Patriots-Jets Predictions: Mixed Bag
BOSTON (CBS) – The CBSBoston sports team makes their predictions for the New England Patriots trip to New Jersey to take on their AFC East rival, the New York Jets.
Steve Burton, WBZ-TV
At 5-3, the Jets and Patriots are two teams going in opposite directions. Let's hope that changes on Sunday.
Brady said we'll see what this team is made of; we'll see if they can bounce back from two straight losses. And a lot of it will be on protecting #12. If the offensive line gives Brady time to throw, I expect Tom to break out of his mini-funk and have a great game. He's been extremely focused this week and working on his accuracy.
The way the Patriots beat the Jets the first time out was with the running game. BenJarvis Green-Ellis needs to pick up right where he left off last time he faced the Jets.
As far as the defense, at Week 10 I hate to say this, but they're still a work in progress. The Pats said good-bye to Albert Haynesworth, which makes you wonder about the D-Line, especially the pass-rush This would be the perfect week for someone to step up, other than Andre Carter, and rattle Mark Sanchez all evening.
Devin McCourty will be challenged on height alone, trying to hang with Plaxico Burress. All the attention can't be on Plax, because Santonio Holmes is just as likely to burn you as well. This secondary will be tested.
Brady is right, we will see what the Patriots are made of come kickoff Sunday night.
Dan Roche, WBZ-TV
I think that if the Patriots are going to avoid their third straight loss then they'll have to play one of their best games of the season on offense.
I hate to say it, but it once again will be on Tom Brady to come up huge. His ability to find Welker, Gronk, Hernandez, and others will be huge. And, if he gets any kind of running game like he did in the first meeting then Brady will be that much more effective.
The defense will make enough plays only if the offense comes through.
I have a hard time going against Tom Brady. I think he will find a way to win. 13-10, 23-20, 33-30...doesn't matter. He will get the job done.
Levan Reid, WBZ-TV
The Patriots have been struggling, and here come the Jets. This could be a blessing in disguise. New England knows the Jets the best, but the same is true about the Jets knowing the Pats.
The Patriots have been losing games but at the same time they have been in them until the end. The offense is what has been slipping though, and they may need to find a way to get more points.
So without making this a long drown out prediction, I will say the Jets will come out on top. They have home-field advantage and all the momentum. I don't expect the Pats to play poorly, but in the Rex Ryan era, New England has not beaten the Jets in New York. I expect that to continue.
Walt Perkins, WBZ NewsRadio 1030
I would like nothing more than to pen the words "the Patriots will snap their losing streak" but I don't believe that.
This team has had two opportunities in the past two weeks to show it can make the plays necessary to win a close game. It hasn't been able to do that. Not on offense. Not on defense. Not on special teams.
This is a team that is struggling. The Jets, on the other hand, are playing well. They have won three straight and in impressive fashion.
I don't think the Patriots, at this juncture, are capable of winning this game.
Jets 27, Patriots 16
Scott Zolak, 98.5 The Sports Hub
If you look at what the Patriots did to the New York Jets in the first game they played, it was BenJarvus Green-Ellis. He was the difference. Their ability to run the football and mix it up with play action kind of kept New York off balance. They have kind of gotten away from that in the losses.
The big thing is they can't turn the football over. New England HAS to protect the football. I look for the difference in this game to be BenJarvus Green-Ellis and Aaron Hernandez. Look for Wes Welker not to be minimized, but face it, Darrelle Revis is going to try to basically take him out of the game.
I like the matchup of Cromartie on Deion Branch, but I think Cromartie wins that one. It's going to come down to how do you get the ball to the tight ends and how do you run the football. Defensively, the team is what it is; it's about survival.
So don't turnover the football on offense, run the football and get the damn ball to Hernandez.
Andy Gresh, 98.5 The Sports Hub
The first quarter is vitally important. If the Patriots can run the ball and create some balance, they're going to give themselves the opportunity to slow down the Jets and the emotion that will be Sunday Night Football.
I'm very nervous heading into this game, and it's more about the coaches sticking with the Patriots run game.
Defensively they got a lot of dings on the back end of the secondary. Now is the time to turn the defensive line loose and get after Mark Sanchez.
I'm very worried, and I think the Patriots lose this one by three.
Tune in to the Patriots-Jets game Sunday night on 98.5 The Sports Hub. Pregame coverage begins with Patriots Gameday on WBZ-TV at 11:30am, with the Hub's pregame beginning at 5:00pm. Tune in after the game for the Patriots Postgame Show, and Patriots Fifth Quarter on WBZ-TV.
