New York Jets vs. New England Patriots: Full New York Game Preview

FLORHAM PARK, N.J.  — There may not be the boastful, brash, trash-talking hype train chugging along for the New York Jets and New England Patriots' matchup. There may not be any talk of rings that won’t be kissed, wife comparisons or any utterance of feet whatsoever.

But still, come Sunday, the newly even-keel Jets will travel to Foxborough, Massachusetts to take on the Patriots in a battle for first place in the AFC East.

Truth be told, this year’s "Patriots Week" in North Jersey has been a bit…strange. Under former head coach Rex Ryan, this was the Jets' Super Bowl. Actually, if New York went 2-14 each year, but those two wins came against New England, in Ryan’s mind, the year may have been successful.

But under the newly hired Todd Bowles, things are different. Sure, the Jets get amped up; sure, the Jets get excited. But never does the team get overly excited.

“We’re trying to win ball games,” Bowles said. “We’re not trying to win one ballgame; we’re trying to win them all. Never get too high; never get too low. It’s a long season.”

So while odds are there won’t be any back-page headlines generated in the coming days, what should you look forward to in this Sunday’s game? Here’s what to watch for when the Jets take on the Patriots.

Date: Sunday, Oct. 25
Location: Gillette Stadium; Foxborough MA
Time: 1 p.m. ET
TV: CBS

Week 6 Recap: New York Jets 34, Washington Redskins 20

Gary Hershorn/Associated Press

Chris Ivory takes a handoff from quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick.

In the week leading up to the Jets Week 6 matchup with the Washington Redskins, receiver Brandon Marshall made headlines after declaring Chris Ivory the “best (running back) in the NFL.”

Some laughed at the Pro Bowl wideout; others wanted to have him committed.

After Sunday? Well, not as many were laughing anymore.

Ivory ran for 146 yards—he’s gained 312 his last two games—as the Jets dominated the Washington Redskins en route to a 34-20 victory.

“I said Ivory’s the best,” Marshall said after the game. “He is, and he proved it again today. Eight-man box, nine-man box, they came out and said, ‘We don’t care about the wide receivers; we’re going to stop the run.’ Ivory, again, came out and put up over 140 yards. He’s amazing and he’s the best in the league.”

Aside from Ivory, quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick had one of his better games of the season. The veteran completed 19 of 26 passes for 253 yards, with a pair of touchdowns and one interception, as the Jets overcame a three-point halftime deficit to score 24 unanswered in the second half. Fitzpatrick also added another 31 yards on the ground, highlighted by an 18-yard touchdown.

Marshall was the recipient of the majority of Fitzpatrick’s passes, catching seven for 11 yards and a touchdown. Eric Decker also got in the mix with four catches for 59 yards and another score.

On defense, the Jets shut down Washington’s rushing attack, allowing only 34 yards on 17 carries. Quarterback Kirk Cousins was intercepted twice (Darrelle Revis, Marcus Gilchrist) and sacked once by a combination of Sheldon Richardson and Muhammad Wilkerson.

News and Notes

Alex Goodlett/Getty Images

Brandon Marshall celebrates after catching a touchdown.

Can Brandon Marshall keep up record-setting pace

Brandon Marshall made a bit of Jets history against the Washington Redskins last Sunday. With his seven receptions, he became the first Jet ever to have six or more in five consecutive games; with his 100 receiving yards, he became the first Jet since Don Maynard in 1968 to have 100 or more in four straight.

After the game, Marshall brushed off any talk of records, saying people tend to “make them up.” What cannot be made up, and is more evident each passing week, is the impact Marshall is having on the Jets offense.

It’s been quite some time since the Jets had a player capable of doing what Brandon Marshall's doing. It’s actually kind of shocking—even in today’s NFL, the Jets haven’t had a 1,000-yard receiver since Jerricho Cotchery in 2007.

Five games in, Marshall has caught 37 passes for 511 yards and eight touchdowns. Not only is he on track to crack the 1,000-yard mark, but he’s also nearing even more Jets history. Marshall is on pace to finish the year with 118 catches for 1,635 yards and 13 touchdowns. That would shatter the Jets' record for receptions (Al Toon with 93 in 1988) and yards (Maynard with 1,434 in 1967).

Can Jets take advantage of young, inexperienced Patriots line?

When Patriots left tackle Nate Solder was lost for the season after suffering a torn biceps, the team’s offensive line was put in flux. Players moved around, unproven players were asked to step up and the result was... ctually quite impressive. Against the Indianapolis Colts, New England quarterback Tom Brady was only sacked twice, and the team rushed for 116 yards on the ground.

But there’s a slight difference between the Colts' defensive front and looking across the line at one featuring Sheldon Richardson, Muhammad Wilkerson and Leonard Williams.

There’s no denying the best way to rattle Brady is to get in his face. The future first-ballot Hall of Famer needs to be brought down and brought down multiple times. If allowed to sit in the pocket, scan the field and then step up, there’s no secondary in the league, not even one featuring Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie, that will hold up.

With Solder out, and youth across the line, the Patriots may be more vulnerable than ever before. Will the Jets take advantage?

Will the Jets' offensive line continue to protect Ryan Fitzpatrick?

It’s been one of the New York Jets' more pleasant surprises this year. While Marshall has been great—Revis and Chris Ivory too—the real stars of the season's first quarter have been those on the offensive line.

Through five games, Jets quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick has been brought down just twice, the NFL's lowest total. While part of that does have to do with some timely scrambling and a quick release from the veteran, New York is winning battles up front.

With Fitzpatrick having so much time in the pocket, he’s been able to find Marshall on a regular basis and Decker too. When the line isn’t pass-blocking, they're paving the way for Ivory. The Patriots will almost certainly put their defensive emphasis on two areas: 1—shut down the run and 2—pressure Fitzpatrick. Preventing both of those scenarios from happening will fall directly on the offensive line’s shoulders.

Can it carry the load yet again?

Latest Injury News

Al Pereira/Getty Images

Bilal Powell has been nursing an injured groin and ankle.

Name	Position	Injury	WED	THURS	FRI	STATUS
Jaiquawn Jarrett	S	Knee	DNP	DNP	TBD	TBD
Bilal Powell	RB	Ankle	DNP	DNP	TBD	TBD
Buster Skrine	CB	Concussion	DNP	LTD	TBD	TBD
Willie Colon	OL	Knee	LTD	LTD	TBD	TBD
Chris Owusu	WR	Knee	LTD	LTD	TBD	TBD
Marcus Williams	DB	Hamstring	LTD	LTD	TBD	TBD
Dion Bailey	S	Elbow	FULL	FULL	TBD	TBD
Quinton Coples	DL	Elbow	FULL	FULL	TBD	TBD
Eric Decker	WR	Knee	FULL	LTD	TBD	TBD
Ryan Fitzpatrick	QB	Elbow	FULL	FULL	TBD	TBD
Damon Harrison	DL	Finger	FULL	FULL	TBD	TBD
Stevan Ridley	RB	Knee	FULL	FULL	TBD	TBD
Dee Milliner	CB	Wrist	FULL	FULL	TBD	TBD
Brandon Marshall	WR	Calf	N/A	LTD	TBD	TBD

Chart Codes: TBD (to be determined); DNP (did not practice); LTD(limited); Probable (75 percent chance of playing); Questionable (50 percent chance of playing); Doubtful (25 percent chance of playing);Out (zero percent chance of playing)

Wednesday, Oct. 21: While Stevan Ridley practiced fully for the Jets, coach Todd Bowles wouldn't comment much in terms of his status. When asked how he looked, all Bowles said was he "ran around." Cornerback Dee Milliner also practiced fully, but because he is on short-term injured reserve, he is not able to play until Week 9. As far as the other limited players, specifically Marcus Williams and Chris Owusu, Bowles said Wednesday it was "too early in the week" to give him a good feeling or idea if they would be able to play.

Thursday, Oct. 22: Nickel cornerback Buster Skrine took parts in some practice, but was wearing a red "non-contact" jersey through its duration. Bowles said neither Brandon Marshall or Eric Decker are expected to miss Sunday's game and that both are just "sore." The coach still doesn't have a feeling on the status of Marcus Williams or Stevan Ridley. 

Key Matchups

Seth Wenig/Associated Press

Marcus Gilchrist intercepts a Kirk Cousins pass last Sunday.

Marcus Gilchrist vs. Rob Gronkowski

During the offseason, the Jets came to terms on a contract with former San Diego Chargers safety Marcus Gilchrist. After struggling mightily covering tight ends in 2014, the Jets' hope was that Gilchrist, a converted cornerback, could solve the issue.

After all, Gilchrist did spend each and every practice in San Diego covering tight end Antonio Gates.

This year, Gilchrist has been one of the unheralded bright spots on the Jets roster. Per Pro Football Focus, quarterbacks have thrown to the safety 12 times, finding success on just four of them. Gilchrist has intercepted two passes and is allowing an average quarterback rating of 2.8.

Gronkowski will be Gilchrist’s toughest challenge yet, and how much success the Jets defense has on Sunday may in fact come down to how well Gilchrist does in coverage against him. The issue is, even the league's best safeties haven’t really been able to figure out a way to shut down "Gronk."

“Probably, the obvious thing you notice is he’s big,” Bowles said on Gronkowski. “He has great feet, he’s tough [and] he has good hands. He’s a smart player, and he’s a tough player.

“He’s been covered by cornerbacks; he’s just been running over and beating them.”

If Gilchrist struggles against Gronkowski, the Jets may elect to put cornerback Darrelle Revis on him. While Revis played for the Patriots last year during the team’s Super Bowl run, he admitted on Wednesday he never covered the tight end in practice.

“They put me on receivers,” Revis said.

Ideally, the Jets hope Gilchrist can contain the Pro Bowl tight end. If he can't, adjustments will need to be made.

Julian Edelman vs. Dexter McDougle

With each passing day, it’s becoming more and more evident that Jets nickel cornerback Buster Skrine isn’t going to be available on Sunday. The former Cleveland Browns player suffered a concussion against Washington last week.

What that means, especially with fellow cornerback Marcus Williams (hamstring) still ailing, is that second-year pro Dexter McDougle should see an awful lot of time in the slot. And in that slot, he should see an awful lot of Patriots receiver Julian Edelman.

Since taking over for Wes Welker when the wideout went to Denver in 2013, Edelman has proven he may have actually been an improvement. From 2013-14, Edelman has caught 197 passes for 2,028 yards and 10 touchdowns. This year, he’s on pace to catch 128 passes for 1,436 yards and 13 scores.

It’ll be a tall task for McDougle to slow Edelman, no doubt—especially considering the cornerback is just now getting used to playing football again. As a senior at Maryland, he missed most of the year due to a fractured shoulder. The Jets still selected him in the third round of the 2014 NFL draft, but in training camp last season, he tore his ACL.

“Dex is a tough player, very talented guy,” Jets coach Todd Bowles said. “He just needs reps. He’s learning behind other guys. He’s playing more physically now than he is mentally. When his mental catches up to his physical, he’s going to be a good player.”

When those two aspects of McDougle’s game come together is now the question. If both Skrine and Williams can’t go Sunday, the Jets will certainly hope the process is sped up just a bit.

Matchup X-Factor

Associated Press

Stevan Ridley talks to Jets coach Todd Bowles.

Jets X-Factor of the Week: Stevan Ridley

Few players had a longer summer than Stevan Ridley.

After tearing both his ACL and MCL last season as a member of the Patriots, the Jets' free-agent acquisition was forced to sit, watch and do nothing more than light jogging with trainers throughout training camp. Unable to cut latterly by the time the regular season began, Ridley was placed on the physically unable to perform list.

That meant another six weeks of sitting, watching and doing nothing more than light jogging with trainers.

On Wednesday, Ridley practiced for the first time since becoming a Jet. Now, his attention has turned to making his New York debut against his former team.

“It’ll be a tough call,” Jets coach Todd Bowles said on Ridley’s game availability. “We’ll see what kind of shape he’s in, we’ll see what we need if we need him and we’ll go from there. It will be a day-by-day-thing.”

Helping Ridley’s chances of playing is fellow back Bilal Powell's present health status. Nursing groin and ankle injuries, Powell didn’t practice on Wednesday, and his status for Sunday is up in the air.

Ridley, when healthy, has proven he’s a dynamic runner (he’s three years removed from a 1,200-yard, 12-touchdown season). But again, that’s when he’s healthy.

Bowles has been adamant on the need for players to be in ‘football shape’ before he lets them see any sort of intensive action. In Ridley’s case, the back hasn’t taken a live contact, football hit in 373 days.

Still, there’s no way to get hit, until you’re put in a situation to get hit. And the storyline of Ridley making his return against the Patriots is certainly an intriguing one. There’s likely quite a bit of anger built up in the 26-year-old’s body after regularly being sent to the bench by Patriots coach Bill Belichick due to fumbling issues.

If Ridley plays, he’ll likely see 10-12 touches. What he does with them will be worth a watch.

Prediction: New England Patriots 26, New York Jets 20

Associated Press

Tom Brady calls out signals against the Jets.

The Jets are a much more improved team. And, in a way, they’re built to beat the Patriots.

In 2007 and 2011, the New York Giants supplied the blueprint to take down Tom Brady: pressure the quarterback up the middle and drop the rest back. In the Jets' case, Wilkerson, Williams and Richardson can certainly get to the quarterback.

Once you’re pressuring Brady, the attention then turns to the secondary. Can your cornerbacks lock down the receivers long enough so that your pass rush can get there?

If you do both of the above things, you usually put yourself in position to beat the Patriots…

But even then that’s sometimes not enough. And Sunday afternoon, it won’t be.

Expect a valiant effort from the Jets and this one won’t be decided until the final minutes. But right now, Brady is playing like a man possessed, and he’ll make enough plays when he has to in order to get the win. Again, this won’t be a blowout—it could even go to overtime—but at home, Brady and the Patriots pull it out.

Patriots 26, Jets 20

Connor Hughes is the New York Jets beat writer for the Journal Inquirer and Scout.com. All quotes, practice observations and advanced stats referenced are gathered firsthand unless otherwise noted.

Connor can be reached on Twitter (@Connor_J_Hughes) or via email ([e-mail]).