What to watch for when the Patriots host the Jets at a snowy Gillette Stadium in Week 18

FOXBORO -- We'll just get it out of the way now. Of course we'll be watching everything Bill Belichick throughout Sunday's game against the Jets for any possible hint about the head coach's future in New England.

Chances are there will be no hints at all, with a very "business as usual" approach from the team the entire week leading up to Sunday's clash. Belichick has been his usual self -- albeit a little under the weather -- and has kept the focus on the Jets and not on what might happen in the coming weeks. 

He just wants to beat the Jets on Sunday, something he and the Patriots have done 15 straight times.

But if there's a shot of the head coach on that massive videoboard inside Gillette Stadium that lingers late in the game, you bet we're going to be overanalyzing that. What if Bill takes a little extra time to wave to fans after the game? What about a long hug with his sons, Stephen and Brian, after the game, or an extended conversation with Jets head coach Robert Saleh at midfield? What if Bon Jovi's Blaze of Glory plays as Belichick walks off the field?

Heck yeah we're going to read way too much into all of that. But really, what we should be doing, is appreciating the last 24 years under William Stephen Belichick.

Hopefully the fans feel the same way. This season has been bad. It's been downright brutal at times. And that, along with last season's struggles and the fact the Patriots have now missed the playoffs in in three of the four seasons since Tom Brady left, could cost Belichick his job.

But he's one of the three most important people in franchise history (along with Brady and Kraft) and without him, those six Super Bowl banners are not hanging inside Gillette Stadium. If you are at Sunday's game, make sure you take a moment to show him some appreciation and some love for everything that he has accomplished and established here in New England. There may not be another chance to do so for a few years.

Besides all of that, here's what else we'll be watching for on a very unique and intriguing (and likely snowy) Sunday at Gillette Stadium.

Appreciate the New England defense

This year's Patriots' defense has been an extremely fun unit to watch. Even after losing pass-rushing extraordinaire Matthew Judon and stud rookie Christian Gonzalez early in the season, the defense brought it and played tough every week. The offense didn't always put them in position to succeed, but the D has battled for 16 games.

And that won't change Sunday. The Pats enter the week allowing just 3.2 yards per carry this season, and if they can hold or improve on that number against the Jets, it would be the lowest by a team since the 2014 Detroit Lions' defense allowed just 3.17 yards per rush. Only 23 teams have held their opposition to less than 3.2 yards-per-carry since 1970.

The Patriots' defense is allowing 87.4 rushing yards per game this season, and if that holds, it would be just the third time in team history since the 1970 merger that New England would finish the season allowing less than 90 rushing yards per game. The team-best mark came in 2016, when the Pats allowed just 88.6 rushing yards per contest.

So take some time Sunday to appreciate New England's run cloggers, mainly Davon Godchaux, Deatrich Wise Jr., Anfernee Jennings, and Ja'Whaun Bentley. With snow falling from the sky (and Trevor Siemian under center) the Jets are going to rely heavily on Breece Hall, both as a runner and on short passes. Those big fellas on the New England D will need to be ready. 

There should be plenty of chances for the Patriots to get some turnovers, too. The Jets have given the ball away 32 times this season, with Siemian throwing four picks over the three previous games. He's also fumbled five times and lost three of them over his four appearances this season.

And while the injuries on the New England defense have been a bummer this season, those opened the door for some younger players to shine. Last week, rookie corner Alex Austin got the first interception of his career against the Bills, and will look to build off that performance. Rookie Marte Mapu has started to emerge as of late and should get plenty of playing time on Sunday. 

And we'll certainly be watching to see what Christian Barmore (who could and likely should have been New England's lone Pro Bowler this season) and rookie Keion White do when given a chance to go after Siemian on their final Sunday of the season.

We don't know who will and won't be back next season, so make sure you appreciate this Patriots' defense while you can. 

Will Pats have fun running in the snow?

Did we mention it's going to snow on Sunday? That will likely limit what both sides can do through the air, so expect a lot out of Ezekiel Elliott and Kevin Harris on the ground. The Jets aren't all that great at stopping the run, either, ranking in the bottom third of the NFL 126.3 rushing yards allowed per game.

Elliott has been extremely solid all year and especially since Rhamondre Stevenson went down, and the vet should get plenty of run against the Jets. But this will also be a great chance to give Harris a handful of touches to see what the second-year back can do going forward.

Lots of love for Matthew Slater

A lot of the focus is on Belichick's future, but this could also be the end of Matthew Slater's career after 16 incredible seasons in New England. The 10-time Pro Bowler is THE voice in the Patriots locker room and one of the best leaders in the NFL -- both on and off the field.

We'll see if Belichick has something special planned for the 38-year-old Slater, much like the Doug Flutie dropkick at the end of the 2005 season or Vinny Testaverde's touchdown pass to close out the 2006 campaign, which gave the veteran a TD pass in 20 straight seasons.

Maybe Slater will get a chance to throw or run one into the end zone on Sunday. Either way, shower that man with love if you're at Gillette Stadium.

Scoreboard watching

As much as Bill wants to win on Sunday, and as much as the players want to win on Sunday, and as difficult it actually is to LOSE TO THE JETS... a New England loss wouldn't be the worst thing in the world. Yes, that is, quite literally, a loser's mentality, but there is a top draft pick on the line here.

The 4-12 Pats sit at No. 3 in the draft order heading into the game, just behind the 4-12 Commanders because of the Strength of Schedule tiebreaker. A lot can happen in Week 18, and the Pats could potentially rise to the No. 2 pick. Or things could go bad and they fall to the fifth-overall pick. Or if a lot of things go really bad, the Pats could tumble to No. 7 in the longest of longshots. 

The Arizona Cardinals are also 4-12, and while the Pats have a nice SOS margin over them, a win over the Jets and a Cards loss would put Arizona ahead of New England on the draft board. Arizona plays the Seahawks at 4:25pm Sunday afternoon.

If it comes down to the Patriots and the Commanders, the big game to keep your peepers on is the Falcons-Saints showdown at 1pm. The Commanders beat the Falcons earlier this season, and the Patriots got their doors blown off by the Saints. A Falcons win would lower the Patriots' Strength of Schedule while improving Washington's, which would greatly help the Pats if they end up with the same record as Washington. (The Commanders are hosting the Cowboys, so you can chalk them up for an L on Sunday.)

The Patriots could also use a Bears win over the Packers (Washington played the Bears), a Broncos win over the Raiders, a Ravens win over the Steelers, and a Texans win over the Colts. Basically, you're rooting for any team the Patriots played to lose in Week 18. If the Patriots lose, the Saints lose, and two of those other scenarios play out in their favor, New England would have the No. 2 pick.

A Patriots win and a Commanders loss means no No. 2 pick for New England. And then you'd have to worry about the Cardinals and the 5-11 New York Giants (on the road against the Eagles) jumping over the Patriots in the draft order.

Honestly, we're better off just seeing how Sunday's game in Foxboro plays out and then wait for the rest of the chips fall as they may. But we know we'll be checking in on that scoreboard periodically on Sunday afternoon.