Pats @ Jets

[Vin+ 3,121]

 

http://hosted.stats.com/fb/preview.asp?g=20131020020&home=20&vis=17

 

(AP) -- The New England Patriots may be dealing with a slew of injuries, but their most important player is still healthy.

 

Tom Brady also tends to have few issues against the New York Jets.

 

A week after engineering a stunning game-winning drive in the final seconds, Brady may be hoping things go a lot easier Sunday at MetLife Stadium as he tries to continue his dominance of the Jets.

 

New England (5-1) leads the AFC East by 1 1/2 games over second-place Miami despite an injured list that's grown to 10 players. Star linebacker Jerod Mayo (torn pectoral muscle) joined tackle Vince Wilfork on season-ending injured reserve this week, while cornerback Aqib Talib's hip injury along with wide receiver Danny Amendola and guard Dan Connolly's concussions could keep them out Sunday.

 

The Patriots still are waiting for star tight end Rob Gronkowski to make his season debut after undergoing surgeries on his left forearm and back.

 

"A lot of teams face challenges. It's just really how you deal with them," Brady said. "We've lost some guys, dealt with some issues, like every other team. We're handling them OK. We're 5-1. It's a decent start."

 

Brady may have been less optimistic had he not engineered a game-winning drive to help the Patriots rally past New Orleans 30-27 on Sunday. The two-time NFL MVP capped the eight-play, 70-yard drive in the final 73 seconds by hitting rookie Kenbrell Thompkins with a precision, arcing pass in the corner of the end zone with five seconds to play.

 

"We just knew that it was going to come down to the last minute," said Thompkins, who has four touchdowns in four games. "Until that clock said all zeros on it, we were going to fight until the finish."

 

That's not usually necessary against the Jets (3-3).

 

Brady has an 18-4 career regular-season record against New England's division rivals as a starter, leading the Patriots to wins in each of the last six meetings after beating them 13-10 at home in Week 2.

 

He's completed 64.1 percent of his passes for 1,743 yards and 14 touchdowns with one interception and a 110.6 passer rating during that winning streak. That includes a pair of victories at MetLife Stadium as Brady connected on 44 of 66 passes for 652 yards and six touchdowns while running for another and not getting reached for a sack.

 

The Jets defense got to him once on Sept. 12, but it's totaled 16 in four games since. That unit is fourth in total defense, allowing 303.8 yards per game and has been particularly superb against the run, ranking second while yielding an average of 75.7 yards.

 

"They're all pretty big, physical guys," said Brady, who went 19 of 39 for 185 yards and a TD in Week 2. "Got some really good players over there, especially in the front. They're a very good defense."

 

New York, though, is dealing with its own injuries, particularly to the secondary. The team is hoping rookie Dee Milliner is back from a three-game absence because of a hamstring injury, while fellow cornerback Kyle Wilson has a concussion.

 

The defense, however, couldn't take much blame for last week's 19-6 home loss to previously winless Pittsburgh, holding the Steelers to 328 yards of offense while the Jets mustered a season-low 267.

 

"Obviously, we have to get better," coach Rex Ryan said, "and that's where our focus is going to be."

 

They'll need to since each of the Jets' next three opponents are current division leaders. After facing New England, New York visits Cincinnati next week before hosting the Saints in Week 9 ahead of its bye.

 

"I think we'll get a better sense this week," center Nick Mangold said. "We've got a heck of a game coming up, a division game. We've got to put some work in to get better. We've already dropped one to them."

 

Geno Smith's worst performance of the season came in that meeting. The rookie completed 15 of 35 passes for 214 yards with a season-high three picks while being sacked four times.

 

He wasn't much better last week, going 19 for 34 to amass 201 yards with two INTs after completing 80 percent of his passes with three TDs in a 30-28 win at Atlanta six days earlier.

 

Smith has seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions.

 

"Although I am a rookie, I don't tend to use that excuse as the reason behind me making those mistakes," Smith said. "I think they're just simple mistakes in a game and they've got to be eliminated."

 

Perhaps facing a banged-up Pats defense can help Smith rebound. That unit has surrendered an average of 386.3 yards - 269.3 passing - in its past three games.

 

[BucD+ 648]

@ProFootballTalk:

Per agent Drew Rosenhaus to PFT, "Rob Gronkowski has been cleared by all his doctors to play Sunday in the Jets game."

[KempBolt 498]

:Patriots: 20

21

 

With Wilfork and Mayo out, I think New York has a chance the run the type of offense that they want to. Conservative, ball control, smash mouth. If they can do that I think their defense can do enough to give them a chance to win.

Edited October 18, 2013 by KempBolt

[Cheese Head 11]

The Pats continue to roll with Gronk this week.

 

Patriots: 27

Jets: 16

[theMileHighGuy 656]

I really love how the Jets defense has been playing this year. Their d-line imo is tops in the game right now and will probably be for years to come. That said, TB gets Gronk back this week. Football shape could be an issue, but I think the Pats will be fine. I don't think Geno can win this one if the score gets high.

 

:patriots: 28

17

[KempBolt 498]

:Patriots: 20

21

 

With Wilfork and Mayo out, I think New York has a chance the run the type of offense that they want to. Conservative, ball control, smash mouth. If they can do that I think their defense can do enough to give them a chance to win.

 

Oh, and with Talib probably not playing Smith may be able to go to Cumberland more. Which he likes.

[Piggly Wiggly 960]

No Wilfork, no Mayo, no Amendola, no Talib, no Kelly, Gronk rusty as fuck, etc.

 

If the Jets can't beat us then... :yao:

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

24-21

[BradyFan81 404]

Gronk could've had 2 TDs. But the sun got on his eyes on one and he dropped the other one because he's afraid to use his left arm.

 

Brady's pick 6 was Weeden-esque.

 

O-Line was horrible in some stretches.

 

Couldn't run the ball but no one can vs the Jets.

[theMileHighGuy 656]

Damn. How did this happen?!

 

These Jets, especially that defense... they're for real.

[funnygunny 521]

no they're not lol

[theMileHighGuy 656]

Pats are struggling with all the injuries but they're not a pushover team. Geno's 4th game winning drive this year, right? There's no denying how good the defense is. Richardson is playing as good as anyone.

[Piggly Wiggly 960]

Refs were atrocious all day, but that call on FG attempt in OT was a disgrace. You don't make a ticky tack call like that in OT. Embarrassment to the league.

 

Jets are garbage. They needed Wilfork, Mayo, Talib, Kelly, Amendola to be sidelined AND the refs on their side to get the W. With a healthy Pats team and fair officiating, the Pats roll by 2-3 TDs today.

 

Congrats on your SB win though, Jets.

[JetsFan4Life 542]

Refs were atrocious all day, but that call on FG attempt in OT was a disgrace. You don't make a ticky tack call like that in OT. Embarrassment to the league.

 

Jets are garbage. They needed Wilfork, Mayo, Talib, Kelly, Amendola to be sidelined AND the refs on their side to get the W. With a healthy Pats team and fair officiating, the Pats roll by 2-3 TDs today.

 

Congrats on your SB win though, Jets.

 

Ticky tack call that was correct? After all the bullshit calls the Patriots have gotten in the past ten years. Pill plz.

 

You needed our #1 receiver Santonio Holmes out and still couldn't beat us. And our players were dropping out there with Milliner and Allen getting hurt.

 

Pretty much any team in the NFL isn't going to be healthy at this point but keep on crying about it and the refs being on our side simply because they made a correct call at the end of the game.

 

Obviously this win had nothing to do with the Jets ability to keep Tom Brady in check and anything else on the field. All about off-field stuff and referees.

[funnygunny 521]

people that say Patriots always get calls their way don't watch Patriot games.

 

"omg tuck rule 2001 lolz"

 

also, 6 teams have kept Tom Brady in check this season, so its really nothing to boast about lmao.

Edited October 20, 2013 by funnygunny

[JetsFan4Life 542]

people that say Patriots always get calls their way don't watch Patriot games.

 

"omg tuck rule 2001 lolz"

 

also, 6 teams have kept Tom Brady in check this season, so its really nothing to boast about lmao.

 

I'm not boasting about it but it was a key to the Jets winning the game wasn't it?

[Piggly Wiggly 960]

https://vine.co/v/hdveq67ZOrU

 

How is that worth penalizing?

Edited October 20, 2013 by BenJarvus Green-Ellis

[JetsFan4Life 542]

https://vine.co/v/hdveq67ZOrU

 

How is that worth penalizing?

 

Player safety, unsportsmanlike conduct. It's worth penalizing for the reason they implemented it lol.

[blotsfan 2,112]

Pats got screwed but I'm not too upset. I wonder if Ryan is actually gonna stay coach.

[Piggly Wiggly 960]

 

https://vine.co/v/hdveq67ZOrU

 

How is that worth penalizing?

 

Player safety, unsportsmanlike conduct. It's worth penalizing for the reason they implemented it lol.

 

I see zero safety concerns over pushing your teammate into a pile. Are they soon going to penalize offensive linemen when they push their RBs to get extra yardage?

[CampinWithaMissingPerson 2,025]

Don't fight it Pheel. Embrace...

[Piggly Wiggly 960]

[KempBolt 498]

It's funny... this FG penalty is getting WAY more attention than the one that I complained cost us the game Vs. the Texans in week one. And the NFL actually came out and said that the call was wrong in our game. The reality of being a less popular NFL market I suppose.

[Thanatos 2,847]

It's funny... this FG penalty is getting WAY more attention than the one that I complained cost us the game Vs. the Texans in week one. And the NFL actually came out and said that the call was wrong in our game. The reality of being a less popular NFL market I suppose.

Uh no. It's because, as we explained, San Diego had ample opportunity to come back from it. This was in OT, the Pats had no chance.

 

However, the refs are technically correct, its just they've never called that before.

[Favre4Ever+ 4,476]

It isn't necessarily the same play, but tons of times last year using their own players in this same formation as like launching pad. They would almost jump on them or use them to gain leverage, which is totally illegal, but the refs never called it. The Packers then followed suit a few weeks later and it got called on us... Ha.

I think those are the worst kind of penalties. The ones that aren't going to be called consistently, but I suppose you could say that for all of them. I hate it sometimes, no doubt... But that's the human element of the game, I suppose.