I’m worried about the Jets. I’m hoping they are in trouble and won’t solve it easily, but I worry that if they win on Sunday, they will salvage their season, tying with the Pats and probably the Bills, who play the Eagles, another team that needs a win. I worry that the Jets are really motivated and they know how to beat the Pats.
Last year, in the playoffs, the Jets made the Patriots run. They played the pass on every down and basically dared the Pats to run, which they did but not very well. Too many long drives ended up when they couldn’t be sustained. They were able to pressure Brady and take away the short pass, so the only pass open was deep downfield, a low percentage pass.
I worry because of the match-ups as well. The Jets can’t stop the run, but they can stop the pass and put pressure on quarterbacks. The Pats lose when Brady is pressured and can’t get in rhythm. Last season, the Jets jammed our receivers at the line and disrupted their routes as well as Brady in the pocket.
On defense, the Pats can’t pressure the quarterback, so Sanchez could have a great day again, just like he did last winter. Without pressure, he can make his reads and hit the open receiver. The Ravens took the pass away from the Jets with their pressure. The Pats will give it right back to them.
Despite my worries, I will be picking the Pats. Not just because it is the O’Leary thing to do, but also because we might just have a pretty good running game, and that might open things up a bit for Brady. And also because Belicheck has had a long time to prepare for this game. It looks like he drafted to beat the Jets. After the obligatory first round lineman pick, he drafted a tall corner and two running backs. Both his safeties are tall to match up with the Jets receivers. Ridley looks like the real thing and maybe the defense will come up with a few turnovers.
Either way, we are at home and that should help a bit. Also, maybe the Jets really are overrated. They could easily be 1-3, and they had four come-from-behind wins last year. Maybe the Jets have lost their discipline. After all, their coach is a buffoon with a foot fetish, and their quarterback has made some bad decisions (like dating a high school junior last year). Maybe all that will produce some bad Karma. Maybe it already has. Nothing would give me more pleasure than having Rex Ryan fumble and falter and fail.
The Pats have a chance to pin the Jets down and do real damage to them. Or, it they turn in a clunker, then they will give the Jets life and momentum going forward.
A huge game!
