Pats @ Jets

[Vin+ 3,121]

 

http://hosted.stats....&home=20&vis=17

(AP) -- The New England Patriots appear poised to win their ninth division title in 10 years. They'll have to finish the job largely without the services of one of the NFL's top touchdown threats.

 

A lengthy stretch without Rob Gronkowski begins Thanksgiving night when New England visits the rejuvenated New York Jets, who are still hopeful of preventing another coronation for their AFC East rival.

 

The Patriots have won 15 of the last 19 regular-season meetings including four straight, though the most recent one went to overtime as the underdog Jets fell 29-26 in Foxborough on Oct. 21.

 

That victory sparked the current four-game winning streak for New England (7-3), which tied a franchise record for points in a 59-24 home victory over Indianapolis on Sunday. The Patriots maintained a three-game division lead - all other teams in the East including New York are 4-6 - but they suffered a significant loss with the injury to Gronkowski.

 

The Pro Bowler is expected to miss four to six weeks after having surgery for a broken left forearm, which he appeared to injure while blocking on an extra point late in the win. He became the first tight end with at least 10 touchdowns in three consecutive seasons as he caught two before exiting the game.

 

His 10 TDs are tied for the league lead, his 748 receiving yards top all tight ends and his 53 receptions rank third at his position. Gronkowski leads the NFL with 37 touchdown catches since entering the league in 2010, and he's never missed a game.

 

Tom Brady's next favorite scoring target over that time span is Wes Welker with 18 TDs.

 

"It's part of this game," said Brady, who owns a 111.3 quarterback rating over the last four games with 11 touchdowns and no interceptions.

 

"He's (Gronkowski) got to do his best to get back as soon as possible, and we've got to go out there and win some games without him."

 

Gronkowski's injury isn't the first major one for a Patriots tight end this year, as Aaron Hernandez has missed the last three games and six this season with a sprained right ankle. Hernandez practiced on a limited basis Monday, and coach Bill Belichick said his availability could be a "game-time decision."

 

"(Gronkowski is) one of the best players in the league," Hernandez said. "It puts pressure on everybody. Not just one player can just replace him."

 

While Hernandez made five of his 17 catches this season in the Jets game last month, Gronkowski had 78 yards and two touchdowns.

 

That defeat seemed to send the Jets into a tailspin, as they lost to Miami and Seattle by a combined 42 points in their next two games. New York, though, looked much better in a 27-13 win at St. Louis on Sunday.

 

The Jets are 4-6 for the first time 2009, the year they won five of their final six regular-season games to make the playoffs before reaching the AFC championship game.

 

Coach Rex Ryan thinks this team is capable of a similar run. New York does have the benefit of a weak remaining schedule after this contest, with games against Arizona, Tennessee, San Diego, and Buffalo - all teams with 4-6 records - as well as a meeting with 1-9 Jacksonville.

 

"Right now, we're just swinging," Ryan said. "We're going to focus on our opponents, specifically, but anything we do, we're behind where we have to be. We can only focus on ourselves and just find a way to punch it. We earned where we are and we just have to find a way to punch our way out."

 

The win over St. Louis was New York's second turnover-free game of the season, with one of Mark Sanchez's most efficient performances playing a big role. He went 15 of 20 for 178 yards and a touchdown. It was the third game of the year without an interception for Sanchez, whose four lost fumbles include one in overtime that ended last month's loss at New England.

 

Sanchez, the league's 29th-rated passer, had 13 turnovers in the Jets' first nine games.

 

"If you really take the positives from this game, build on those, continue to get better and improve, we can become a team that just doesn't turn the ball over," he said. "It could be our identity, if you want it to be and if you work at it."

 

He's facing a New England defense which has forced an AFC-leading 27 turnovers, including four last week. The secondary had three interceptions of Indianapolis' Andrew Luck and returned two for touchdowns, including one by Aqib Talib in his Patriots debut. The Patriots are still allowing 289.7 passing yards a game, which ranks 30th.

 

 

 

I know the Jets aren't very good right now, but I think this game is going to be very interesting.

Edited November 28, 2012 by Vin

[RazorStar 4,025]

Never throw a divisional game out as boring. The Jets are poised to make a big playoff run, beating the Patriots takes off a ton of pressure and puts them in the driver's seat. Is it going to happen? That's up to the dildos on the team.

 

:Patriots: 27

20

[BradyFan81 404]

Never throw a divisional game out as boring. The Jets are poised to make a big playoff run, beating the Patriots takes off a ton of pressure and puts them in the driver's seat. Is it going to happen? That's up to the dildos on the team.

 

:Patriots: 27

20

You think the Jets are poised for a playoff run? Interesting. I don't agree with you, I think they're a mess and need to get rid of Sanchez. Though he will probably look good against us because every QB looks good against us basically. But even if they do make the playoffs, which I doubt, no way do I think they can win a game. Not with that offense.

 

:Patriots: 26

20

Edited November 21, 2012 by BradyFan81

[housemd 338]

:Patriots: 30

20

[BwareDWare94 723]

:Patriots: 34

13

 

I don't believe in the Jets anymore. Not with this current roster and all of their depleting injuries. They were screwed the instant Revis went down.

[Thanatos 2,847]

You think the Jets are poised for a playoff run? Interesting. I don't agree with you, I think they're a mess and need to get rid of Sanchez. Though he will probably look good against us because every QB looks good against us basically. But even if they do make the playoffs, which I doubt, no way do I think they can win a game. Not with that offense.

 

:Patriots: 26

20

 

I think the reason why Razor thinks they are poised for a playoff run is because of that schedule. Outside of New England, they have a really soft schedule, and if they manage to beat San Diego, I could easily see them going 5-1.

 

That one loss goes to New England:

 

:Patriots: 30

17

[Piggly Wiggly 960]

Pats will cover thy spread.

[Vin+ 3,121]

Aaron Hernandez is active for Thursday night's game against the Jets.

 

The Pats' Week 12 inactives are DE Chandler Jones, LG Logan Mankins, TE Rob Gronkowski, RT Sebastian Vollmer, CB Marquice Cole, G/T Markus Zusevics, and DE Jake Bequette.

 

Hernandez is an elite tight end play anytime he takes the football field. He should be locked into fantasy lineups. And oh by the way, fellow "questionables" Wes Welker and Brandon Lloyd are also active Thursday night.

 

 

 

Jeremy Kerley is active for Thursday night's game against the Patriots.

 

The Jets' Week 12 inactives are QB Greg McElroy, RB Kahlil Bell, CB Aaron Berry, DL Damon Harrison, G Caleb Schlauderaff, G Hayworth Hicks, and TE Hayden Smith.

 

Kerley was limited to 19-of-66 snaps in last week's win over the Rams, which is concerning for his Thanksgiving night playing time. Kerley barely participated in practice this week. He's dealing with hamstring and heel injuries.

[AllYouNeedIsLovie 377]

I like the Patriots in this game, but I think the Jets will keep it close.

[Bay 2,003]

Is this really happening?

[Thanatos 2,847]

I like the Patriots in this game, but I think the Jets will keep it close.

 

Huh.

 

Not seeing it.

[BigBen07 285]

I like the Patriots in this game, but I think the Jets will keep it close.

 

If by close you mean less than 5 TD's than it's so far, so good.

[AllYouNeedIsLovie 377]

lol, well I was wrong there.

 

My fantasy opponent has the Patriots D and they already have 24 points. I was contemplating about playing fantasy next year just because of all the bullshit that happens and tonight solidified my decision for just being done with it. Unreal. My fantasy opponent also has Arian Foster who got 23 points today.

 

 

Anyways, got to feel bad for Jets fans. This is hard to watch. Reminds me of the shit I had to watch as a Bucs fan for the last 10 games of last year. It really is a shitty feeling...

[Piggly Wiggly 960]

Anyways, got to feel bad for Jets fans. This is hard to watch. Reminds me of the shit I had to watch as a Bucs fan for the last 10 games of last year. It really is a shitty feeling...

You feel bad for a group of scumbags?

[AllYouNeedIsLovie 377]

You feel bad for a group of scumbags?

 

I'm not a Jets fan by any means, hell, I used to HATE their guts, especially Rex Ryan and Mark Sanchez. But no fans deserve to sit through crap like this.

 

I watched multiple games just like this one last year and it was painful and hard to continue watching. A lot of people are laughing at the Jets right now, I feel bad. I know exactly how their fans are feeling right now.

 

Today is Thanksgiving. Be thankful that's your not team out there embarrassing themselves.

[Piggly Wiggly 960]

I'm not a Jets fan by any means, hell, I used to HATE their guts, especially Rex Ryan and Mark Sanchez. But no fans deserve to sit through crap like this.

Jets fans do.

 

I watched multiple games just like this one last year and it was painful and hard to continue watching. A lot of people are laughing at the Jets right now, I feel bad. I know exactly how their fans are feeling right now.

 

Today is Thanksgiving. Be thankful that's your not team out there embarrassing themselves.

My god, it's a fucking sport, NBB. Stop being so emo about it.

[Thanatos 2,847]

My god, it's a fucking sport, NBB. Stop being so emo about it.

 

I kinda have to agree.

 

The Panthers are terrible, but I'm not feeling terrible about it. If you can't laugh at yourself/your team when the occasion requires it, then, well, I at least wouldn't be watching sports.

[DonovanMcnabb for H.O.F 2,241]

anybody else hear Chris Collinsworth's analogy for Stephen Hill?

 

If ever I wish I could turn myself into a meme, the Jackie chan one would fit perfectly after I heard that donkey Kong shit.

[NaTaS+ 958]

 

Today is Thanksgiving. Be thankful that's your not team out there embarrassing themselves.

 

My team is handing out white flags on Sunday to offset the terrible towels that will undoubtably be flying in large quantities.

[NaTaS+ 958]

Pretty much sums up Mark Sanchez.

[Glanvilles Grits 142]

That .gif is an absolute perfect example of Madden 13 game physics. Oh wait, that's actually Sanchez? My bad. Bonehead is running for his life and forgets to watch where he's going. Lol.

[AllYouNeedIsLovie 377]

I kinda have to agree.

 

The Panthers are terrible, but I'm not feeling terrible about it. If you can't laugh at yourself/your team when the occasion requires it, then, well, I at least wouldn't be watching sports.

 

I'm all for laughing at teams, I've laughed at the Bucs multiple times before, but when your team isn't even trying and you're just wasting your time watching a bunch of professionals not giving it their all, it is frustrating.