Everything You Need to Know About Patriots vs. Jets Week 8

On Sunday, the New York Jets and New England Patriots will meet for the 132nd time. After lengthy dominance by the Patriots over the Jets during the Tom Brady-Bill Belichick years that included a 15-game winning streak, darker days have fallen on Foxborough.

Through seven games, the Jets sit at 2-5 while the Patriots have stumbled to a 1-6 start. Although the teams have similar records, New York and New England came into the season with very different outlooks. The Jets entered the season with playoff aspirations, while the Patriots were widely expected to be right back in the mix for a top-five pick after finishing 4-13 last season.

Vibes aren't greater in either locker room as well. The Patriots traveled back and forth across the Atlantic to put up an embarrassing performance in a 32-16 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, after which head coach Jerod Mayo called his team a "soft football team across the board". Meanwhile, the Jets are coming off of a 22-point loss on Sunday Night Football at the hands of the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 7. New York has lost four straight games and parted ways with head coach Robert Saleh after a 2-3 start, tabbing Jeff Ulbrich as their interim head coach.

The Patriots and Jets met earlier this season in a Week 3 blowout on Thursday Night Football. New York dominated in almost every single facet of that game on their way to a 24-3 win. In the waning moments of that Week 3 drubbing, Patriots rookie quarterback Drake Maye made his NFL debut. Four games later, Maye will make his third career start against the Jets.

With both AFC East rivals in desperate need of a win, here is everything that you need to know about the Week 8 clash between the New England Patriots and New York Jets.

The Nuts and Bolts: Start Time, How to Watch, Etc.

• Home: New England Patriots
• Road: New York Jets
• Venue: Gillette Stadium — Foxborough, Mass.
• Date: Oct. 27, 2024
• Time: 1 p.m. Eastern
• TV Coverage: CBS
• Radio: 98.5 FM The Sports Hub

Patriots vs. Jets Prediction

When the Jets have the ball, their run-pass balance is something to watch. New York is one of the most unbalanced offensive teams in the league. The Jets rank third in the NFL in passing attempts per game and dead last in rushing attempts per game. In Sunday's loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Jets only ran the ball 15 times, while Aaron Rodgers dropped back for 39 passes.

Following the firing of former Jets head coach Saleh following Week 5, interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich also revoked Nathaniel Hackett's play-calling duties and turned that responsibility over to Todd Downing. Over the past three games, the Patriots' defense has allowed 556 rushing yards, so will Downing be willing to become less Rodgers-centric on offense? Breece Hall is a talented back who came up just six yards short of the 1,000-yard mark last season and racked up 113 yards in Week 6, so the Jets have a more than capable option in the backfield.

With the Patriots on offense, things are going to look very different then when these two teams matched up in Week 3. In Week 3, New England's offense had a total of 61 yards passing. In rookie Drake Maye's first two career starts in Weeks 6 and 7, the third overall pick has thrown for 243 and 276 yards – respectively.

Hunter Henry has also emerged as a top target for Maye. In Maye's two starts, the tight end has been targeted 14 times – catching 11 passes for 133 yards and a touchdown.

If New York gets out to a lead early, New England's inability to stop the run lately could spell trouble. If the Jets can come off of an Aaron Rodgers pass-happy game plan and play from ahead, it could be a long day for the Patriots' defense.

Prediction: Jets 27, Patriots 20