BREAKING DOWN PATS/JETS GAME
How the offense cans lay NY in season finale
The Patriots can finally put a disappointing 2020 season to bed after one last division game with the Jets.
Back in Week 9, the Patriots had beaten Adam Gase’s team with Cam Newton leading a second-half comeback, and kicker Nick Folk delivering the game-winner as time expired.
So much has happened since then.
The winless Jets were headed for the No. 1 pick in the 2021 draft and a date with quarterback Trevor Lawrence, but botched that by winning their last two games.
The Patriots, meanwhile, had gotten on a bit of a roll after beating the Jets in early November, but have staggered to the finish — they’re a postseason bystander for the first time in 12 years.
While it’s an irrelevant game, the Patriots would love to avoid the added embarrassment of losing to the AFC East’s basement-dweller.
Whether it’s Newton under center, or Jarrett Stidham, the Patriots will need to produce more offense than they have the previous three games, where they’ve only gotten into the end zone once.
The Jets should be helpful in that endeavor with one of the worst defenses in the league, allowing 28.6 points per game. They’re also among the worst in the NFL at stopping the pass (278.1 yards per game).
Here’s how the Patriots can take advantage of the Jets’ porous defense:
1. Empty bag of tricks
The Jets don’t have the best secondary or pass defense. They have several rookies and second-year players — Bryce Hall, Bless Austin, Lamar Jackson — essentially manning both corners.
So it behooves the Patriots to empty the proverbial kitchen sink, and utilize every trick in the book on pass plays, whether Jakobi Meyers gets into the act again throwing the football, or whoever else can make an accurate heave.
The double pass they attempted against the Bills on Monday night, with Newton getting a toss back from Sony Michel, and then delivering it downfield, would have worked if Damiere Byrd held onto the football.
With it being the last game, there’s no reason to hold back. Unleash a few more gadget plays. Let Josh McDaniels get creative, have a little fun, and let it loose.
Plus, the Jets aren’t likely to be able to stop it.
2. More J.J. Taylor
Even though the Jets have done a decent job stopping the run, the appearance of J.J. Taylor last week against the Bills whet the appetite for more.
Running backs coach Ivan Fears has raved about him all year when asked, and the undrafted rookie back possesses a skill set that would allow McDaniels to use him both in the rushing and passing games.
While he wasn’t targeted on any passes, it would be good to see him utilized in that capacity.
“You haven’t seen him in that role, but early on, the kid’s got great hands. He’s really, really quick and sudden,” Fears said last week. “He can get in and out of breaks. I think he has a chance to be a combination-type player. A guy who you can use in multiple roles … There’s a lot of things to like about this kid. There really is.”
That’s why the Jets are the perfect opportunity to showcase what he can do.
3. Move the sticks
Between slow starts, and converting on third down, both have been two of the many issues plaguing the Patriots’ offense this season.
They’ll need to change the narrative against the Jets. Start fast, and the way to do that is to extend drives, and convert in the red zone.
On Monday night against the Bills, the Patriots were just 4-for-12 (33%) on thirddown conversions. They were 2-for-9 (22%) the previous week against the Dolphins, and 3-for-13 (23%) against the Rams.
First down is always key in setting up better down and distance opportunities.
As for the red zone, the Patriots have only hit pay dirt on one of their last six chances. So better conversions on third down, as well as the red zone, should go a long way toward beating the two-win Jets.