2024 NFL Season, Week 3: Four things to watch for in Patriots-Jets on Prime Video, NFL+ Sep 18, 2024

WHERE: MetLife Stadium | East Rutherford, N.J.WHEN: 8:15 p.m. ET | Prime Video, NFL+The Patriots and Jets meet on Thursday at MetLife Stadium with both teams sitting at 1-1 and both offenses stuck in neutral.

It’s not stunning that Jacoby Brissett and the Patriots have not been explosive offensively so far. That was the expectation coming into the season given New England’s struggles on that side of the ball in recent years. A coaching change and subpar offensive personnel also are reasonable explanations for their slow start on that side of the ball.

The expectations were higher for the Jets, even with the understanding that Aaron Rodgers’ return to the field after his Week 1 season-ending injury in 2023 would make this offense a wait-and-see affair. That, along with a disappointing start defensively, has made it a tepid start to the season.

For years, the Patriots have been the big brother in the rivalry. The Jets have only beaten them three times since the 2011 season, and two of those were in overtime. The last time they beat the Patriots in New York was in 2015.

But if there’s ever a time to flip the script, it’s now. Do Rodgers and the Jets have enough to make a statement in a surprisingly important early-season game?

Here are four things to watch for when the Patriots visit the Jets on Thursday Night Football on Prime Video and NFL+:

1) Aaron Rodgers faces another tough assignment. After opening with the 49ers, the Jets had a little more success moving the ball — though not a lot more — at Tennessee. There’s evidence to suggest both are good defenses, and Thursday’s matchup might be similar. The Patriots had some breakdowns in Sunday’s loss to the Seahawks, but they’ve clamped down on the run two straight weeks and have allowed only 16.5 points per game. Rodgers actually played against Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo in 2010, and now Mayo gets his crack at drawing up a plan to stop him. The Jets have been good on third downs and in the red zone, but they’ve been too hot and cold, drive to drive. Rodgers has thrown the ball to Allen Lazard and Breece Hall nearly as many times as he has Garrett Wilson, who’s off to a slow start. The Patriots’ coverage has been solid through two games, led by the returns of cornerbacks Christian Gonzalez and Marcus Jones, but there were a few breakdowns against the Seahawks that should have the Jets encouraged. Rodgers must mind the pass rush but can get the quick passing game going.

2) Patriots must find ways to slow down pressure, dial up big plays. Jacoby Brissett remains in the captain’s chair for the Patriots, and he’s done a solid job escaping pressure and keeping the ball out of harm’s way. But the Patriots haven’t pass blocked consistently well, nor have they been able to push the ball downfield. Brissett has been under pressure on nearly half his dropbacks, and he’s completed only one pass longer than 17 yards. Presumed WR1 Demario Douglas has only two short catches on three targets. The Patriots also could be making a switch at left tackle, possibly their third in three games. Chuks Okorafor started the opener there, then Vederian Lowe was at left tackle in Week 2. With Lowe hurt, third-round rookie Caedan Wallace — a college right tackle with only a handful of pro snaps on the left side — could start there Thursday night. The run game has remained New England’s bread and butter so far, and it’s hard to see that changing soon. With such a limited offensive line, how are the Patriots going to generate big plays? This is offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt’s challenge.

3) Jets defense needs to make a statement. The Jets looked like a top-10 defense some games last season. Others, they most certainly did not. But the talent is there, and if the Jets are going to have more team success, it’s dependent on the defense looking the part more than it has in the first two games. No shame in losing to the 49ers, and the Jets held them down in the red zone, but they also allowed eight straight San Francisco scoring drives. Sunday against the Titans, the defense made some game-saving plays but also was too giving and kept the door open for Will Levis and Co. The chore Thursday becomes tougher if the Jets are without linebacker C.J. Mosley. They’re already without Jermaine Johnson II (torn Achilles) for the season. They traded John Franklin-Myers in the offseason. Haason Reddick remains unsigned. The defensive front went from looking like a team strength to being one of its biggest question marks. If there’s ever an opponent the Jets can prove their worth against, it’s this Patriots offense. If the Jets struggle defensively in this one, it’s fair to sound the alarms.

4) Patriots must make anyone but Breece Hall beat them. It has been a solid start for Hall this season, even if he’s been a little bottled up as a runner, averaging 3.9 yards per carry behind a rebuilt Jets offensive line. That number should drift upward as this line jells and Aaron Rodgers and the passing game start making more gains. But Hall has already shown he can sting teams in multiple ways with his work in the pass game, catching a gorgeous fade Sunday from Rodgers for a touchdown and figures to continue receiving heavy work in this area. The Patriots have been about 60-40 zone versus man in coverage and have not generally assigned one person to track backs; it has been a shared duty. Then again, they haven’t faced a receiving-threat back like Hall to this point. Hall drove the final stake into the Bill Belichick era in Week 18 with a 50-yard TD run and a two-point conversion to finish off the Patriots last season, but he’s not done much in his two meetings against New England in the passing game. The Jets will try to change that Thursday. Will Mayo have a way of slowing it down?