A pair of AFC East rivals will meet up during week 12 of the NFL season. The struggling New York Jets will host the playoff-bound New England Patriots in a game that has plenty of storylines. This is the first of two matchups between the Patriots and Jets this season.
The New York Jets have lost four straight games and bring a 3-7 record into this contest. The Jets are in last place in the AFC East, but the future looks bright in New York as the team features a very young roster. The Patriots are trying to bounce back from a blowout loss to the Tennessee Titans, but still bring a 7-3 record into this matchup. The New England Patriots are 10.0 point favorites over the Jets in this game.
Jets Without Sam Darnold
The New York Jets will likely be without rookie quarterback Sam Darnold in this game as he continues to battle a foot injury. If he is unable to play, the Jets will once again turn to veteran quarterback Josh McCown. McCown has struggled on the field this season, completing just 50 percent of his passes and throwing two interceptions and no touchdowns. The Jets will need McCown to take care of the ball in this contest.
The Jets have struggled on defense this season, giving up 25.4 points per game. The defense gave up 41 points to the Buffalo Bills a week ago and will need to play much better to slow down the explosive Patriots offense. Look for the Jets to use running backs Bilal Powell and Isaiah Crowell as a way to chew up clock and keep the Patriots off of the field. Crowell leads the team with 552 rushing yards this season and has scored six touchdowns.
Patriots Defense Letting Team Down
The New England Patriots have uncharacteristically struggled on defense this season, and that was very evident in their most recent game. The Patriots allowed the Tennessee Titans to put up 34 points on them, and they didn’t give the offense a chance in that contest. For the season, New England is giving up 23.6 points per game, a number that will need to be lowered if they want to win another Super Bowl.
The Patriots quarterback is still having another solid season, but this is usually the time of year when he steps up his game. Brady has thrown for over 2,700 yards this season but has thrown 7 interceptions. Running back James White has once again emerged as Brady’s top target in the red zone, scoring six receiving touchdowns this season. Look for Brady and the Patriots offense to have a huge game against a struggling Jets defense.
Brady, Patriots Roll Over Jets
The New England Patriots have looked to be on cruise control so far this season, but expect them to kick it into gear starting with this game. The New York Jets have not been competitive of late, and playing without Darnold is a huge disadvantage. The Patriots will win this game in a big way, and they will easily cover the spread. Bet the New England Patriots -10 over the New York Jets on Sunday.
