In case you missed it, I’m giving away tickets to this weekend’s Pats-Jets game to two fan Frenemies!! Details are here, deadline for entry is 8pm EST tonight!!
https://www.patspropaganda.com/in-case-you-missed-it-im-giving-away-tickets-to/
new york jets
Patriots-Jets Frenemy Ticket Giveaway!!
Very excited to have a couple tickets to give away to this weekend’s game between the Patriots and Jets, courtesy of NRG! Now we’ve done plenty of ticket giveaways before but this one is a little different because it’s for a Patriots fan AND a Jets fan!
Yes, what we’re looking for are a fan from each team who are friends and want to go together, aka Pats-Jets Frenemies! So what we need is a picture of you and your friend in Pats and Jets swag showing your #FanEnergy!
Rules:
1. Tweet a picture of you and your friend in your respective Patriots/Jets gear! The more the fun the better!! You love football, you just root for different teams!!
2. Make sure to tag me, @PatsPropaganda and use the hashtags #FanEnergy & #Patriots.
3. Finalists will be picked Tuesday at 8pm EST, at which time voting will open on PatsPropaganda.com to pick the winners.
4. Winners will be announced Wednesday at 8pm EST.
And this is just phase one of our Frenemy FanEnergy giveaway as two lucky Pats-Jets Frenemies at this weekend’s game are going to win tickets to the rematch in New York in December!! Details to come on that one.
Good luck to all the Pats-Jets fans out there!!
GIFs That Defined Patriots Win Over Jets
This was a great game with a lot of turns, especially in the second half. The Jets always get up for the Patriots, especially at home, and did a good job of shutting down the Patriots offense.
The Pats won the special teams battle and were able to close it out on offense. That was pretty much the difference.
Here are the plays that defined the win and show the kind of the team the 2014 Patriots are.
We begin with Danny Amendola ’s punt return that set up the Pats’ first touchdown of the game. Amendola needed to step up in Julian Edelman’s absence and he did so both as a receiver and returner.
Red Zone defense might be the defining characteristic of this Patriots defense. Here they face a 3rd-and-7 and are able to get the stop as Hightower correctly diagnosis the handoff and makes the play as the Jets get good push to the side they’re running to.
Here we are again, a third-down stop in the red zone. This time it’s the speed of Jamie Collins that sniffs out the swing pass. In the past, the Patriots did not have the kind of athletes that could make this play. Collins showing great range.
Later in the third quarter, it’s Collins again making the play with an interception 20 yards down the field.
We’re in the red zone again with the Jets inside the 10 yard line, mid-way through the fourth quarter. This time, it’s a relentless pass rush from Chandler Jones and good coverage that puts the Jets in a hole, and eventually leads to a field goal.
The Jets are in Patriots territory once again, posed to take the lead, late in the fourth quarter and it’s third-and-four. That’s as tough a down-and-distance as there is for a defense. The Pats disguise a blitz, but it’s the Jets runningback’s decision to help the tackle instead of blocking Dont’a Hightower that set up the sack. Hightower and Jones are making the big plays in the big moments.
There hasn’t been much offense shown here, because really, there isn’t much to show. But this is the kind of play that you might need in the playoffs. A third-and-1 with the game on the line. The Pats have struggled on third and fourth down short-yardage situations this season.
So to convert this one to seal the win should be a good confidence boost.
Patriots Game Plan: Week 16 @ Jets
If you haven’t heard, the Patriots are already being pencilled in to face the Packers in the Super Bowl. These last two games against the lowly Jets and Bills, who once again lost the division to the Pats, will have no impact on the Pats’ paper-thin grasp on the top seed in the AFC, so we don’t even really need to tune in. Or do we?
That’s how things probably look to most outside of New England, those who only remember the 45-3 stomping of the Jets in 2010 or the Buttfumble game of Thanksgiving 2012. But in reality, every game between Rex Ryan’s Jets and the Patriots is incredibly close.
The Jets would have beaten the Patriots in Foxboro in Week 7 had the final field goal not been blocked by Chris Jones. Throw out the Buttfumble game and the last four meetings between the two teams have been decided by 11 total points, with two of them going to overtime.
Yes, we can throw records out the window when these two teams meet. Say what you will about Rex Ryan as a head coach, but as a defensive game planner, no one is more adept at giving Tom Brady and the Pats’ offense problems.
This game concerns me and the Pats have a lot to lose. Here’s the gameplan for getting by a very tough road test that some are dubbing “meaningless”.
Offensive Game Plan
As I said in last week’s game plan, by now we know who we are and the strength of the Jets defense (run defense) only encourages the Pats to be who they are – a passing offense that throws to score and runs to win.
Now, there’s certainly something to be said for getting Jonas Grey more involved earlier this week and I’m all for that. But rarely is a game plan more obvious. The Pats should spread the Jets out, making them dig deep into the secondary depth to cover all of New England’s targets.
This means more Shane Vereen, Tim Wright and Danny Amendola, and less Hooman and Develin. And I’m sure no one will complain about that.
The biggest concern, as always, is along the interior of the offensive line where the weak link of the Pats’ offense faces the strength of the Jets’. As I write every week in these game plan articles, it all comes down to protecting Brady, but Sheldon Richardson owning Dan Connolly all game and ruining the Pats offensive game plan is a very-possible recipe for disaster.
Spread the Jets out, get the ball out quick and get an early lead to extinguish any energy they might bring early in this one and the Pats should roll.
Defensive Game Plan
Remember in Week 7, when Revis gave up three catches on four targets, including a 24-yarder to Eric Decker, as the hapless Pats couldn’t get off the field against the Jets and everyone started to question if Revis still had it?
Well, safe to say those days are behind us, but I think Revis will play with something to prove in the Meadowlands. I do think we’ll see the Pats playing more sides in the secondary than staying with specific receivers.
We saw more Cover-3 last week and that should continue this week, especially with how the Pats were burned by Geno Smith tucking and running in the first matchup.
Up front, we gonna do what we do. The Pats now have a lethal dose of pass rushers and space-eaters. And it starts with stopping the run, since the Jets ran wild all over the Pats the first time around.
That shouldn’t be a problem with Wilfork/Branch/Siliga locking things down inside now. Without the running game to lean on, the Jets offense will struggle and that’s when the airtight coverage in the secondary comes into play. That is the strength of the Pats defense and forcing the Jets to play into it is priority one.
Five Points of Emphasis
1. Build the Wall: Looking back at Week 7 and the stat that jumps off the page is the Jets’ 218 rushing yards. That led into them being 9-of-16 on third down, as they had manageable distances. This time around Sealver Siliga and Alan Branch are in the mix, along with a fully healthy Chris Jones. The edges are equally important with Ninkovich, Chandler, Ayers and Hightower all having that assignment throughout the game. Stop the run and the Jets offense will wilt.
2. Keep Offense On Time: Rex Ryan’s defense feasts on third-and-longs, where his deception and overloaded blitzes have extra time to get to Tom Brady. How do we avoid third-and-longs? By winning on first and second down. The Pats haven’t been good the last two weeks trying to run on first down, averaging 3.3 yards-per-rush. I’d be fine if they go pass-heavy, but if they do try to “establish the run” Jonas Gray has been far better than Blount running against a base defense, averaging 6.3 yards per first down carry. Whether it’s the quick passing offense or runs with Gray, winning on early downs will be key to mounting scoring drives.
3. Make Geno Throw: The last thing we need is for the Pats’ pass rush to get overzealous, opening up running lanes for Geno Smith. Smith converted three third downs in Week 7 by scrambling. Those kind of drive-extending plays are the worst. I don’t think anyone believes Geno has the kind of accuracy to pick the Pats’ secondary apart. Keep him in the pocket, only rush two if you have to, but make him beat us through the air.
4. 60 Minutes: We’d all love it if the Pats could just turn in two average, injury-free performances and sew up the top seed in the AFC, but neither the Jets nor Buffalo are going to let us off easy. And really, that might be a good thing for the Super Bowl prospects of the Pats. They can’t ease up or their road to Arizona will get much tougher. They’ll have to have all their focus and competitiveness for a full 60 minutes this weekend. Rex will not go down without a fight and his players will want to send him out with a win over their hated rival. The Patriots must be ready for a motivated football team, at least for the first half.
5. Win – This is what it all boils down to. This could be the last time the Pats play a road game until they potentially go to Arizona. That in and of itself is motivation to put a strong exclamation point on this season’s road wins. New England has won against some very good teams on the road this year, and in convincing fashion in Indy. A win puts them one game away from a very advantageous road. That should be all the motivation they need.
Pettine told a story of how, at Wes Welker’s wedding, Tom Brady bragged a little bit to Jets outside linebackers coach Mike Smith, who was Welker’s college roommate, that the Patriots may or may not have had possession of a couple Jets defensive playbooks. “It didn’t shock me because Rex would give them out like candy anyway,” Pettine says. “He gave one out to [Alabama coach Nick] Saban and I was like, ‘Don’t you know Saban and Bill [Belichick] are pretty good friends? I have a feeling it’s going to end up in New England.’”
Mike Pettine, Cleveland Browns coach, ready to unleash complex defense | The MMQB with Peter King
Good read from old friend Greg Bedard, with a few Pats mentions.
https://www.patspropaganda.com/pettine-told-a-story-of-how-at-wes-welkers/
A Pats-Jets Q & A with Joe Caporoso of TurnontheJets.com
As has become tradition, each Pats-Jets week we do an email back-and-forth with Joe Caporoso of TurnontheJets.com. You won’t find a better football blog or more knowledgeable writer than Joe and it’s always insightful when we pick his brain.
First up, Joe’s questions to me, Mike D about the Pats….
How have New England’s rookie wide receivers been coming along since their struggles in week 2 against the Jets?
There’s no other way to describe them than up and down. Dobson had his best game of the season against the Saints, leading the team with six catches for 63 yards. Still, he had an offensive pass interference and a couple drops, including a really bad one on fourth down late in the game that probably should’ve meant a loss for the Pats.
Thompkins has had 21 catches and four touchdowns on the season, but last week was the first time he’s played less than Dobson. Obviously the game-winning touchdown stands out from last week, but there was also one catch where he basically just fell down after making the catch.
Both have had their moments, but it hasn’t been a clear “each week they’re better” progression. Really, they’re inconsistent from snap-to-snap, much less game-to-game. Still, the Pats continue to put them out there and the good plays are starting to outnumber the bad ones, but each snap is an adventure and I think that will continue vs. the Jets.
How do you expect the front seven to hold up without Wilfork and Mayo? Who will New England be looking to step up in their void?
Let’s throw Tommy Kelly in there too because it doesn’t look like he’ll suit up this week if his absence from Wednesday’s practice is any indicator. So now you’ve got two undrafted rookies in Joe Vellano and Chris Jones playing defensive tackle. They held up okay against the Saints, but the problem is holding up against the run, especially late in the game. Both seemed to lose some steam at the end of last week’s game.
Now you take Mayo out of the equation, your defensive captain who plays every down, and it’s impossible to not think the defense will be affected negatively. Replacing Mayo will be a group effort with some combination of Dont’a Hightower, Dane Fletcher and rookie Jamie Collins filling in. None of them are as versatile as Mayo, so there’s no simple fix.
But here’s the thing…the Pats pass defense with Mayo and Wilfork has been pretty bad the last three seasons. And Vellano and Jones are actually more suited to penetrate than Wilfork necessarily was. Mayo was good, not great in pass coverage, so I don’t think we’ll see a huge pass defense drop off. Of course they could be without Aqib Talib as well and that would be probably the biggest blow of all.
Do you think New England is going to run away with this division yet again? Who do you think is the biggest threat?
I guess we’ll find out in the next two weeks as the Pats play the Jets and Dolphins back-to-back. On one hand you look at the injuries and inexperience and it’s hard to say they’ll run away with the division. But on the other hand they’ve been winning games without playing their best football and without their best offensive players. That’s usually a sign of a good team headed for the playoffs. Only time will tell how well they’re able to overcome the injuries and how soon they can get back up to full strength. But I think one thing that’s definitely true is that regardless of personnel, this is another Belichick Patriots team that will fight down to the end and play sound, tough football. At a certain point the lack of talent at key spots will likely catch up with them, but it’s hard to imagine them having a total meltdown and falling into what some might call a “rebuilding year”.
Is Rob Gronkowski going to play this season? If so, when?
I’ve just about given up speculating and everything seemed to reach a fever pitch last weekend with all the back-and-forth about Gronk and the team putting the decision in Dr. James Andrews’ hands and he determined Gronk was not ready. Now there are reports he’ll be back this week, but it’s hard to take those as fact after all we’ve heard in the last three weeks. I just don’t see how one week makes that much of a difference if Dr. Andrews thought he wasn’t ready last weekend.
Even when he does return, I think we’ll all be on pins and needles that he’ll break it again. There are plenty of people out there suggesting the Pats just IR him and let him get fully healthy for the first time since halftime of the 2011 AFC Championship. Still, reports are that he’s practicing like a beast, so that’s the only glimmer of light.
When he does return there will be much rejoicing, and much trepidation.
And now, Joe answers our questions about the Jets.
What have the Jets done since their ugly loss in Week 2 to the Patriots?
They’ve been a roller coaster. The following week they had a monster offensive showing in a win over Buffalo. Geno is rookie of the year! Then after that, they were blown out by Tennessee thanks to four ugly turnovers. Bench Geno, Start Simms! Then they upset Atlanta on Monday night in thrilling fashion. Geno is the future! And then finally last week, they scored 6 points at home against the 0-4 Steelers and lost. We need to draft quarterback next year!
What did you take most from that game that can be used in the rematch?
The Jets should run the football more frequently against New England’s front seven, particularly now with Wilfork and Mayo out. Chris Ivory had some success in the week 2 match-up but they went away from him too much in the second half. I’d like to see both Ivory and Bilal Powell in the 15-20 carry range this Sunday, to help keep Brady off the field and protect Geno from turnovers.
Which players have emerged in the last four weeks and will play a key role on Sunday?
Darrin Walls has moved into the starting line-up at corner and has been gradually improving. Stephen Hill has also been gradually improving since his ugly week 2 game against the Patriots. With Santonio Holmes and Kellen Winslow Jr out, he could be the team’s primary target in the passing game along with Jeremy Kerley, who didn’;t play in the previous game but has played well against New England in the past.
The Patriots could be without Aqib Talib, Jerod Mayo, Danny Amendola and Dan Connolly, all of whom left Sunday’s game vs. the Saints and did not return, but Gronk might be back (we’ve said that before). Is it now or never for this Jets team if they want to be a contender this season?
I do think this is a pivotal game in their season, similar to last year when they were 3-3, choked away a game in New England they should’ve won and then basically went into a tailspin. If the Jets have any desires of competing for the AFC East or a wild-card spot, they are going to have to win a game like this. They are currently only 1-3 in the AFC and 1-1 in the division.
Pats-Jets Preview Q & A with Turn on the Jets
In what is becoming a yearly tradition, we’re excited to do another Q & A with the fantastic Jets blog Turn on the Jets’ Editor-in-Chief Joe Caporoso. You won’t find better insight on the Jets anywhere else.
First, I pick Joe’s brain on the Jets…
Mike D.: We saw Pettine’s Bills defense give the Patriots offense problems and his experience with the Jets clearly gave him an advantage. Rex knows how to play Brady, and how to mix man and zone coverage to make him hold the ball that extra second. Who are the new and returning impact players in the front seven that will be coming after Brady?
Joe Caporoso: The Jets have assembled one of the best young defensive lines in football. Muhammad WIlkerson is an elite 3-4 defensive end and rookie Sheldon Richardson looked terrific in his debut, showing athleticism and versatility. They are missing Quinton Coples as a presence off the edge but newcomer Antwan Barnes has added some juice there. A pleasant surprise has been the emergence of second year player Damon Harrison at nose tackle, who looked like a strong compliment to Wilkerson and Richardson in week one. The Jets still lack overall speed at linebacker but they generate pressure up the middle with their defensive line.
MD: What were you most surprised and disappointed with in the regular season debut against the Bucs?
JC: Surprised? I’d say Geno Smith. He exceeded my expectations by improving dramatically in the second half and playing with an encouraging amount of confidence and intelligence. Smith is going to have to rookie growing pains and will make his mistakes but he is going to make his share of plays as well. Disappointed? Chris Ivory and the running game, which struggled all pre-season and was very weak in week 1. The Jets need a consistent running game to support Smith and we’ve seen no signs of it yet.
MD: Brady and the Pats have lost to a Jets rookie in Week 2 before. What are the strengths and weaknesses of Geno Smith’s game, and how do you expect the Jets to play to his strengths?
JC: Strengths – Very good arm strength, a good feel when to take off and run and a natural in the screen/short passing game. Weaknesses – He still locks on to his primary receiver too frequently and is prone to turnovers. He is going to struggle with more exotic coverages as of right now .Marty Mornhinweg has played to his strengths by keeping him in the shotgun and allowing him to throw plenty of screens, which he did all the time at WVU.
MD: We saw quite a few Wildcats from the Jets against the Bucs, but we all know the way to beat the Pats defense of late has been through the air. Does it look like the Wildcat will be a permanent fixture this year?
JC: Unfortunately, yes. The formation has been figured out by the NFL and provided really nothing throughout the pre-season and in week one. I understand the Jets trying to get creative to boost their running game but Bilal Powell isn’t the type of back who is going to rip off big plays, particularly out of that formation. Mornhinweg also had some shaky play-calls using the Wildcat last week, including a foolish third down boot pass by Jeremy Kerley. I’m sure we will see some Wildcat on Thursday, hopefully not too much though.
MD: Who are your biggest X factors for the Jets to pull off their first win in Foxboro since the 2010 AFC Divisional Game (hold on while I go dry heave for a second remembering Braylon Edwards’ backflips)…
JC: If the Jets are going to win, which I’d consider a major upset, it will be because Rex Ryan draws up a scheme that beats up and flusters New England’s inexperienced targets. The loss of Amendola and Vereen is a big deal because both of those guys would have been nightmare match-ups for the Jets defense, so maybe the Jets keep New England in the 17-21 point range and then get their running game going, which allows Smith to hit a few big plays down the field against a somewhat shaky Pats secondary. Smith is the true X-Factor, if he plays well on a short week, against Belichick, in a hostile environment it will be a VERY encouraging sign.
And now Joe picks my brain about the Pats…
JC: What exactly happened in week 1 that allowed a young and inexperienced Buffalo team to nearly pull off the upset against New England? Were you concerned by the overall performance?
MD: To be honest it was kind of what I expected, as it was reminiscent of both the 2006 and 2009 openers against them. Sloppy games marred by turnovers and penalties. That said, the Patriots’ rookie receiver Kenbrell Thompkins, who shined all summer, looked very much like the undrafted rookie that he is. Really, when you consider the Pats put up 450 yards of offense, and had Stevan Ridley’s fumble not been returned for a touchdown or had the Pats gotten in the end zone on 4th and 1 instead of fumbling the snap, this one could’ve been a blowout for New England. The offense certainly looked disjointed at times, but considering the turnover it’s not all that surprising. They’ll continue to be inconsistent early in the season, but the hope is that by throwing the young weapons in the fire early, it will pay dividends in the winter. All the young weapons flashed at points during the preseason, once they put it all together they’ll be dangerous.
JC: Who is going to fill the void of Vereen and Amendola in the Patriots offense Thursday? Which lesser known player should Jets fans be worried about torching our defense?
MD: It starts with Julian Edelman, who likely will play every offensive snap, and Kenbrell Thompkins bouncing back. Thompkins was remarkably consistent all summer and had great chemistry with Brady before looking off against the Bills. It looks like 2nd-round pick Aaron Dobson should play this week as well, and fellow rookie Josh Boyce should see some snaps as well.
As for Vereen it could be your old friend Leon Washington. He was just re-signed late last week after spending all of camp with the Pats, but has been battling a thigh injury. Stevan Ridley, who was benched after fumbling against the Bills, figures to get a shot at redemption and LeGarrette Blount, who looked slow against the Bills, should get some carries as well. It’s notable if Washington doesn’t play that neither Ridley nor Blount are very good catching the ball. That could really take an element of the Pats offense away. They also don’t have a tight end receiving threat, especially if rookie Zach Sudfeld, who is battling a hamstring problem, can’t go.
JC: What is your overall feeling on the Patriots defense? Are the concerns about their secondary being overblown?
MD: For the first time since 2007 the Pats returned nearly their whole defense, including their full secondary. I like the continuity and they looked fast against the Bills, not giving up a 20+ passing play for the first game since 2009. The Pats played very vanilla defense against the Bills and were in nickel nearly the whole time. Overall I think they have the chance to be the best secondary we’ve seen since the late 00’s, as all three starting corners (Talib, Dennard, Arrington) are pretty good playing man-to-man. The Pats have lacked that ability since the Ty Law days.
JC: How big of an advantage do you think New England has on the short week and with homefield advantage? We saw veteran QB and HC combos thrive on TNF last season.
MD: I think familiarity erases a big chunk of any advantage they might have, though New England’s experience on defense might give them a little bit of an edge. But I also think the inexperience at receiver against the Jets defense, which does such a great job disguising blitzes, will really give the Jets an advantage with their blitzes. They’d be smart to force New England’s rookies to decipher where the blitzes are coming from and where the hot zones will be. Regardless of the short week it’s always hard to beat the Pats in New England, Geno Smith will have to do his best impression of Mark Sanchez in the 2010 AFC Divisional Game.
JC: Do you agree with me that Belichick has a ton of love and respect for Rex Ryan and would be one of the people who’d consider hiring him if he gets fired after this season?
MD: I do, and I also have a ton of love and respect for Rex. I’ve always said I think he’s the perfect ying to Belichick’s yang in the rivalry. Belichick respects pure football coaches and that is what Rex is. His defenses are aggressive and well-prepared, and I think more than anything, Belichick respects any coach who can consistently come up with ways to give him problems. I think there are a ton of teams who should be chomping at the bit to have Rex as their defensive coordinator, but most interesting to me is how different Belichick and Rex’s style of defense are. Both work, but Belichick is more conservative and prefers to play sound coverage and force mistakes. This can be maddening to watch and drives Pats fans up a wall until the opponent throws an untimely interception. The problem as been when teams don’t make that killer mistake as we’ve seen in each of their recent playoff losses. I enjoy Rex’s attacking style that’s loaded with deception, and it’s clear he knows how to give Brady problems every time they play.