Five things to watch
FOXBORO — The Patriots have a final order of business to complete before turning their attention to the playoffs, and Bill Belichick didn’t have any issues zeroing in on the Jets over the past week.
If the Patriots can dispose of the division rival today, they’ll lock up the No. 1 seed and homefield advantage in the postseason. But if the Pats falter against a group of players who are likely making beach plans, they’ll almost certainly tumble to the No. 2 seed, as they’d otherwise need the Steelers to trip over the winless Browns.
Here are five things to watch today:
Cover-up plan
It hasn't been a great two-game stretch for cornerbacks Malcolm Butler and Stephon Gilmore. Butler surrendered seven completions on eight targets for 111 yards vs. the Steelers and Bills, and he recorded one pass breakup in that span. Gilmore gave up 10 catches on 15 targets for 146 yards and one TD, and he also has one breakup. Butler has been up and down throughout the season, but Gilmore had it going for a couple of months before this lull. They've got to be better against Jets quarterback Bryce petty to create some postseason momentum.
Cashing in?
Tight end Rob Gronkowski is chasing the final $2 million of his incentives today, and he'll need a big performance to increase his bank account. Gronk has 69 catches for 1,084 yards and eight touchdowns. To reach his full $10.75 million salary, he would need 80 receptions or 1,200 yards, so the latter is well within reach as he has had three games this season with at least 116 yards. If Gronk comes up short, he could still get the bonus by being named a first-team all-pro.
The final audition
The MVp race might be down to Tom Brady and Rams running back Todd Gurley, the last two frontrunners standing after Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz and Steelers wideout antonio Brown went down to recent injuries. So this is Brady's final chance to state his case while the Rams rest Gurley for the postseason. Brady is the only quarterback top three in completion percentage, passing yardage, touchdowns and passer rating. But will his perennial success raise his bar and hurt his candidacy? Brady won't care about winning a third MVp, but he has a chance to be the first MVp to also win the Super Bowl in the same season since Kurt Warner in 1999.
Giving Harrison a shot
Linebacker James harrison should make his patriots debut today after practicing all week, so it's time to see what the 39-year-old pass rusher has left in the tank. harrison has played just 40 snaps this season with pittsburgh, and he fell out of favor with the Steelers over the past couple of months so he should be fresh. and if he is motivated to prove the Steelers wrong? Look out. The powerfully built player could still do some damage. harrison would likely have just a limited role on the edge, but there's really no way of knowing until he gets the chance to take some snaps in this scheme.
Taking stock of health issues
The pats need a strong start to ensure the Jets don't find any motivation to try stealing a win in the second half. Even undermanned, that shouldn't be a problem, and a blowout would be fortuitous for the pats as they embark on the playoffs. Defensive tackle alan Branch (knee) and running back Rex Burkhead (knee) will remain out, and the pats have held out wide receiver Chris hogan (shoulder) and linebacker Kyle Van Noy (calf) in recent weeks to get them healthy for the playoffs. Both players are questionable, but there's no need to rush them back today, so if any banged-up players are on the field, it should be taken as a good sign for their recovery. and if the pats can build a big advantage, Bill Belichick should theoretically have a quicker trigger than usual for pulling Brady, Gronkowski and other key starters.