The New England Patriots and New York Jets renew their rivalry on “Thursday Evening Soccer” to kick off Week 3 of the 2024 NFL season. The newest installment of the longstanding rivalry will look fairly totally different than we have seen up to now.
Thursday evening kind of marks the house debut — or ought to we are saying, re-debut — for Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers. The four-time MVP technically made his first look in a New York uniform final season at MetLife Stadium, however that lasted only a handful of performs earlier than he tore his Achilles and his season ended. The Jets, who’re 1-1 by two weeks, opened with a pair of street video games earlier than returning to the Meadowlands for “TNF.”
The Patriots, in the meantime, have somebody apart from Invoice Belichick getting ready them for a conflict with the Jets for the primary time since Nov. 15, 1999. Pete Carroll was teaching the Patriots reverse Invoice Parcells, and Ray Lucas began at quarterback for the Jets.
Now, Jerod Mayo leads the Patriots down 95 for the primary time, hoping to get again on observe after coughing up final week’s sport in opposition to Seattle. The 1-1 Patriots have been extra aggressive than many anticipated, and now they get their first style of the AFC East.
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New England Patriots at (-6) New York Jets, 8:15 p.m. ET
Complete: 38.5
Climate: partly cloudy, mid-70s, no wind
TV: Amazon Prime
PICK: Patriots +6
Is it uncomfortable to choose the Patriots on a brief week coming off an additional time sport with Jacoby Brissett enjoying behind a turnstile offensive line? After all it’s. However there are additionally query marks on the Jets’ aspect that make taking the factors right here just a little extra enticing. The most important factor the Jets should remedy is their run protection, which is ranked ninth by EPA per play by two weeks. The 49ers ran wild on New York in Week 1 to the tune of 180 yards, and the Titans racked up 130 on the bottom final week. The protection took a substantial blow final week, dropping edge rusher Jermaine Johnson for the season, and linebacker C.J. Mosley’s standing is up within the air with a toe damage. Robert Saleh ought to and possibly will promote out to cease the run, particularly given the Patriots’ lack of weapons. Nevertheless, the one factor New England did nicely in its first two video games was run the ball, in order that could possibly be an equalizer Thursday evening.
On the opposite aspect, the Jets’ offense seemed improved in Week 2, and the Patriots have damage issues of their very own, dropping Ja’Whaun Bentley for the season. New York’s offense, although, remains to be going by some rising pains because it learns to assimilate, rating twentieth in yards per play over two weeks. Add within the brief week and a 40-year-old quarterback, and it is honest to anticipate a probably disjointed effort, particularly to start out.
Lengthy story brief, this has all of the makings of a low-scoring, sloppy Thursday evening sport between two divisional rivals. The Jets ought to handle enterprise, nevertheless it may be just a little nearer than they need.
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