It’s hard to know what to expect now. Expectations were sky-high before the first game. Things are very different with Aaron Rodgers out, but how much different is hard to say. Dallas looks like the class of the league thus far. I didn’t expect that the Cowboys would be playing this well. The Dallas defense was nearly perfect except for one pass to Garrett Wilson. The Jets offense couldn’t stay on the field, meaning their defense couldn’t stay off it. It was a bad spot for New York. A trip to Dallas is a bad spot for any team right now, and the results were bad. Let’s move on and take a look at some Jets vs Patriots predictions.
This Sunday’s game is very winnable. The Pats have a good defense, but it’s not nearly as good as the Dallas defense, and the Patriots are only scoring about 18 points per game. It will be a rock fight, but the Jets have bigger rocks on both sides of the ball. If the Jets can stay away from the mind-boggling interception this week, they have every chance to finish their first three weeks without their starting quarterback with a 2-1 record. To be honest, that is probably where they would have been, even with Aaron Rodgers in the lineup.
The Line
Las Vegas says that the Patriots are expected to win this week. New England is a slight favorite (-2.5) on the road. It doesn’t make sense. Look at the rosters and you will see that the Jets are a better team, even without Rodgers. Vegas is banking on Zach Wilson making the mistakes he typically makes. The books expect that Wilson will turn it over more than once, and those turnovers will give New England the short fields their offense will need to score against the Jet defense. They are expecting history to repeat itself.
Turnovers
Turnovers are the only thing that would tilt a very winnable game for New York to New England’s favor. The Patriots have nothing that should scare the Jets on defense. They don’t have anyone as talented as Cee Dee Lamb. The Patriot’s tight end is their leading receiver thus far. Mac Jones is average. New England’s run game should not be successful against the Jets. There’s a good chance that the Pats simply look to tread water until the Jets give them the game. That’s what Vegas expects to happen. It’s what happened last year. Belichick knows how to grind the game down to the bone and wait for the opponent to crack. I think it’s his best option Sunday and what I expect him to do. The Pats will take no risks. They will wait for a break and only move when the opportunity presents itself. I expect the Jets to win. I think the defense will stifle New England’s pedestrian offense, and Zach will finally manage the ball. I don’t think the outcome should ever be in much doubt. I expect Zach to take care of the ball, and I expect the Jets to win it 20-6.
Jets vs Patriots Predictions
Jets 20 New England 6…that’s what should happen. That’s what must happen. Are there “must-win” games in week three? I think this is a must-win for the Jets. Things can unravel quickly if the Jets lose to New England. The Jets host the world-champion Kansas City Chiefs on October 1st. After they play the Chiefs, the Jets travel to Denver; then they host NFC champion, Philadelphia. A loss on Sunday to the Patriots could easily turn into a 1-5 start. I know – Denver isn’t good, but it’s a road game, and Denver is a tough place to play. It’s a game they can lose, especially with their confidence waning if they come in, having lost three straight with Rodgers out of the lineup. It’s a plausible future that none of us want to consider. The possibility dissolves, though, if the Jets win Sunday. That nightmare goes away if the Jets play the way they should this week. Maybe we let the preseason expectations go and take it week to week instead. The Jets will win this week. They are a better team, and they win if they play the way I expect them to play.
