Patriots-Jets Thanksgiving Night Predictions
BOSTON (CBS) - The 98.5 The Sports Hub, WBZ-TV and WBZ NewsRadio 1030 sports teams make their predictions for the Patriots-Jets Thanksgiving night clash in New York.
Scott Zolak, 98.5 The Sports Hub
Short week, one day to get ready. It's a team you know, it's a team that can't throw.
The Jets are going to try to run the ball, and they're going to get stuffed. They're going to put the game in Mark Sanchez's hands, and believe it or not, he moved the ball around pretty damn good last time they played. Just five weeks ago, the Jets pretty much had the Patriots beat.
I look for the Patriots to win a tight one, not a blowout, 24-20, and they have to score late to win it. That gets them going, and the Jets are dead. Brady has a big day even without Gronkowski. Happy Thanksgiving!
Patriots 24, Jets 20
Andy Gresh, 98.5 The Sports Hub
After the nerves kind of go away coming off the short week and Thanksgiving and everybody waiting around, it's probably a bit of an ugly game on both sides, but the Patriots have enough to hold the Jets to 17 and still score 28.
Hernandez will come back in a limited role, and the Patriots will win 28-17 and make everyone's Thanksgiving really nice.
Patriots 28, Jets 17
Levan Reid, WBZ-TV
Tough turnaround for both team but this is a real tough one for the Patriots. They have to get used to not having Rob Gronkowski, and the team will have to adjust quickly.
It's obvious the Jets benefit from this because Gronk gave their defense fits. But will they be able to get over their own problems to beat the Pats?
New York took the Pats to overtime at Gillette last month and now they play in their own home against a rival. If I were a betting man, I would probably take the Jets in this one. But I am a thinking man and the Pats have enough in their locker room to make a difference.
Patriots 24, Jets 20
Dan Roche, WBZ-TV
Both teams face big-time challenges on Thanksgiving night in New Jersey. The Pats will be minus their second-best player in Rob Gronkowski, have a short turnaround, face a road game and battle a desperate Jets team. The Jets also have a quick turnaround, come in off a road game in St Louis on Sunday, need a win to keep their season alive as they come in at 4-6 and face a Tom Brady offense that wasn't sharp in an overtime Patriot win a month ago in Foxboro.
The Patriots seem to play well in these physical matchups. Josh McDaniels and Mr. Brady will have to re-shape the offense as the Jets' defense won't have to deal with Gronk. There's still plenty of offensive firepower from Wes Welker to Aaron Hernandez to Brandon Lloyd to Stevan Rildey to Danny Woodhead (this is his type of game where he makes big plays). The Pats defense couldn't stop Mark Sanchez a month ago. We'll see if Aqib Talib makes a difference.
Tough to predict these games, especially with no Gronk. The Jets season continues to be on the line.
Patriots 34, Jets 24
Walt Perkins, WBZ NewsRadio 1030
A short week of preparation for both the Patriots and Jets, but what can either of these teams show the other that they haven't already seen?
The Patriots are on their customary second-half roll. They have strung together four straight wins and would like to make it five straight. Over the past two seasons, the Patriots are 16-0 in the second half of the season. That success should continue Thanksgiving night.
With the addition of cornerback Aqib Talib and the moving of Devin McCourty to safety, the Patriots seemed confident enough to blitz the Colts often. That worked against the rookie QB, Andrew Luck. Will they try to do the same against Mark Sanchez? Perhaps not as much, but expect to see some pressure by the D.
Even the absence of Rob Gronkowski should not slow down Tom Brady and Co. No. 12 will get his other tight end weapon back, Aaron Hernandez. If the Jets try to blitz Brady, expect to see some successful screens.
Patriots 36, Jets 21
