New York Jets: Analyzing the Patriots’ Week 7 Opponent

Oct 18, 2015; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Jets quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick (14) walks after the NFL game against the Washington Redskins at MetLife Stadium. The Jets won, 34-20. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

When you love something with all of your heart, you tend to think of whatever it is at its finest, most beautiful, perfect moment. The summer sunlight dancing on the paint of your first car in high school, sitting in your driveway after an hour-long wash and wax. The simultaneous shock and euphoria on your fiance’s face when you finally pulled out a ring and popped the question. Your favorite band ripping into your favorite song and screaming your lungs out with 10,000 other fans.

For Patriots Nation, that shimmering, magical moment in the rivalry with the New York Jets was Thanksgiving Day, November 22nd, 2012, when quarterback Mark Sanchez took the snap with his backfield in an I-formation with Shonn Greene and Lex Hilliard, smoothly turned to hand off the football…

…to the wrong side, and promptly spinning in the other direction into his offensive lineman’s ass.

(Fun fact: if you type “Mark Sanchez” into the search bar on YouTube, the first suggestion is that video. Swear to God.)

Now that we’ve had our fun, this 2015 Jets team is borderline unrecognizable compared to the four-year-long Arrested Development episode that was Rex Ryan’s tenure in New York.

Long gone is Sanchez, cement-shoes running back Shonn Greene, Braylon Edwards somehow achieving #1 receiver status in the biggest media market in the world, and Jeff Cumberland and Dustin Keller maybe achieving the production of one competent tight end between the two of them. The best offensive player might have been kicker Nick Folk.

These Jets have won their four of their first five games by 21, 13, 13, and 14 points. New York in 2015 boasts one of the best wide receiver tandems in NFL, an army of four running backs that have all been starters in the last two seasons, and an offensive line that ranks first in the league in pass protection.

They’re 4-1, second in the AFC East, disciplined, aggressive, and confident after being buried alive by everyone (including myself) before their season even started after a haymaker in the locker room resulted in a broken jaw and one of the saddest selfies of all time.

They are not to be taken lightly.

And not just because we hate them.

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