Beware Bill, the Jets are onto you.
After losing 11 of 12 to Bill Belichick and the Patriots, the Jets have won three of the last four matchups.
A win tonight in New England would put the Jets at 10-2 and in the driver’s seat in the AFC East. Gang Green won the Week 2 battle 28-14, and a repeat performance tonight could go a long way in determining who gets home-field advantage throughout the playoffs, including a first-round bye.
The winning formula:
Jets ‘D’ in Brady’s head?
It doesn’t matter if he’s in cleats or Uggs, give Tom Brady any time in the pocket and he’ll pick you apart. The Jets have found success dialing up blitzes and relying on their shutdown corners. Brady wasn’t able to make his progressions, forced uncharacteristically bad throws and was stripped late in that Week 2 loss.
Sanchez in full attack mode
The Jets are more likely to laugh at the Patriots’ 31st-ranked pass defense than back down from it. Mark Sanchez is 5-0 on the road and airing it out like no Jets QB has in the past decade. Take that Week 2 meeting for example, when Gang Green’s receivers accounted for 14 of the their 23 first downs. Sanchez is slinging bullets out there.
Mistake-free
In the Jets two wins over New England last year and then earlier this season, the team played mistake free football and limited turnovers. When the Jets limit their individual mistakes, they can win. In the two wins, quarterback Mark Sanchez completed over 66 prcent of his passes and threw four touchdown passes without an interception. In the loss last November, the then rookie connected on just 38 percent of his passes and had four interceptions.
Swagger factor
The Patriots always used to come into games against the Jets as the big bully from the north and for good reason as New England has won three Super Bowls the past decade and boast seven AFC East titles during that stretch. But now under Ryan, the Jets aren’t intimidated by anyone. And that one-time fear has turned into anger.
Look for this winning formula tonight:
A look at three things the Jets can do to win the game:
Dial Up L.T. Jets running back LaDainian Tomlinson is notorious for playing big against New England with three career rushing games of more than 100 yards and seven touchdowns. Tomlinson accumulated 102 yards of total offense in Week 2 and his ability to stretch the field opened things up for other receivers to have a big day.
Remember The Santonio Though he was suspended for the first four games of the season, including the Week 2 win against the Patriots, Santonio Holmes is still the fourth leading pass-catcher on the team. In the early season win, the Jets used Tomlinson’s speed to open up New England’s defense, and Holmes’ ability to stretch the field can help the Jets this time around.
Coles In Their Stocking With the injury to Leonhard shelving him for the year, the Jets filled the roster spot with wide receiver Laveranues Coles, who played with the Jets last year and was cut in August. Call it a motivational play, but the Jets are getting an emotional boost with the leadership of Coles, a player who was highly respected in the locker room.
