New York Jets vs. New England Patriots: Full Week 7 Preview for New York
It's hard to comprehend, but the New York Jets own one of the worst records in the NFL.
Rex Ryan's troops have dropped five consecutive games following a season-opening victory, raising some serious concerns about the future of the organization and the people running it.
The Jets are in desperate need of a turnaround, and there's no better way to do that than beat their biggest rival on the road on prime-time television.
Gang Green has played surprisingly well against the New England Patriots in the Rex Ryan era, having won four games in the last five years. However, they have dropped five of the last six to New England after New York's monumental playoff win in Foxborough in 2010.
New York's season will undoubtedly be over with a loss this Thursday, so expect the Jets to give Tom Brady and Co. everything they have.
Click through for a full preview and analysis, as well as a prediction, for this colossal game for New York.
Jets' Week 6 Recap
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It was far from the embarrassing road performance against the San Diego Chargers the week prior, but the Jets still dropped their Week 6 matchup against the Denver Broncos, the Jets' fifth consecutive loss.
Denver quarterback Peyton Manning tossed for 237 yards and three scores, including two to the NFL touchdown leader, Julius Thomas, and the Broncos marched out to a 24-7 lead midway through the third quarter.
However, the Jets showcased some resiliency, rattling off 10 straight points to claw back into it, before ultimately falling short.
Geno Smith played his best game of the season in defeat, even if the numbers says otherwise. He managed to move the ball downfield and remain poised despite horrible pass protection from his offensive line and a nonexistent running game.
Despite allowing a trio of touchdowns to Manning, the defense was also strong, especially considering it was without Dee Milliner for most of the game. The unit got consistent pressure on the Hall of Fame quarterback and forced him into having to make tough passes to be successful.
The run defense fell short of expectations for the second straight week, allowing 100 yards to backup runner Ronnie Hillman. Denver's success running the ball was a huge reason for the outcome, as it allowed it to control the clock and open up the passing game.
Gang Green played a pretty decent game, but they were simply outclassed by the defending AFC champions.
News and Notes
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Two Key Starters Done for the Year
The injury bug continues to hit the Jets, especially in positions of need.
Cornerback Dee Milliner and left guard Brian Winters both suffered season-ending injuries against the Broncos on Sunday, per Seth Walder of the New York Daily News.
Milliner tore his achilles on the first drive of the game, while Winters tore his ACL in the second half.
It'd already been a tough year for Milliner, who was expected to become the team's No. 1 cornerback. The second-year man dealt with nagging injuries throughout the season's first month, and he will now have to wait until 2015 to live up to his potential.
As he did last year, Winters was really struggling in the starting guard role, allowing consistent pressure on Geno Smith. He was also a liability in run blocking. He may have played his final down as a starter in New York.
Phillip Adams and Oday Aboushi are expected to replace Milliner and Winters, respectively.
Geno Smith Plays the Blame Game
Despite his solid performance last time out, Geno Smith is still receiving a ton of criticism from Jets fans and the media.
It's undoubtedly been a trying year for the sophomore quarterback, as he leads the NFL in turnovers and has been benched.
Smith believes the media is responsible for some of the team's struggles, saying it has "misprinted" and "miscommunicated" things, per Brian Costello of the New York Post.
The former second-round selection's dislike of the media is not surprising, as his off-field issues (cursing at a fan and missing a team meeting) have also generated a lot of negative coverage.
However, Smith needs to realize that the blame belongs in the locker room, and it's up to him and his teammates to turn the season around.
Rex Ryan Praises John Idzik
It's hard to think Rex Ryan and John Idzik are best friends, especially considering how Idzik's lack of spending in the offseason has left Ryan with a talent-starved roster.
Nonetheless, the head coach was quick to praise the general manager's decisions over his first two years on the job, perhaps in an attempt to save his job.
According to Rich Cimini of ESPN New York, Ryan spoke positively of nearly every one of Idzik's draft selections, even though only one (Sheldon Richardson) has emerged as a Pro Bowl-caliber player.
Ryan likely won't stick around for much longer, especially if the team continues its losing ways. However, Idzik is the one who probably deserves to be in the unemployment line after some subpar decision-making in his nearly two years with the organization.
Injury Report
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| Player | Injury | Status |
| Jace Amaro | Knee | Probable |
| Josh Bush | Quadriceps | Questionable |
| Willie Colon | Knee | Probable |
| Eric Decker | Hamstring | Questionable |
| Breno Giacomini | Low Back | Probable |
| David Harris | Shoulder | Questionable |
| Damon Harrison | Ankle | Probable |
| Chris Johnson | Ankle | Probable |
| Nick Mangold | Shoulder | Probable |
| David Nelson | Ankle | Probable |
| Trevor Reilly | Knee | Questionable |
| Greg Salas | Wrist/Ankle | Questionable |
| Darrin Walls | Knee | Probable |
*Injury report courtesy of the official website of the New York Jets
Dee Milliner and Brian Winters are out for the year, but they aren't New York's only injury concerns.
Greg Salas, who has been responsible for some of the offense's biggest plays, probably won't suit up against the Patriots on Thursday due to a wrist injury, according to Rich Cimini of ESPN New York.
On a brighter note, David Nelson, who missed Sunday's contest with ankle injury, and Eric Decker are both expected to start.
The offense has been much better with Decker on the field, and Nelson is a decent No. 2 option on the outside.
The defense looks to be fully healthy with the exception of Milliner, as David Harris has recovered nicely from the shoulder injury he suffered in San Diego.
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X-Factors and Matchups to Watch
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Antonio Allen vs. Rob Gronkowski
Antonio Allen has returned to his original role after a brief and unsuccessful run at cornerback.
The third-year man will likely be matched up with Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski for much of Thursday night, as Rex Ryan gave Allen the same duty in Week 7 last year. Gronk did have eight catches for 114 yards, but Allen successfully battled the Pro Bowl tight end on a handful of targets and he did record a pick-six.
Gronkowski is in peak form right now, having recorded over 200 yards and a touchdown in his last two games combined.
Look for Tom Brady to look early and often to his top target in this matchup.
Jets Offensive Line vs. Patriots Defensive Front
New York's offensive line has been abysmal in the last fortnight.
Another poor showing against a solid New England front could lead to disaster for Geno Smith and the offense.
The Patriots are currently tied for seventh in the NFL in sacks with 15, with outside linebackers Rob Ninkovich and Chandler Jones leading the charge. Expect Bill Belichick to send the house on multiple occasions in hopes of forcing Smith into killer mistakes.
It's up to the offensive line to keep Smith off the ground, as well as open up some running holes for Chris Johnson and Chris Ivory.
Eric Decker vs. Darrelle Revis
Despite dealing with a nagging hamstring injury throughout the season, Eric Decker has been a catalyst for the Jets offense.
The former Bronco isn't putting up earth-shattering numbers, but he's been the main weapon in the passing game. Decker has made several outstanding catches throughout the season, and he's undoubtedly been the offense's best player.
However, the 27-year-old will face his biggest challenge to date in ex-Jet shutdown corner Darrelle Revis.
Revis is still one of the best cover men in the game today, and he will likely be matched up on Decker all night.
Gang Green brought in Decker for games like Thursday. Does he have what it takes to get the best of one of the league's most dominant defensive players?
X-Factor of the Week: Phillip Adams
Bye Dee Milliner, hello Phillip Adams.
Adams was signed just a few weeks ago, but he's now one of the team's starting cornerbacks heading into Thursday's game.
Adams replaced the injured Milliner on Sunday, and was surprisingly decent. He also recorded the Jets first, and only, interception of the season in Week 5 in San Diego.
It's yet to be seen how the 26-year-old can hold up in the starting role, though.
Gang Green's defensive performance on Thursday could depend on how well Adams performs.
Prediction
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It's almost impossible to go to Foxborough and bury the Patriots, especially in a short week.
But the Jets must do just that to stop their free-fall.
Gang Green must play a near-perfect game to capture the victory. And that requires much-improved play from the offensive line and the secondary, as well as a dominant performance from the front seven. However, New York hasn't managed to put together a complete game this year, and that will once again be the case on Thursday.
Whether it be a special teams mistake or a key turnover from Geno Smith, the Jets will cough up a chance at a key road victory over their biggest rival.
I fully expect Rex Ryan's troops to be competitive, as this Patriots team isn't the dominant force it once was. I wouldn't even be surprised if Gang Green pushes New England to the absolute brink.
Nonetheless, at the end of the day, the Jets will drop their sixth straight game and drop to a disheartening 1-6.
Patriots 20, Jets 16
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