense was mostly a disaster during the preseason, but New England has flashed an outstanding running attack in their first two games, which was downright shocking given how bad the line play was. The defense has landed somewhere in the decent-to-good range, although Geno Smith lit them up for 300+ yards last week as the Seahawks came from behind to earn an overtime win.
The big problem is that that same line hasn't been able to protect placeholder quarterback Jacoby Brissett, who has never been that accurate to begin with. Add in a mediocre wide receiver corps, and it's no surprise that teams are starting to load up the box to stop Rhamondre Stevenson and Taj Gibson.
New York Jets Team Review
The first two weeks have been a topsy-turvy affair for the Jets, although you could make the argument that the Jets are always a topsy-turvy affair. Their tough defense fell apart against the 49ers, who repeatedly gashed New York to post a decisive win.
Week two against Tennessee was better, at least defensively. But the offense has been stodgy despite the presence of Aaron Rodgers, and Jets fans are wondering what it will take to get things going on that side of the ball.
Given New England's struggles to protect the quarterback and score points, this feels like a good week for Rodgers to get going and have a breakout game. The problem with that theory is that things have a tendency to go sideways in some very strange ways when these two teams meet, so that's a major factor going into this one.
Who to Watch
New England Patriots
Stevenson is the bell-cow running back who's off to a tremendous start so far, although his two fumbles in two games constitute a major concern against the Jets ball-hawking, turnover-hunting defense. If you're really looking for keys to the game, though, watch to see who plays left tackle for the Pats--Pittsburgh castoff Vedarian Lowe has been dreadful, and New England could end up with rookie Caedan Wallace in that spot, despite the fact that he played right tackle during the vast majority of time at Penn State.
New York Jets
For the Jets, it's all about Rodgers. He's off to a slow start, which is understandable after an entire year on the shelf following his Achilles tear just four plays into New York's opening game. Rodgers has two formidable weapons in wide receiver Garrett Wilson and running back Breece Hall, but they're decidedly thin behind those two, so it's worth paying attention to see if some secondary targets can step up.