Patriots-Jets Week 18 news, notes, and fun facts

FOXBORO -- It's been tough watching the Patriots the last four months. No one was expecting another Super Bowl, but not many predicted a 4-12 record heading into the final week of the season and a last-place finish in the AFC East.

But that's what we've gotten, and it will all mercifully end Sunday afternoon. And that end may usher in a new era of football in New England.

Bill Belichick has been here for 24 years and is responsible for those six banners hanging inside Gillette Stadium, but he finds himself on the hot seat with the Patriots missing the playoffs for a second straight season and the third time in four years. It's still unclear how Robert Kraft sees the future, but he could be looking for a new head coach in the coming weeks.

Wins have been hard to come by for New England this season, but the Patriots do have a chance to end on a high note. The New York Jets are coming to town on Sunday, and the Patriots always beat the Jets.

The Jets haven't won a game against the Patriots in eight years. The Patriots have won 15 straight over their AFC East counterpart, which is tied for their longest winning streak over a single opponent, matching their run of wins over the Buffalo Bills that stretched from 2003 until 2010. 

There's a large faction of the New England fanbase that would like to see the Patriots lose on Sunday. New England currently owns the No. 3 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, which would put them in prime position to draft one of the top quarterbacks available -- or some other high-end talent. A loss on Sunday would help them stay in that spot and potentially climb to the second selection. A win could cause them to fall further down the draft board, where the prospects aren't as exciting.

But don't expect Bill Belichick to punt a game against the Jets. He hates the Jets, and he respects the game too much.

And don't expect Patriots players to punt Sunday's game, either. They're playing for pride, and have been playing for their head coach despite all the outside noise. And a lot of them probably don't like the Jets all that much, either.

Here's what you need to know heading into Sunday's tilt.

Patriots vs. Jets

-The Patriots lead their overall series against the Jets, 74-54-1, including a 2-1 edge in their playoff meetings.

-Those 74 wins are second only to New England's 78 wins over the Bills for the most over a single opponent.

-The Pats are 39-25-1 in home games against the Jets, which includes a 19-4 mark at Gillette Stadium.

-New England is 45-16 against the New York Jets since Robert Kraft bought the team in 1994.

-Sunday will mark the sixth time that the Patriots close out a season against the Jets, with New England going 3-2 in their previous season-ending matchups. That includes a perfect 3-0 record at Gillette, with wins in 2017, 2018, and 2020.

-Belichick is 38-11 against the Jets while HC of the NEP, and 39-12 overall.

-The Patriots have swept their seasons series with the Jets 23 times. The Jets have done so 14 times, but haven't swept the Patriots since the 2000 season.

-New England's 15-game win streak over the Jets is NOT the longest over a single opponent in NFL history. Those honors belong to the Miami Dolphins, who beat the Bills 20 straight times from 1970-79. The San Francisco 49ers also won 17 straight over the St. Louis Rams from 1990-98.

The Patriots can match the streaks set by the 2015-23 Kansas City Chiefs (16 straight wins over the Denver Broncos) and the 1968-97 Washington franchise (16 straight over the Detroit Lions) with a win over New York on Sunday.

Patriots-Jets Connections

-Belichick was the assistant head coach and defensive coordinator of the Jets from 1997-99, and was even the team's head coach -- twice. But he never actually coached a game for the franchise. 

Belichick was named interim head coach of the Jets while New York and New England negotiated compensation for Bill Parcells in February of 1997, he held the title for less than a week. He was then set to take over when Parcells stepped down in 1999, but that only lasted a day. 

Belichick turned his introductory press conference into a resignation, after he officially resigned as "HC of the NYJ" on a napkin. A short time later he was named head coach of the Patriots, and a dynasty was born.

Everything else to know about Patriots-Jets

-Christian Barmore has 8.5 sacks on the season, and if he records at least 1.5 sacks this weekend, he'll become just the seventh New England defensive lineman to record a 10-sack season. Chandler Jones was the last one to hit that mark when he racked up 12.5 sack season in 2015.

-Demario Douglas has 47 receptions this season, which are the most by any rookie at any position under Belichick. With 548 receiving yards, he needs just 16 more to notch the most receiving yards by any rookie at any position under Belichick. 

-Rookie punter Bryce Baringer has put 36 punts inside the 20-yard line this season, and is one away from setting a new team record. Jake Bailey had 36 punts inside the 20-yard line in the 2019 season.

Bailey has also booted at least one 50-yard punt in all 16 games this season, and will look to make it a perfect 17-for-17 on Sunday.