This Week 9 NFL matchup pits two struggling division foes against each other. The New York Jets (0-8) and the New England Patriots (2-5) are looking to end their respective losing streaks. New York has been abysmal all season, but they could get their first win of the season against a Patriots squad that is injured and sliding further out of the playoff picture with each loss.
Offensive Injuries could determine New England’s fate
The Patriots were already at a disadvantage coming into the season with eight of their players opting out, the most in the NFL. Now they have a plethora of injuries to worry about coming into their game against the Jets. Their injuries on offense could be the deciding factor for this Week 9 contest.
Julian Edelman missed their last game with a knee injury, and it is unknown if he will be ready to go. N’Keal Harry also missed the last game with a concussion. Getting these receivers back should help quarterback Cam Newton against the Jets. New York has one of the worst passing defenses in the NFL and just gave up 400+ yards and five touchdowns to Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs.
It is obvious that the Chiefs and Patriots are two different teams, but the Jets defense is the same lackluster bunch. They can’t stop a nosebleed, and the Patriots are going to take advantage of their the Jets defensive woes. Newton threw for only 154 yards against the Bills but added 54 yards on the ground and a rushing touchdown. He hasn’t thrown for over 200 yards since Week 2 against the Seahawks.
The Patriots need to ignite their passing offense and they have the right opponent to do that. If Edelman and Harry can play, Expect Cam Newton to rebound after giving away the game in the previous week. If they don’t play, the Patriots could be in a tight contest and might even lose against the winless Jets.
The Jets can win this game
Despite being 0-8, the Jets have a realistic chance of winning this game. The Patriots offense has looked similar to New York’s offense in terms of ineptitude. Both New York and New England are in the bottom three of the league in offensive passing yards. One way the Jets can win this game is if they give the Patriots a taste of their own medicine, which is a strong running game.
New England gives up 140 yards on the ground a game, the sixth most in the league. The Jets rushing offense isn’t the best, but this could be the game they get something going. It will be much easier to run against the Pats than pass, with New England being a top 10 passing defense. Even though the stats look good for New York coming into this game, they still have head coach Adam Gase controlling the offense. He has proven during his time as head coach that he cannot produce offensive success.
This game is going to be an ugly slugfest. It would be wise for New England to take advantage of the terrible secondary, although they have a run-heavy offense. The opposite applies to New York, as they need to pound the rock against the Patriot’s subpar rush defense. This game will ultimately come down to coaching, and it’s clear that the Patriots have the advantage in that department. Adam Gase won’t adjust or exploit the weaknesses New England has while Belichick will make the proper changes and gameplan around the Jets flaws. The Pats get the win, but it is an ugly one.
Prediction: Patriots 16 Jets 6
