The New York Jets (2-7) will visit the New England Patriots (8-2) at Gillette Stadium on Thursday night.
Let's take a deeper look at what to expect from the Jets' next opponent.
What a Difference a Year Makes
Last season, the Patriots, (4-13), finished last in the AFC East, fired first year head coach Jerod Mayo and hired former Super Bowl-winning and former Patriots LB Mike Vrabel as their new head man.
Ten weeks into the 2025 season, Vrabel and New England have doubled the win total from a year ago and are winners of 7 straight, tied for the longest streak in the league this season.
"I think Vrabel has done a really great job of getting that team to buy in to what he's trying to do," Jets HC Aaron Glenn said Monday. "He is proving you can absolutely make a huge change within a year, and I think he's done a good job at that along with the players."
Drake Maye, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, has thrown 19 touchdown passes, third most in the NFL, rushed for 2 scores on the ground and emerged as the driving force between the Patriots' offensive turnaround.
The Patriots ranked 30th in points per game (17) last season and are up to eighth (26.5) in 2025.
Maye's favorite target has been All-Pro WR Stefon Diggs, who signed in free agency from Houston and has 50 receptions for 554 yards and 3 TDs this season. In addition, Maye has spread the ball around effectively. Six receivers have at least 20 receptions, despite a lack of household names.
"The toughness their receivers bring and their ability to make these big plays is impressive," Glenn said. "And man, the quarterback is playing at a very, very high level."
New England, however, has yet to find its footing up front, The Patriots rank 16th in rushing yards this season (117.7 per game) and Maye has been sacked 35 times, second most in the NFL.
At tailback, Vrabel has shuffled between rookie RB TreVyon Henderson and veteran tailback Rhamondre Stevenson, who missed the last game with a toe injury, as the starter, despite Henderson being the far more productive back statistically.
Henderson leads the team with 430 yards on the ground, 147 more than Stevenson despite 2 fewer carries, and 3 touchdowns.
On the opposite side of the ball, the big uglies up front have been the team's strength. The Patriots rank first in fewest rush yards (79.2 per game) and touchdowns allowed (3) and have yet to allow a single rusher to reach 50-plus yards.
Over the offseason, New England used its 150-plus million dollars in cap space to revamp the unit, which ranked 22nd in points allowed (24.5 per game) and 30th in takeaways (12).
New England added two big names up front, former Eagles DL Milton Williams and Pro Bowl edge Harold Landry, and bolstered their back end with CB Carlton Davis and LB Robert Spillane.
Williams and Landry have combined for 9 sacks and 14 tackles for loss, and Davis has 37 tackles and 3 pass defenses.
"Obviously, Williams, the D-tackle that was in Philly has been great," Glenn said. "And they got Carlton [Davis III], a guy that I'm very familiar with. They brought in a lot of those types of guys."
In addition, they signed K'Lavon Chaisson to a one-year deal and he has been a diamond in the rough, leading the team in sacks (6.5) and TFL (8). Last season the Patriots had 28 sacks as a team, this season they have 21 in 10 games.
The Patriots rank sixth in points allowed (19.2 per game) and eighth in yards allowed (306.2 per game). Vrabel has done an impressive job taking New England from the bottom of the AFC to the top in one offseason. The Jets will have their hands full when they go north to Foxborough.
