An inside look at Sunday afternoon’s Jets-Patriots NFL Week 3 matchup at MetLife Stadium:
Jets QB Zach Wilson vs. Patriots coach Bill Belichick
The Patriots have owned Wilson during his first two seasons. Some of Wilson’s ugliest games have come against Belichick and the Patriots.
Last year, he was intercepted three times in a 22-17 loss at home, then played terribly in a 10-3 loss in Foxborough, Mass., that led to him being benched.
In four games against New England, Wilson has two touchdown passes, seven interceptions and a quarterback rating of 50.6.
He has completed just 50.9 percent of his passes against the Patriots.
“I just need to be smart with the ball,” Wilson said this week. “Especially, last time we played them at home, a lot of them were just dumb plays by me. I need to play one play at a time, be efficient with the football, trust what I am seeing, and play ball.”
Head coach Robert Saleh said he likes what he has seen from Wilson in training camp and the first two games.
“He’s in a really good frame of mind, his footwork is light years ahead of where it was a year ago,” Saleh said. “His pocket presence is light years ahead of where it was a year ago. His confidence in the pocket, to sit in the phone booth and still deliver a strike, is light years ahead, and we’ve just got to give him time, and he’ll show how well he’s done or how well he’s improved, and that’s always going to be — it’s all 11 have to work together.”
This game is a total tossup.
Both teams have good defenses and bad offenses, and the game is going to be played in sloppy conditions.
I would not be shocked if the Jets win, but I think the Patriots will score a late touchdown to extend their winning streak to 15 over the Jets.
Patriots 17, Jets 13
No line: The Jets’ pass protection was awful last week at Dallas.
They had the lowest pass-blocking win rate in the NFL, according to ESPN. Zach Wilson was under constant pressure.
The Cowboys have one of the best front sevens in the league, and Micah Parsons might be the best defensive player in football right now.
Still, the Jets know they need to block better to give Wilson any chance at success.
“I definitely didn’t play my best game,” center Connor McGovern said. “I’m disappointed in that game on a personal level and everything else. This is just a great opportunity to change that script.”
The Patriots do not have as much skill up front as the Cowboys, but edge rusher Matthew Judon can wreck a game if the Jets allow it.
Mac attack: This is another matchup between two first-round quarterbacks from the 2021 draft. Patriots quarterback Mac Jones is trying to get back on track after a disappointing second season. New offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien is expected to help Jones, who has thrown for 547 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions in his first two games.
“[Jones] has been efficient,” Jets head coach Robert Saleh said. “Especially, this year, he has been getting back to who he is with distributing the football, getting it out of his hands quickly, being decisive.”
Third and whoa: The Jets struggled mightily on third down at Dallas, converting just one of their 10 third-down tries. They are 6-for-23 this season on third downs, which ranks 31st in the NFL. Only the Jaguars are worse.
Overall, the Jets are 29th in total offense and 31st in passing offense. New England has faced two potent offenses in the Eagles and Dolphins, and the Patriots are 14th in total defense and 13th against the pass.
Stand pat: These are strange days for the Patriots and their fans. New England is 0-2 for the first time since 2001. You remember what happened that year? Mo Lewis knocked out Drew Bledsoe, and Tom Brady jogged onto the field and never left.
But Brady is now only around the Patriots for ceremonies, and head coach Bill Belichick is struggling without him. The Patriots are trying to avoid their first 0-3 start since 2000, Belichick’s first season with the team.
New England has been relying on their passing game, throwing for 335 yards per game, as compared to just 82 yards per game on the ground.