Game Time:  1:00 pm ET, Sunday, September 19th, 2021

Venue:  Metlife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey

Where to Watch:  CBS

 

 

FanDuel:  Spread:  Patriots -5.5; Over/Under:  42.5 points

BetMGM:  Spread: Patriots -6; Over/Under:  43 points

Caesars: Spread:  Patriots --6;  Over/Under:  43 points

 

 

Patriots:  0-1 (AFC East)

Jets:   0-1 (AFC East) 

 

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Patriots starting rookie QB Mac Jones went 29-39, 281 yards, and 1 touchdown against the Miami Dolphins while losing game 1.  It was a solid first game out of a rookie with lots of promise for the future. The Patriots got mediocre results from their run game and came very close with a final score of Dolphins 17 - Patriots 16.  RB Damien Harris rushed 23 times for 100 yards (not enough yards per carry), and the rest of the lot added 25 yards.  WR Nelson Agholor picked up 72 yards and 1 touchdown, RB James White caught a flurry of short passes to add 49 yards.  All in all the offense was just too conservative to get the wind.  A quarterback’s first game will fade into memory as the season goes on (if health permits) and New England must allow Mac to open up the field with longer pass plays, RPO, and scrambles.  He’s gonna be the starter from here on out, the playbook can’t stay this conservative.

The Jets are in exactly the same boat as New England… same division, same first game loss, and they both start a rookie quarterback, high first round draft pick.  Zach Wilson was up against an extra scoop of pressure against the Carolina Panthers having to face Quarterback Sam Darnold… the guy Zach got drafted to replace.  The guy the Jets dumped at the end of a long engagement.  Zach Struggled a bit throwing 20-37, 254 yards, 2 TD, 1 interception.  Plus Zach couldn’t avoid six sacks that would leave any rookie a bit shaken. His favorite target so far is offseason acquisition Carey Davis who brought in 97 yards and 1 TD. The flaw in the loss wasn’t Zach Wilson it was a run game that only netted 45 yards, using three rushers Tevin Coleman, Michael Carter, and Ty Johnson.  With the final score Panthers 19 - Jets 14 only getting 45 yards out of the run game is unforgivable.  The offensive line will take a hit after losing LT Mekhi Becton.

 

 

The Pats defense has always been solid.  Under Coach Bill Belichick they got Tom Brady 6 Super Bowl wins.  Last season was an off-year, but a solid offseason spending spree and a good spot in the draft has left them much improved.

The Jets defense played great in a loss.  They have definitely improved from last season. They are not in charge of scoring the points, but looked very competent at stopping them.  Quinnen Williams is the star, every possession is a chance for a big hit.  Linebacker Del’Shawn Phillips got 11 tackles, Safety Marcus Maye had 8.  This is a defense that is missing their big offseason free agent acquisition Carl Lawson.  The pipe dream of lining Carl up on one side and Quinnen Williams on the other of the D-line will have to wait for next year.

With the season so young it’s hard to know exactly how accurate the underdog prediction for the Jets really is… are the two teams that much different sitting at 0-1, and starting a rookie QB? The discrepancy on the O-line hurts the Jets odds.

Our prediction for Sunday, September 19th is Patriots 21 -  Jets 11   *This is really just a pick for the Under.

 

 

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The Patriots have hit the Under in 8 of their last 9 games. 

New England is 0-1 ATS

The Jets are 0-1 ATS

 

 

 

 

 

 

Patriots:  OL Trent Brown (quest),  WR N’Keal Harry  (Out), CB Stephon Gilmore  (Out)

Jets: OT Mekhi Becton (Out), S LaMarcus Joyner (Out), WR  Jamison Crowder (quest)

 

The obvious players to watch for both clubs are the rookie QB’s.  They will be scrutinized and graded all year.  Plus these two happy campers are in the same division, playing for a long standing rivalry.  

 

Zach Wilson has the tougher road to hoe in this matchup because he got drafted to the Jets.  History says the Jets are bad and when they are good it’s only for short bursts of time.  Zach is expected to be a savior of a franchise… as was expected of Sanchez and Darnold, and in a couple of years the next guy.  

 

Mac Jones was picked a few spots later in the draft, but to the New England Patriots… they still have future Hall of Fame coach Bill Belichick, they still have a fan base that embraces and cheers, they still have lots of reasons to believe that all Mac needs to do is be accurate and take care of the ball… and the Franchise will get Mac wins, even trophies.

 

 

“I mean, I'm sure later tonight or tomorrow when I'm watching the game I'll start to feel that, but it was just good to get a win,"  - Sam Darnold, Panthers quarterback, on whether he feels vindication beating his former team.

 

 

 

 

 

Patriots:  QB Mac Jones, RB Damien Harris, WR Nelson Agholor, WR Jakobi Meyers, WR Kendrick Bourne, TE Jonnu Smith, FB Jakob Johnson

 

Jets: QB Zach Wilson, RB Tevin Coleman, WR Corey Davis, WR Jamison Crowder, WR Keelan Cole, TE Tyler Kroft, 

 

 

Patriots:

Passing:  Mac Jones 281 yards

Rushing:  Damien Harris  100 yards

Receiving:  Nelson Agholor  72 yards

Jets:

Passing: Zach Wilson 258 yards

Rushing: Tevin Coleman   24 yards 

Receiving:  Corey Davis  97 yards

 

 

Coaches:

 

 

Sunny. High of 79*.  Humidity 45%, wind 9 mph.