Patriots-Jets Week 16 Predictions
BOSTON (CBS) -- The 98.5 The Sports Hub, WBZ-TV and WBZ NewsRadio 1030 sports teams make their predictions for Sunday's Patriots-Jets showdown at the Meadowlands.
Scott Zolak, 98.5 The Sports Hub
This will be a tight game throughout the first quarter, because I think Rex Ryan is going to unload the kitchen sink. This is their playoff game.
Given the way the Patriots defense is playing, and with Chandler Jones back and the freshness they have up front with that rotation, I don't see the Jets finding the end zone.
The Patriots will secure the bye, and control home field throughout the following week against the Bills. #BillMafia.
Patriots 27, Jets 9
Andy Gresh, 98.5 The Sports Hub
The Patriots will pull away in this one in the second half. The Jets don't have the ability to score. The only way they stay close is if the Patriots turn it over.
Patriots 35, Jets 7
Jon Wallach, 98.5 The Sports Hub
It was a two-point game the last time these two teams played, but that was on a Thursday night. If you play on a Thursday, you just want to survive.
This time the Patriots have had time to prepare and have seen the Jets before. The defense is playing great, and this one won't be close. There won't be a lot of scoring because the Jets' defense is legit, but the Patriots will do enough to win.
Patriots 24, Jets 10
Rob "Hardy" Poole, 98.5 The Sports Hub
The Patriots will finish 11-3-2 as they play to unprecedented back-to-back scoreless ties against the Jets and Bills. Mark it down, you heard it here first.
Steve Burton, WBZ-TV Sports
There are three reasons why the Patriots won't overlook the Jets.
First, it's the Jets and they hate the Jets. Second, home field advantage throughout the playoffs is still on the line. And third, they barely squeaked by the Jets in Week 7, needing a blocked field goal from Chris Jones at the end to seal it.
Rex Ryan is probably done, so enjoy his final game against the Patriots.
Patriots 34, Jets 10
Dan Roche, WBZ-TV Sports
I expect this to be a physical battle. The Jets are basically saying good-bye to Rex, so I assume they will play hard. They will try to run the ball, as they did to the tune of 218 yards in the first meeting back in Week 7. The Pats are much better prepared for this one with their d-line depth. On offense, they will do enough.
My only fear? Health.
Patriots 34, Jets 10
Levan Reid, WBZ-TV Sports
I have a tough time picking the Pats when they play the Jets. If there's one team that scares me, it's New York. No matter the record, they seem to play the Pats tough.
This is the Super Bowl for the Jets. Rex Ryan is probably going to get fired and this would be a perfect swan song for him. New York has a great front four on defense who can get after the quarterback and they still have a solid running game on offense. So basically, the Jets look the same. Even with that, I get nervous.
The Pats are the better team with the better talent and right now they are hitting on all cylinders. But if they don't start off fast and control the clock, this game will be over fast and the Pats will lose. The players on this team are well aware of this.
Tom Brady will try his best to get Gronk going, and the Pats will do their best to run the ball to reverse the time of possession. The defense will just have to try to get turnovers and keep Geno Smith in the pocket.
The Pats have to be careful in this one. There is nothing the Jets want to do more than mess up New England's hopes for home field advantage.
The Pats should overcome all my negativity and win this game.
Patriots 30, Jets 20
Adam Kaufman, WBZ NewsRadio 1030
The last hurrah in the Bill Belichick-Rex Ryan rivalry will go the Patriots in the Meadowlands, as the Pats inch closer to locking up their fifth straight 12-win season and the top seed in the AFC -- and the Jets run toward a last-place finish in the East.
Will it be tougher than most of us expect? Probably. New England's won six of its last seven against New York, but four of the last five meetings have been decided by three points or fewer. Ryan's gang always seems to find a way to keep it close, even on the way to falling just short.
As we near the playoffs, the most important thing here is health. If this game turns into a blowout, given the 10-point spread, get Tom Brady out of there. Sit the sausage-loving Rob Gronkowski in bubble wrap. Julian Edelman has a concussion? See ya next week, Jules.
Be smart, Bill.
Patriots 34, Jets 17
Tune in to Patriots-Jets on WBZ-TV and 98.5 The Sports Hub – the flagship stations of the New England Patriots. Pregame coverage begins on 98.5FM at 10am on Sunday, with Patriots GameDay kicking off WBZ-TV's coverage at 11:30am. Stay tuned following the game for three hours of postgame coverage on 98.5, and tune to myTV38 for Patriots 5th Quarter!
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