The New York Jets suddenly have momentum, but a tall task awaits.
The Jets picked up their first win of the season Sunday afternoon with an encouraging all-around performance against the Dallas Cowboys. New York appeared energized by the return of Sam Darnold, who completed 23 of 32 pass attempts for 338 yards with two touchdowns at MetLife Stadium.
Gang Green will be hard-pressed to notch back-to-back victories, however, as the undefeated Patriots are next on the docket for Adam Gase’s club. New England has a way of bringing teams back down to Earth, but Darnold is embracing the divisional matchup.
“Perfect,” the second-year quarterback said when asked about following up the win over Dallas with a showdown against New England, per NBC Sports’ Peter King. “I wouldn’t want it any other way. I want to play the best. It’s great.”
Be careful what you wish for.
The Patriots will be eyeing a regular-season sweep of the Jets when they invade The Meadowlands next Monday night. The reigning Super Bowl champs secured a 30-14 win over the Jets back in Week 3, but New York was forced to play without Darnold at Gillette Stadium as the 22-year-old dealt with mononucleosis. Darnold might make the teams’ Week 7 showdown a bit tighter, but the Jets likely will need a heroic performance from their franchise QB in order to hand the Pats their first loss of the season.
