JETS (4-10) VS. PATRIOTS (12-2)
SATURDAY, 1 P.M. ET, GILLETTE STADIUM, FOXBOROUGH, MASS. uTV: CBS, DIRECTV 708
Announcers: Ian Eagle, Dan Fouts, Evan Washburn
About the Jets: A miserable finish to a poor season continued Sunday as the Jets yielded 21 points in just under four minutes in the third quarter in a 34-13 home loss to the Miami Dolphins. In his second start, QB
threw two interceptions, lost a fumble and was forced to leave the game for good after being crunched in the chest by two defenders in the fourth quarter. His status for Sunday’s game is up in the air. QB
who lost his starting job to Petty, came in and threw an interception and recorded a 17.1 passer rating in 10 attempts. Veteran WR caught one of 11 targets for 16 yards. The Jets defense yielded four touchdown passes by backup QB Matt Moore. A day after the loss, Jets coach
summed up his team’s 2016 season this way: “Special teams have been disappointing. The defense has been disappointing. The offense has been disappointing.”
About the Patriots: QB had his lowest passer rating — 68.2, 41 points below his season average — but it didn’t matter because RB carried the load and the Patriots defense intercepted three passes to secure a 16-3 road victory against the Denver Broncos for an NFL-record eighth consecutive division title. The Patriots have made the playoffs 18 times since bought the team nearly 23 years ago. New England appeared in the playoffs six times in its first 34 years. Lewis made the most of his 30 snaps, rushing for 95 yards on 18 carries and catching two passes for 9 yards. RB
was limited to 31 yards on 17 carries, a Patriots defensive end Trey Flowers has emerged with seven sacks this season.
1.8 average, but he did set a franchise record for rushing touchdowns in a season with his 15th. His score was set up by S 46-yard interception return. CB
and DB had the other picks. K took care of the rest of the scoring with field goals of 45, 40 and 21 yards.
Flowers, a fourth-round
WHO WILL WIN AND WHY
pick in 2015, continued to establish himself as the Patriots’ best pass rusher. He had two sacks vs. Denver, marking the third time in seven games he has had multiple sacks. He has seven sacks in his last seven games and could add to his total against a banged-up Jets line that included three new starters last week.
Lewis’ quickness is the ideal complement to Blount’s pounding style. Lewis also is an excellent receiver capable of catching the ball out of the backfield or lining up wide.
That’s how many interceptions the Patriots have thrown this season. The NFL record for the fewest interceptions thrown by a team since the 1970 merger is five.
KEYS TO THE GAME
1. Powell primed: Jets RB Bilal Powell might have taken over the job from Matt
rushing 16 times for 84 yards and catching 11 of 12 targeted passes for 78 yards in the loss to the Dolphins. He has 341 yards of total offense over the past two games.
2. Special teams: Gostkowski seems to have weathered the first slump of his career and is back to being his dependable self. P
helped the Patriots win the fieldposition battle vs. Denver with three punts inside the 20-yard line.
3. Give it to Lewis: He was monitored closely after being activated from injured reserve five games ago, but Lewis probably will be given the kind of workload he saw in the Denver game (18 carries, 95 yards).
Scott Pitoniak