Patriots Vs. Jets Preview: What To Watch For In Week 9 Matchup

An 0-8 New York Jets team? That likely will be starting its backup quarterback?

If there ever was a time for the 2-5 New England Patriots to snap their four-game losing streak, it’s this Monday night at MetLife Stadium.

THE DETAILS
Time: Monday, 8:15 p.m. ET
Location: MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, N.J.
TV: ESPN

THE ODDS
The Patriots are pegged as 7 1/2-point road favorites over the floundering Jets, whom they throttled 33-0 in last year’s trip to MetLife.

The Jets are winless against New England during Adam Gase’s tenure as head coach, losing by a combined margin of 63-14 last season.

LAST WEEK
The Patriots showed significant offensive improvement last Sunday but couldn’t complete a late-game comeback against the Buffalo Bills. Quarterback Cam Newton lost a fumble inside Buffalo’s red zone in the final minute, and the Bills won 24-21.

It was the Patriots’ fourth consecutive loss. They haven’t lost five in a row since 1995.

After playing the Bills close in Week 7, the Jets were run over by Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs, losing 35-9 at Arrowhead Stadium.

New York’s offense has been hot garbage this season — the Jets’ 11.8 points-per-game average is nearly a full touchdown lower than any other NFL team — and its defense wasn’t much better against KC, allowing Mahomes to throw for 416 yards and five touchdowns.

INJURY REPORT
Sam Darnold saw ghosts when the Patriots visited the Jets last October. He’ll likely see only the sideline Monday night.

The New York quarterback officially is listed as doubtful after missing practice Saturday with a shoulder injury. If Darnold can’t go, Joe Flacco would start in his place.

The Patriots, meanwhile, are dealing with injuries to numerous key players.

Wide receiver N’Keal Harry (concussion) and running back J.J. Taylor (illness) both have been ruled out, and an astonishing 17 New England players are listed as questionable, including both of the team’s tight ends, three starting offensive linemen, a slew of defensive starters and kicker Nick Folk:

LB Ja’Whaun Bentley (groin)
OLB Shilique Calhoun (knee)
DT Carl Davis (concussion)
S Cody Davis (calf)
S Kyle Dugger (ankle)
K Nick Folk (back)
CB Stephon Gilmore (knee)
DL Lawrence Guy (shoulder, elbow and knee)
RB Damien Harris (ankle)
TE Ryan Izzo (hamstring)
CB J.C. Jackson (knee)
TE Dalton Keene (knee)
G Shaq Mason (calf)
OLB John Simon (elbow)
G Joe Thuney (ankle)
DE Deatrich Wise (knee, hand)
OT Isaiah Wynn (ankle)

With Harry out and Julian Edelman on injured reserve, expect the Patriots to elevate at least one receiver from the practice squad to join Damiere Byrd, Jakobi Meyers and Gunner Olszewski.

Isaiah Zuber is out of elevations — meaning he can’t play unless the Patriots sign him to the 53-man roster — so we could see Kristian Wilkerson, Mason Kinsey or veteran newcomer Donte Moncrief in action this week. Moncrief signed to the practice squad this week. Wilkerson and Kinsey are undrafted rookies who have yet to make their NFL debuts.

Trade deadline acquisition Isaiah Ford has yet to complete his battery of COVID-19 tests and won’t play until next week at the earliest.

If Folk, who did not practice Friday, can’t go, the Patriots likely will elevate practice squad kicker Justin Rohrwasser, who has yet to kick in an NFL game.

Practice squad edge rusher Rashod Berry could be an emergency option at tight end if Izzo and Keene are unavailable. Berry, an undrafted rookie, played tight end at Ohio State.

Teams are allowed to temporarily elevate just two practice squad players per game.

We’ll also see whether the Patriots activate running back Sony Michel off injured reserve. Michel returned to practice this week after sitting out the last four games.

Even if Michel is activated, he might not see much action. His replacement, Harris, is coming off his second 100-yard game in four weeks and generally has looked more explosive than the 2018 first-round draft pick.

PLAYERS TO WATCH
Cam Newton, Patriots quarterback
Newton and New England’s offense as a whole looked much better in the second half of the Buffalo, but Newton’s late fumble negated that progress.

If the Patriots want to have any chance of working their way back into playoff contention, they need to curb their turnovers. Only the Philadelphia Eagles have thrown more interceptions than New England’s 11, and only the Eagles and Dallas Cowboys have more total giveaways than the Patriots’ 15.

An NFL-worst 21.4 percent of the Patriots’ drive this season have ended in a turnover. They reached 10 percent just once in the final 10 Tom Brady seasons, routinely ranking near the top of the league.

New England has turned the ball over eight times in the three games since Newton’s return from the reserve/COVID-19 list, and Newton has been responsible for six of them (five interceptions, one fumble). Ball security needs to be a priority for the veteran QB.

Josh Uche, Patriots linebacker
With Bentley banged up and struggling this season and Uche showing promise against Buffalo in his NFL debut, the 2020 second-round draft pick could take on a larger role this week.

Uche, who can play either on the edge or off the ball, registered a quarterback hit and a nice open-field tackle last Sunday, and his blend of size and athleticism could make him a better inside linebacker option than the plodding Bentley or the undersized Adrian Phillips. At the very least, expect the Patriots to utilize Uche’s prowess as a pass rusher.

Joe Flacco, Jets quarterback
We mentioned how dreadful the Jets’ offense has been this season. That’s been true regardless of who’s been behind center:

Sam Darnold (six starts): 58.6 percent completion rate, three touchdowns, six interceptions, 5.5 yards per attempt, 65.9 passer rating, 39.5 QBR, 14.0 points per game

Joe Flacco (two starts): 51.9 percent completion rate, one touchdown, one interception, 5.0 yards per attempt, 65.2 passer rating, 39.0 QBR, 5.0 points per game

The 35-year-old Flacco has beaten the Patriots four times in his career, but his last such victory came way back in the 2012 AFC Championship Game.

Mike Onwenu, Patriots tackle/guard
We rarely highlight offensive linemen in this section, but Onwenu has been a treat to watch this season. The sixth-round draft pick easily is the Patriots’ most impressive rookie, excelling at both guard spots and at right tackle, where he’ll likely start again Monday with Jermaine Eluemunor still on IR.

Onwenu has been very good as a pass blocker (just one sack and six total pressures allowed in seven games) and is a human highlight reel in the run game, routinely flooring defenders with powerful blocks.

Mehki Becton, Jets offensive tackle
Speaking of powerful blocks, Becton did this to Pro Bowler Frank Clark last week:

The gigantic rookie tackle (6-foot-3, 364 pounds) has been a bright spot for New York’s miserable offense and will challenge a Patriots defense that’s struggled against the run of late.

“He’s got some devastating blocks,” Belichick said. “(He’s a) very talented player that you see him getting better every week, but he’s got pretty special ability.”

Chase Winovich, Patriots edge rusher
Winovich has seen his playing time drop precipitously since the Patriots’ Week 4 loss to the Chiefs. He hardly saw the field against the Bills, logging a career-low five defensive snap.

Why the disappearance? Belichick and outside linebackers coach Steve Belichick both said Winovich’s disappearance has been scheme- and situation-related.

“He’ll play,” Bill Belichick said early this week. He’s a good player. He’ll play.”

If the Patriots plan to pressure Flacco the way they did Darnold last year, it would make sense for Winovich’s role to expand. He remains the team’s best pass rusher, leading all Patriots defenders in sacks and QB hits despite not tallying one of either in the last three games.