The Jets will host the AFC East-leading New England Patriots for their home season finale in Week 17. The 12-win Patriots clinched a playoff berth in Week 16, and the Green & White will look for redemption after falling to New England on "Thursday Night Football" in Week 11.
"We plan on going out there and giving our best, playing with effort," HC Aaron Glenn said. "We know it's our last home game. We look forward to it. We know it's a really, really good opponent, so, there's nothing better than us going out there and probably spoiling what they're trying to accomplish as a team. And man, just making sure our last game [at home] is a game that our fans can remember."
Aiming for Consistency in the Run Game
Before the first meeting between the two teams, the Patriots were allowing the fewest rushing yards in the league (79.2 per game). The Jets rushed for 140 yards in the contest, the most against the Patriots' defense up to that point.
Beginning with that Week 11 game, New England's run defense has been more generous to opponents. The unit still ranks among the league's best in rushing yards allowed (100.1 per game, the sixth fewest), but in their last four contests, the Patriots have allowed an average of 142.5 yards on the ground.
"I'm expecting them to try to hone in our run game," HC Aaron Glenn said. "They tried to do that the first game."
Despite the productive outing in Week 11, the Jets have struggled to run the ball effectively in recent weeks. In the five games since the first matchup, the offense has been held under 100 yards on the ground three times. Even with the decrease in production, though, the team's 124.2 rushing yards per game rank No. 9 in the NFL.
"When you have a rookie quarterback [Brady Cook] that's in there, [they're] going to do everything [they] can to try to stop the run and force him to try and throw it," HC Aaron Glenn said. "There's been a number of teams who stacked the box on us, and we've been pretty successful running the ball. So, when we just stay patient and take those dirty runs like we usually do, at some point those runs are going to pop and we look forward to seeing that."
RB Breece Hall -- who became just the second player this season to surpass 50 rushing yards against the Patriots in Week 11 -- is closing in on the first 1,000-yard rushing season of his career. Hall needs just 46 more.
"For him to be able to reach that milestone, I think he would tell you it's more important for us to get wins -- I know he will," Glenn said. "But for him to be able to reach that, it's good. But I know he wants more."
New-Look Offense in Divisional Rematch
When the Jets played at Gillette Stadium in Week 11, in-season acquisitions John Metchie III and Adonai Mitchell were brand new members of the Green & White.
Metchie -- who made his second appearance for the team -- led the Jets with 3 receptions for 45 yards. Mitchell -- in his first game in green and white -- contributed 1 catch for 10 yards on 6 targets.
"That was the first week where we had them being a part of what we're trying to do," HC Aaron Glenn said. "I can recall Metch having a pretty good game that game, and I think AD had a couple of drops. I think AD came back the next week and really proved that he can be a big-time receiver in this league. I'm expecting those guys to do a really good job."
Two weeks later in a home win over the Falcons, Mitchell cracked 100 receiving yards for the first time in his NFL career -- and recorded his first TD as a Jet.
In the weeks since, Metchie and Mitchell have developed chemistry with rookie QB Brady Cook, who will start his third consecutive game for the Green & White. Cook and Mitchell have connected for 102 yards over the last two games, and Mitchell hauled in Cook's first career TD pass in the NFL in Week 15.
"Just the growth with those players," OC Tanner Engstrand said of how the receiver duo has progressed. "I think their comfortability in the system and understanding what we're trying to accomplish and some of the finer details, maybe in the routes that we're running."
Metchie added: "Being able to play the Patriots early on when I got here, and now being able to play them again, I definitely have more of a feel for our offense, more of a feel for our team, a feel for playing them as well. Definitely excited about it."
Maye Continues to Play at a High Level
Slowing down QB Drake Maye will again be a priority in the divisional matchup. Maye leads all quarterbacks in the NFL with a 70.9 completion percentage, and he ranks among the league's best in nearly every category.
"He's up and coming," DC Chris Harris said of Maye. "He's a good, young quarterback, he's accurate. He has very good mobility, so that's going to be a thing that we're going to definitely have to focus on and try to keep him in the pocket."
Maye, however, has been sacked 46 times this season -- the fourth-most in the league. The Jets are coming off a 3-sack performance against the Saints in Week 16.
"Having a great rush plan," Harris said of how to get to Maye. "Having to collapse the pocket with our D-line. Be sticky in coverage to allow our guys to get to the quarterback."
Maye's most popular target this season, WR Stefon Diggs, has recorded 76 receptions for 869 yards and 3 TDs. Diggs led the team with 9 receptions for 105 yards in the first matchup between the two teams.
"He's been a high-level receiver in this league for a long time," HC Aaron Glenn said. "He's smart. He's confident. He's highly competitive. He understands how to win in zone and man coverage. He's been doing that for a while."
Harris said of this week's matchup: "The Patriots, they're a very tough, physical team. And that's something that we're going to have to match. Our guys are definitely up for the challenge."
