Patriots vs. Jets: Zach Wilson’s first duel with Mac Jones among pregame storylines
The Jets return to the friendly confines of MetLife Stadium on Sunday afternoon to host their home opener against the Patriots after suffering a narrow defeat at the hands of the Panthers in Week 1.
New York started slow against Carolina, but staged a late comeback attempt that ultimately fell five points short. Week 2 presents the Jets with the chance to bounce back against a divisional foe that suffered a narrow defeat of its own to begin the season, but doing so will be easier said than done against a Bill Belichick-coached New England squad.
Here are five storylines to follow ahead of the Jets’ Week 2 matchup with the Patriots.
Zach Wilson's first duel with Mac Jones
AP Photo/Brian Westerholt
Wilson and Jones will meet on Sunday for the first of what figures to be many times as division rivals. The two rookie quarterbacks looked the part in their NFL debuts, as Wilson finished strong against the Panthers to nearly lead the Jets all the way back from a 16-point deficit. Jones, meanwhile, threw for nearly 300 yards and a touchdown in New England's one-point loss to the Dolphins. The Patriots are ahead of the Jets overall talent-wise right now, but the performance of their rookie quarterbacks will go a long way in determining Week 2's winner.
Robert Saleh vs. Bill Belichick
Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images
Saleh and the 49ers got the best of Belichick and the Patriots in 2020, as San Francisco's defense dominated New England's offense en route to a 33-6 win. Sunday will mark the first time the two square off as head coaches, posing Saleh with a stiff challenge in his first game at MetLife Stadium. The Patriots have won 10 games in a row against the Jets dating back to their overtime loss in East Rutherford in 2015. It won't be easy, but Saleh and his team are hoping to snap that streak in Week 2.
Fans return to MetLife
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MetLife Stadium will be rocking when the Patriots roll into town, as Sunday's matchup will be the first time Jets fans enter the facility for regular season action since Dec. 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Jets fans were down in the dumps at the end of Adam Gase's first season as head coach -- the last time they flocked to East Rutherford. Now there is hope surrounding the organization with Saleh at the helm. That feeling of promise should be enough to provide a noteworthy home-field advantage.
How will the offensive line fare without Mekhi Becton?
AP Photo/Nell Redmond
The Jets were struggling to protect Wilson before Becton dislocated his kneecap late in the third quarter in Week 1, making it reasonable to wonder how the offensive line will hold up against the Patriots. Belichick has likely drawn up a blitz-heavy game plan to test New York's offensive line, and its ability to hold up and keep Wilson clean will have a profound impact on the outcome of the game.
Can the ground game get going?
Nell Redmond-AP
Mike LaFleur's rushing attack was non-existent against the Panthers due in large part to the Jets' struggles in the trenches. Tevin Coleman, Michael Carter and Ty Johnson seldom had any holes to run through, totaling just 45 yards on 17 carries -- 2.6 yards per carry. Those struggles simply cannot continue if the Jets want to have any chance of beating the Patriots. Wilson can't do it all by himself against a defense as good as New England's.
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