Before the game against Denver, Coach Saleh confirmed that the shackles were coming off.

Through the first four weeks of the season, the Jets were careful to ease Breece back into action following the devastating ACL injury that cost him much of his rookie season.

While everyone was chomping at the bit to see Breece set free, the Jets played the long game, understanding that it was vital to limit and monitor his usage in order to allow him to build strength and confidence in his surgically repaired knee.

Despite a 100+ yard performance in the opening weekend win against Buffalo, Breece was given just 32 carries over a four week period, before being handed the rock 22 times on Sunday against the Broncos.

Some of that was down to game script with the Jets falling behind early to the Chiefs and Cowboys, but a lot of it had to do with load management. As Saleh said so often through the preseason, the Jets had to protect Breece from himself, with the second year star keen to get back into the action.

There are always narratives and storylines in the NFL. As it transpired, Breece was let loose on the same turf that caused him so much pain 12 months ago. If you’ve seen the exceptional Breece Hall documentary, you’ll understand all the sweat, tears, frustration and dedication that goes into the recovery from a major injury. So it was hardly surprising that Breece walked off the field with a smile as wide as the Grand Canyon.

Despite that load management, Breece has rushed for 387 yards already this season, good for the sixth highest mark in football. His 7.2 average yards per rush is the third highest mark in football for players who have had 20+ rush attempts, and his 77.4 rushing yards per game is still a top-10 mark in football. When you’ve been held on a leash and performed at a top-10 rate, you know good things are going to happen when that leash is relaxed.

Breece averaged 8.0 yards on 22 attempts on Sunday for 177 yards and a touchdown, showcasing all the traits that convinced the Jets to trade up and draft him in 2022. I’m not one for sending thank you cards, but every time Breece takes to the field I am grateful that the New York Giants agreed to move down in that draft, allowing the Jets to move up to pick 36 and select Breece.

Football is a team game and rushing the ball effectively requires unity and cohesion. From the QB handoff, to the linemen doing the grunt work, to the fullback and receivers blocking on the second level. But Breece is that unique specimen who combines two key attributes. One, he always makes the right decision in relation to his cuts and two, he can create on his own when he has to.

For his touchdown against Denver, it was poetry in motion with Joe Tippmann pinning his man inside and Laken Tomlinson pulling and sealing the outside. Breece still had to showcase that 4.39 pace to run away from multiple defenders, but that was the kind of run that Keith Carter will be enjoying this week, with the line executing the play to perfection and the star runner doing the rest.

On multiple other occasions, Breece was set to be met in the hole by a defender. But his ability to juke, to move laterally and then plant and explode made him near impossible to tackle cleanly. His average of 4.80 rushing yards after contact is a testament to this, as is his six plays of 15+ yards on the ground, a number that’s good for second in the league.

The Jets showcased the winning formula on Sunday and it involved a heavy workload for Breece. That season high 22-carry mark against Denver could be surpassed again over the coming weeks, and while teams know the Jets want to feed Breece the ball, stopping it is another matter. Especially with an offensive line that is starting to gel, albeit now forced to replace the injured Alijah Vera-Tucker; one of the very best run-blockers in the game.

There were a lot of positives to come from Denver, but Breece being back to his very best form may be the biggest one.

History was made at Tottenham Hotspur this month, as the stadium played host to the first ever International Girls Flag game, with the United Kingdom taking on Germany in an all-European tie.

The UK was represented by Ealing Fields school, who back in May won the inaugural Jets and Bears NFL Girls Flag League. Germany were represented by Stadtteilschule am Heidberg, a Hamburg-based school who were playing in their first ever competitive game.

10 girls from each side were in attendance, using the same locker rooms and pitch as the NFL teams who are flocking to London for their games this month.

Cheered on by parents, teachers and a couple of former NFL stars in Laveranues Coles and Kenny Stills, the game was hugely exciting, as both teams showed off skill that belied their relatively short time playing the sport.

It was the UK who struck first, converting on a short touchdown pass, before Germany brought the scores level heading into half time at 6-6. Both defences had looked strong, limiting long plays and creating turnovers at crucial moments.

The second half started much the same way, as a tense affair meant every yard and play mattered. In the end, it was a Breece Hall-esque long touchdown run that settled the game, as a hand off by the UK led to an explosive play to give them a late lead. Germany looked to respond but to no avail, sealing a historic victory.

A special presentation followed, with t-shirts and a trophy presented to the two teams, who look to have an extremely bright future in the sport.

Jets community representative Eli Hodges reaffirmed the team’s commitment to grassroots participation, especially through Girls Flag, with plans for the UK league to return next season – bigger and better than ever.

Returning to Denver and Mile High, running back Breece Hall, who had his rookie season ended at Empower Field at Mile High last year, insisted it would be “just another football game.”

The Jets’ 31-21 win over the Broncos was just another game indeed, another masterpiece from the Green & White’s young star RB. Hall rushed for a career-high 177 yards including a 72-yard TD on the team’s first play of the third quarter that changed the game as the visitors moved out to a double-digit lead in the second half and hung on for the victory.

After rushing for an impressive 59 yards in the first half, Hall turned on the afterburners in the second half with another 118. In a matchup of 1-3 clubs, the Jets made a finishing statement and moved to 2-3.

Hall, who had a 62-yard scoring run last October in a 16-9 win before sustaining a season-ending ACL injury, gave the Jets a 15-13 lead that was their first lead in the third-quarter in their last 11 games. He provided the team the spark they needed on a sunny day in Denver. With an elevation of 5,250 feet, nobody rose higher than Hall.

“The dude is a stud,” QB Zach Wilson said of the second-year back. “But I think it starts with the guys up front. Those guys made some big holes right there and then when you give Breece a chance to hit it like that and he’s able to make some guys miss, we can be very explosive in the run game.”

The Jets outscored the Broncos 23-8 in the second half, taking command after an uneven opening 30 minutes. Quincy Williams (2 sacks), Jermaine Johnson (1 sack) and Bryce Huff (1 sack) led a determined rush that harassed Russell Wilson and muted the Broncos offence for most of the third and fourth stanzas.

The Broncos were held to 1 yard in the second half until R. Wilson hit Jerry Jeudy for 23 yards past the midway point of the fourth quarter. When Denver cut the Jets’ lead to 24-21, Z. Wilson responded with a critical 37-yard third-down conversion to TE Tyler Conklin, who led the team with 67 yards on 4 catches.

But All-Pro CB Pat Surtain II intercepted Z. Wilson deep inside Broncos territory with the Green & White up 24-21, leaving the Jets defence to turn away Denver’s final efforts to tie or win the game. Quincy Williams racked up a pair of sacks on that stand including a strip-sack that Bryce Hall, playing for CB D.J. Reed (concussion), recovered and took to the house to end the suspense.

“I missed inside a little bit,” Wilson said of the pick. “It was a third down situation and they played man coverage. They put their best player on our best player, and he made an unbelievable play. It got tipped around a little bit and he caught it between his legs. One of those that can kind of go either way but really all you can say is great play by 2 right there.”

Saleh added: “I thought the defense was outstanding minus one drive and overall, it was gritty, and it wasn’t pretty.”

The Jets scored in the opening quarter for the first time this season although a bit unconventionally, getting 5 points courtesy of their special teams and defense.

The Green & White’s punt coverage unit gave the team an early boost. Broncos rookie speedster Marvin Mims couldn’t handle Thomas Morstead’s 50-yard punt as Irvin Charles, elevated from the practice squad on Saturday, met him and LB Samuel Eguavoen recovered for the visitors in plus-territory. That set up Greg Zeurlein’s 30-yard field goal and the Jets grabbed their first 1st half lead of the season at 3-0.

Trailing 7-3, the defence made it a 2-point game on a second safety in as many weeks. Defensive tackle Al Woods got R. Wilson, his former Seattle Seahawk teammate, in his grasp and forced an intentional grounding in the end zone. Safeties in back-to-back games was a franchise first.

On their first offensive possession, the Broncos marched 75 yards on six plays, culminating an efficient march on R. Wilson’s 30-yard screen connection to rookie RB Jaleel McLaughlin. Will Lutz (23 yards) and Zuerlein (26 yards) exchanged second quarter field goals, making it 10-8, before Lutz tacked on a 22-yarder with 1:48 remaining in the second quarter.

While Hall was effective on the ground in his return to Denver, the Jets offense scuffled for most of the first two quarters as Zach Wilson was sacked three times and the unit went 0 of 5 on third down.

The defence held Denver to just 1 of 3 in the red zone, but the team was victimised by 6 penalties. And just when it appeared that the Jets would cut the lead again before intermission, the offence couldn’t get a play off from the Denver 8 after TE C.J. Uzomah was tackled in bounds following a 5-yard gain.

It ended up not biting the Jets in the end as the Green & White emerged victorious for the second time this season.

“It feels good to win in the league against anybody,” Saleh said. “It doesn’t matter. But it was a special game for [Nathaniel] Hackett being here a year ago and today racking up over 400 yards and putting up 31 points, so I’m happy for him.”

Jetcetera

RT Alijah Vera-Tucker, who sustained a torn triceps in last year’s Week 7 win over the Broncos, exited in the second quarter with an injury and did not return – he has since been ruled out for the season with an achilles injury.

With both D.J. Reed (concussion) and Brandin Echols (hamstring) out of the lineup, Bryce Hall made his first start of the season opposite Sauce Gardner. … Tony Adams returned to the lineup after a two-game absence. … The Jets have won consecutive games versus Denver for the first time since 1965-67.

After an encouraging effort against the Kansas City Chiefs last Sunday, the New York Jets head on the road to face the Denver Broncos in Week 5. And the expectations are clear – Robert Saleh’s side will be determined to pick up their second win of the year.

With the great Aaron Rodgers in the building and cheering him on, quarterback Zach Wilson impressed in the 23-20 Week 4 loss to the Chiefs as he connected with 10 different receivers while throwing for 245 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions for a passer rating of 105.2.

New York will have a great opportunity to build on offensive successes that saw Allen Lazard and Garrett Wilson combine for 121 receiving yards and a touchdown.

In their last two games, the Broncos have given up 98 points and conceded 1,197 yards, frustrating their new head coach, Sean Payton, who has been very vocal upon his return to the NFL. While Denver did dig deep to come from behind in Chicago last week, their level of play has been sub-par.

Russell Wilson no longer gets as much attention as AFC powerhouse quarterbacks such as Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen and Tua Tagovailoa, but he is off to a decent start in 2023. The nine-time Pro Bowler and Super Bowl champion has thrown for 1,014 yards, nine touchdowns and just two interceptions for a rating of 106.7. But he now faces a real challenge in the form of New York’s defense that intercepted Mahomes twice on Sunday night.

The Jets are a constant menace to opposing quarterbacks, rotating defensive lineman after defensive lineman to get after the passer with fresh legs. And a theme ever since Saleh took charge of this team is that New York’s defenders absolutely fly to the football and rarely lose their intensity.

The Jets can consider themselves unfortunate to have come up short against the Chiefs last weekend, but they did show a national television audience that this team is not about to go quietly into the night and they will continue to play with great spirit. Showing similar fight in Denver on Sunday could reap much-needed rewards.

New York Jets to Player to Watch

Quincy Williams – Linebacker… It’s hard to ignore Quincy Williams when watching a New York Jets game – he demands your attention by making tackle after tackle. Williams has become one of the leaders and tone-setters on the defensive side of the ball. If Russell Wilson has any plans to take off running, Williams will quickly change his mind. After making 13 tackles last week, Williams leads New York with 39 stops in four games.

Denver Broncos Player to Watch

Marvin Mims Jr. – Wide Receiver… Explosive plays can change games and that makes Denver’s rookie second-round pick a real danger on Sunday. Mims has only touched the ball a total of 16 times so far this season on receptions and kick returns, but he has made his chances count. Mims has nine receptions for 242 yards (26.9 average) and a touchdown, five kickoff returns for 176 yards (35.2 average) and a score; and two punt returns for 70 yards (35.0 average). 

Stat Attack!

The Broncos have allowed 20 offensive touchdowns in 2023 – the most through four games in the Super Bowl era. They are last in points per game allowed (37.5), yards per game allowed (461.5) and rushing yards per game allowed (176.0). The passer rating of opposing quarterbacks is a combined 133.4 – highest in the NFL.

Keys to the game

There are two key areas where the Jets can and should win this game. Attacking with their tight ends should make life easier for Zach Wilson and Tyler Conklin (four catches for 58 yards) and C.J. Uzomah (scored on a 1-yard touchdown grab) showed up big against the Chiefs last week. And the Broncos struggled to cover the tight end in Chicago in Week 4, giving up seven catches for 85 yards and two scores to Cole Kmet.

On the other side of the ball, the Jets pass rush is an obvious starting point. Getting after the quarterback is always important, but Russell Wilson will give them chances to get home. Wilson is averaging 3.08 seconds time to throw in 2023 – second-longest in the NFL. If Sauce Gardner and New York’s excellent secondary can blanket on the back end, it could be a long afternoon for the Broncos quarterback.

There is no such thing as a moral victory in the NFL, but there is a productive loss. The Jets falling to the Kansas City Chiefs was disappointing and frustrating, but it also offered fans a glimpse of the team’s potential and supplied a reason for hope.

Zach Wilson enjoyed arguably the best game of his Jets career, completing 71.8% of his passes with two touchdowns and a rushing 2-point conversion. The new-look offensive line looked like a unit capable of dominating the opposition.

Now we need to find consistency in performance.

Following the game against Kansas City, Jets head coach Robert Saleh said that if Zach Wilson plays like he did against the Chiefs, we’re going to win a lot of football games. I think that’s a sentiment that we can all agree with, but it’s not just on Zach.

The offensive line needs to play with consistency, the coaches need to be consistent, the defence needs to consistently force turnovers and make the opposition uncomfortable.

Coming away with a victory is imperative and motivation won’t be in short supply.

Not only will the Jets have an opportunity to close back in on that .500 mark before the Philadelphia Eagles come to town, but they’ll have the chance to prove that the performance against the Chiefs wasn’t a one off.

Denver has problems of its own. They’re one late and improbable comeback against the Bears away from being 0-4, but find themselves 1-3 and coming off their first victory of the season.

The game could present another opportunity for the Jets offence to click. The Miami Dolphins dropped 70 points on Denver in week three, and Justin Fields had a career day last week passing for over 330 yards and four touchdowns.

The Broncos have only managed to keep one team under 25 points this year, and that came in a 17-16 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders on opening weekend.

Denver’s defence ranks dead last in the NFL with 37.5 points allowed per game on average and 461.5 total yards on average. Part of the issue for the Broncos is the inability to generate pressure on the opposing QB. As a unit, they generate pressure on just 14% of dropbacks, which is the worst mark in football, in comparison the Jets generate pressure on 26.5% of opposing QB dropbacks.

The New York Jets, in partnership with the NFL, are delighted to announce the inaugural NFL International Fan of the Year contest for 2023!

The International Fan of the Year title celebrates extraordinary fans who inspire others with their passion for the game and have been a rallying force across their family, friends and local community through fandom.

Expanding beyond the U.S. to seven eligible international markets this season, enthusiastic fans from around the world who use football as a platform for inspiration and change can now be honoured for their love of American football and proudly represent their favourite team. The eligible international markets include the UK, Germany, Mexico, Canada, Australia, France and China.

All 32 teams are involved, with the nomination period running until December 31st, after which each team will announce their chosen nominee. The 32 nominees will all attend the 2024 NFL Draft in Detroit, which includes roundtrip airfare for the nominee and a guest, exclusive access to the Draft Experience, and other exclusive experiences.

In 2021, the Jets were awarded the United Kingdom as an official international market through the NFL’s Global Markets Program (GMP). Through this initiative, the Jets can directly engage with fans through physical events, marketing activations and sponsorship opportunities.

Jets fans can nominate themselves or others for the Fan of the Year contest through the NFL’s website: https://www.nfl.com/honors/fan-of-the-year/gb

Once the nomination period closes, each club will unveil their nominee between January 26th and February 4th 2024. The Ultimate NFL International Fan of the Year will be announced live at the NFL Draft with all 32 nominees in attendance.

Key Nomination Details:

1. To initiate the nomination process, visit NFL.com/FanOfTheYear.

2. Each submission will be evaluated based on the following criteria: passion, enthusiasm and fandom for their favourite NFL team and the league itself, along with an inspirational story and a sense of community spirit.

3. Application must be submitted by Dec. 31, 2023.

The big games keep on coming for the New York Jets as they take on the Kansas City Chiefs in the Meadowlands on Sunday Night Football in Week 4.

And this promises to be a heavyweight clash featuring two of the best units in the league. The Chiefs will be led by two-time Super Bowl champion and two-time NFL Most Valuable Player Patrick Mahomes. And the gold-standard quarterback is getting up to speed after a slow start. Mahomes threw for more than 300 yards in beating Jacksonville in Week 2 and then threw for 272 yards and three scores against Chicago in Week 3.

But neither of those teams can field a defense like the Jets and that’s what will make Sunday’s matchup so fascinating. It’s strength versus strength.

Mahomes loves to connect with Travis Kelce and his All-Pro tight end has scored in each of the two games he has played this season. But the Jets allowed New England’s lead tight end, Hunter Henry, to gain just 17 receiving yards on five targets in Week 3.

And we know Mahomes likes to spread the ball around, hitting 11 different receiving targets in Week 2. Well, the Jets have linebackers who can run and disrupt, safeties who can cover and arguably the best cornerback trio in the league in Sauce Gardner, D.J. Reed and Michael Carter.

Mahomes is still likely to have his moments so New York will need to find more offensive output than the 10 points scored in each of their last two outings. Even without being prolific on offense in Week 3, the Jets still came about an inch away from beating the Patriots on a Hail Mary to end the game.

The spirited Jets will battle and scrap for those fine margins to fall in their favour on Sunday and if they do, they will make a bold statement… and ruin Taylor Swift’s visit to the Big Apple!

New York Jets Player to Watch

Sauce Gardner – Cornerback… This feels like a game where the Jets will really need to lean on their All-Pro cornerback as the Chiefs are likely to take to the air early and often. If Gardner and his secondary teammates can plaster receivers downfield, Mahomes may have to hold the ball a second longer; allowing that Gang Green rush to get home.

Kansas City Chiefs Player to Watch

Patrick Mahomes – Quarterback… The two-time Super Bowl MVP stands atop the NFL mountain and continually wows us with an array of angle-defying passes. What makes Mahomes so special is that elite arm strength but also his will to win. It’s what all the greats have and Mahomes remains as hungry as ever even with two Super Bowl victories to his name.

Stat Attack!

A total of 14 different Chiefs players have caught a pass already this season – that is the most in the NFL… Dating back to the start of last season, the Jets have the fourth-best scoring defense in the league.

Keys to the game

We’ve already touched on the greatness of Patrick Mahomes with his arm, but what about his legs? He can frustrate defenders with timely scrambles. But the Jets will be willing to put that to the test early on Sunday night as Mahomes injured his ankle in last week’s win over the Bears. The quarterback insists he is fine, but the Jets and their pass rush will be keen to find out.

On the other side of the ball, the Jets need to get the football to Garrett Wilson. He showed against Dallas that he can score from anywhere on the field and he could be just the player to spark the offense. And a big game from running back Breece Hall would be welcomed. The young star rushed for 127 yards in Week 1 but has a total of 27 yards on the ground in the past two games.

Sunday was difficult. I don’t think there’s any way to sugarcoat the fact that as Jets fans, we’re in a difficult position right now. We’re not where we thought we’d be and we’re certainly not where we hoped we’d be. But… we’re just three games into the season. There are a lot of miles left in this race and plenty of opportunities to turn things around.

For whatever reason, the Patriots have been a thorn in our side for a long time. Coach Saleh rightfully chose to switch the focus away from the losing streak, but for the fans, it stings. 15 straight losses to a division rival is difficult to stomach, but out of the loss there were some positives.

For the first time this season, Jets rookie Joe Tippmann took to the field. Not in his preferred centre position which was occupied by Connor McGovern, but as a guard. Duane Brown’s unfortunate injury and placement on IR meant a shuffle of the offensive line.

Mekhi Becton moved out to left tackle from right tackle, Alijah Vera-Tucker from right guard to right tackle, and Joe Tippmann slotted into that vacated guard spot. Although it’s only one game, the early signs were positive, especially when you consider that Tippmann had just 11 career reps at guard while working his way through college in Wisconsin.

With Duane Brown set to miss at least four weeks after being placed on IR, it presents opportunities for certain players, including Joe Tippmann. I’m sure the Jets see Tippmann’s future at centre, but for now, playing at guard will allow him valuable live reps against NFL competition. There’s also something to be said for gaining the perspective of the player you play next to, so once Tippmann switches back to centre, he’ll have a better understanding of the guard’s responsibilities, techniques and assignments.

There was one play in particular where Tippmann was able to identify and pick up Matthew Judon, one of the better pass-rushers in football. Tippmann used his anchor and strength to divert Judon away from the QB and open up a throwing lane. If he can do that in his first game against a player like Judon, he’ll be absolutely fine the rest of the way.

When you lose players to injuries, you have to adapt. The Jets have been unfortunate enough to lose both their starting quarterback and starting left tackle within the first quarter of the season. Alijah Vera-Tucker’s versatility gives the Jets options, as Saleh said this pre-season:

“We think he’s (AVT) an All-Pro-caliber right guard. We think he can be a heck of a tackle, too, but he is an elite guard. That’s somewhere we would love to keep him.”

The current structure of the line was not in the blueprint, but like all teams, adjustments need to be made, and while it’s only one game, the early signs are positive when it comes to the Joe Tippmann, Alijah Vera-Tucker combination on the right side of the line.

According to football analytics firm PFF, Tippmann and AVT combined to allow just 1 pressure on Zach Wilson in Sunday’s loss to the New England Patriots. In 39 pass-blocking snaps, that combo allowed a defensive player to generate heat just once, with Joe Tippmann putting together a pressure-free performance. While he did have a late penalty called against him, it was an incredibly clean game considering it was his maiden voyage into the depths of the NFL.

Patriots coach Bill Belichick is renowned for his blitzes. New England ranks in the top-5 in terms of blitz percentage (43.6%), which puts an incredible amount of pressure on the communication of the line, and it puts even more pressure on the centre and guards who have to make sure blitzes through the middle are picked up.

While the Jets struggled to move the ball on the ground on Sunday, largely thanks to the Patriots loading the box, AVT in particular showed that whether he’s playing guard or tackle, he’s going to move people off the ball.

That was game one. This week represents another opportunity to get practice reps in as a unit, but the early signs are positive on the new unit in the trenches.

The Jets battled to the end Sunday in the rain, making another late charge at home against a division rival. But unlike their week one contest with the Bills, there would be no dramatic come-from-behind win as the Green & White fell to 1-2 after a 15-10 loss to the Patriots. It was the third consecutive matchup these teams have played with the game decided by one possession.

“We just have to keep working,” head coach Robert Saleh said. “Obviously not good enough overall. Third downs, couldn’t run the ball. … Just overall it wasn’t good enough from coaching to players to all of it.”

Trailing by 13-3 in the fourth quarter, QB Zach Wilson got the Jets back in it as he completed 7-of-10 passes on a drive that culminated on FB Nick Bawden’s 1-yard plunge. Wilson, who had just 47 yards on 9-for-17 passing before the scoring drive, passed for 79 yards on the march that ended on Bawden’s first career TD.

With the crowd alive and the Jets defence energised, Jeff Ulbirch’s unit forced a punt on the Patriots ensuing drive. Taking over at his 10-yard line, Wilson couldn’t repeat the magic as two incompletions were followed by a holding call and then a safety by Matthew Judon.

The Jets got another crack at it down 15-10, but Wilson threw incomplete three times before Tyler Conklin was held to 2 yards on fourth-and-10. A Wilson Hail Mary as time expired was knocked around a few times but fell out of the reach of Randall Cobb. The Pats also moved to 1-2, avoiding Bill Belichick’s first 0-3 start since 2000.

The Pats held a 10-3 lead at halftime, outgaining the Jets 216 to 39. The third down issues that plagued the Jets last week in Dallas reappeared as the visitors went 6 of 10 in the opening 30 minutes and the Jets were held to 1 of 8. New England finished 8 of 19 while the Jets ended up 2 of 14 (12.5%), the Green & White’s lowest conversion rate since 2018.

“Even with Aaron [Rodgers] at quarterback, we knew there were going to be some hiccups along the way because of a new offence, new play caller, new o-line, new players all over the offensive side of the ball,” Saleh said. “Now you’ve got this curveball that was sent to us, so they’re acclimating. They’re going to get better, but it’s still very early in the season.”

The only TD in the first half came on a broken coverage as Mac Jones connected with TE Pharoah Brown for a 58-yard score in the second quarter. It was Brown’s first touchdown catch of his career and his first career reception that was longer than 30 yards.

“Mistakes like the 58-yard touchdown can’t happen,” Saleh said. “They can’t happen. Unfortunately it did, but I thought they did a really nice job in the second half locking down and giving us as many opportunities as possible. We had some opportunities there with the football. It was there, it was live. On a couple occasions it felt like we were about that close from flipping the game.”

The Jets’ scoring drive in the second quarter saw Breece Hall (4-17) and Dalvin Cook (4-12) running on 8 of 9 plays before Greg Zeurlein nailed a 52-yard field goal to cut the deficit to 10-3 before the break.

New England won the battle on the ground, churning out 157 yards on 40 carries (3.9 yds/att) while the Jets finished with 38 yards on 22 rushes (1.7 yds/att). Zach Wilson had completions to 8 different receivers, but the Jets had only 128 yards on their 17 completions.

Next Sunday night, the Jets will host the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs.

It doesn’t get any easier for the New York Jets as they get set to host the New England Patriots in Week 3 action on Sunday evening.

New York is coming off a 30-10 defeat against the Dallas Cowboys and now takes on a Patriots team led by mastermind head coach Bill Belichick. The Jets have lost 14-consecutive games to their AFC rival.

But this New England team could offer the Jets a chance to get back into the win column. The Patriots have opened the year with back-to-back losses to Philadelphia and Miami and are looking to avoid a first 0-3 start under Belichick since his opening campaign with the team back in 2000.

Zach Wilson enjoyed some highs against the Cowboys but the offense, as a whole, will need to produce more than the 10 points scored in Texas. Belichick has made a career out of feasting on young quarterbacks, so it has to be a team effort to assist Wilson. Look for Breece Hall and Dalvin Cook to feature much more heavily after combining just for just eight runs in Week 2 against Dallas.

Defensively, the Jets flew to the football once again in Week 2 and kept the game competitive into the third quarter. This unit plays with so much passion and fire and they will surely make life difficult for a New England attack that has yet to hit top gear with Mac Jones at quarterback.

The Jets have every chance of holding New England – who lack explosive difference-makers at the skill positions – below 20 points in this game. If that happens, and the offense finds its feet, the Jets could enjoy a morale-boosting victory to move to 2-1 on the season, and an impressive 2-0 in the division.

New York Jets – Player to Watch

Garrett Wilson – Wide Receiver… While the Jets must find balance through the run and be cautious in attacking an opportunistic New England secondary, they also have to find ways to get the ball into the hands of their best offensive player. Garrett Wilson caught an acrobatic touchdown against the Bills in Week 1 and proved he can score from anywhere on the field in Week 2. He must be worked into the attack at all costs.

New England Patriots – Player to Watch

Matthew Judon – Edge Rusher… The Cowboys wreaked havoc on the Jets with a fierce pass rush in Week 2 and more of the same can be expected this weekend. How the Jets deal with Matthew Judon will be key. The Pro Bowl star leads the Patriots with two sacks this season and has 30 dating back to 2021 – fourth-best in the NFL.

Stat Attack!

Keep an eye on these two NFL-elite defenders. Cornerback Sauce Gardner leads the NFL with 21 pass defenses dating back to the start of last season. In the same period of time, defensive tackle Quinnen Williams has recorded 12 sacks – third-most among interior defensive linemen in the league.

Keys to the game

The Jets will need to lean heavily on their defense and they certainly have the horses to make it a difficult day at the office for Mac Jones. A strong showing on that side of the ball should allow New York to play things closer to the vest on offense, easing some pressure on Wilson.

Hall and Dalvin Cook must be used to establish the run and once the defensive backs sneak up to assist in defending that approach, then Wilson to Wilson becomes a factor. There is no doubt that New England are a very tricky opponent on defense, but when it comes to their offense they are a shadow of their former selves.

The Jets need to play the current team and not New England’s historic past. And they have to continue to move forward despite that early-season trauma of losing Aaron Rodgers at quarterback. Every win will go some way to easing that particular pain and this is a close-to-call game that is there for the taking.