An inside look at Sundays Jets-Patriots Week 8 matchup in Foxborough, Mass:
Marquee matchup
Patriots RB Rhamondre Stevenson vs. Jets front seven
This is not really about Stevenson, who is not having a great year.
This is about whether the Jets defense can clean up their act against the run.
The Jets have allowed 149 yards rushing in each of the past two weeks and are 16th in the NFL in rushing defense, allowing an average of 127.7 yards per game.
They held Stevenson to 23 yards a month ago, so they know they can dominate the New England offensive line, which is awful.
But they have been sloppy with their run stopping all year, and the Patriots surely want to run the ball to take pressure off of rookie quarterback Drake Maye.
Interim coach Jeff Ulbrich listed what is wrong with the Jets when it comes to stopping the run.
“Gap discipline, edge setting, it’s really fundamentals is what it comes down to, tackling,” Ulbrich said. “We talk about it all the time. Like stopping the run isn’t necessarily the cause, that’s the technique, that’s our fundamentals, that’s our mindset. So, that has to improve, and I really believe the guys are in a good place regarding that right now and they’re up for the challenge. They’re pissed off, as they should be. I’m pissed off about it, so we got to improve that part of our defense.”
Costello’s call
The Jets have looked like a mess lately.
The Patriots are a bigger one. I don’t see any way the Jets lose this game.
They need a get-right game, and this is it.
Still, it’s hard for me to see them dominating anyone with the way they are playing.
I think they have a double-digit lead in the fourth quarter before the Patriots score late to make the score closer.
Jets 25, Patriots 20
Four downs
Seeing Reddick: The Jets got another addition this week when edge rusher Haason Reddick ended his holdout and reported to the team.
He will make his Jets debut against the Patriots, and interim coach Jeff Ulbrich said he won’t be on a snap count.
Reddick was knocked in Philadelphia for selling out for sacks to the detriment of his run defense.
Ulbrich said he has not seen that in practice.
“I’m going to give him a clean slate being here, and this week he’s done a tremendous job of playing the run, setting edges, getting to the ball,” Ulbrich said. “He did not show that at all this week in prep, so that’s what I’m judging him based on, his time here, and he’s done an excellent job so far, definitely in practice he did.”
Adams family: In Davante Adams’ first week as a Jet, he showed that he is a good motivational speaker and tackler.
Now, the Jets need to see him take over a game as a receiver.
Adams had just three catches for 30 yards in his debut last week in Pittsburgh.
He made a touchdown-saving tackle on an interception return then delivered a fiery postgame speech that has been praised by Ulbrich and quarterback Aaron Rodgers this week.
With another week of practice, the Adams-Rodgers connection could begin to click.
Maye day: These two teams played Sept. 19, but New England has a much different look on offense now.
Rookie Drake Maye is the starting quarterback, replacing Jacoby Brissett two weeks ago.
In his first two starts, he has thrown five touchdown passes, the most by any Patriots rookie in their first three starts.
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He needs three touchdowns this week to match Dan Marino and Marcus Mariota with eight touchdown passes in their first three starts.
Since 1950, Maye and Marino are the only quarterbacks with at least 500 passing yards and at least five touchdown passes in their first two starts.
Swept away: The Jets are going for the season sweep of the Patriots on Sunday.
They have not swept New England since 2000, which was Bill Belichick’s first season with the team and a year before Tom Brady became the starting quarterback.
The Jets snapped their 15-game losing streak against the Patriots in the final game of last season.
They then beat New England, 24-3, last month at Metlife Stadium.
A win Sunday would be their third consecutive win over their rivals, something they have not done since 2001, with a 10-3 win in the game when Drew Bledsoe was knocked out of by Mo Lewis, beginning the Brady run.
