RUN THE BALL
During last week’s 30-10 loss to the Cowboys, the Jets only ran the ball 16 times for 64 yards. Five of those attempts came from Zach Wilson as he finished with a team-high 36 yards.
With Wilson behind center, more emphasis has been placed on the Jets ground game now more than ever, especially against a Patriots team that has had Wilson’s number throughout his career.
In Week 1, Breece Hall rushed for 127 yards on 10 carries. Yes, he will likely continue to be on a pitch count as he works back from an ACL injury he suffered last year, but there’s no reason Hall should only have four touches in any game like he did against Dallas.
O-LINE MUST IMPROVE
According to ESPN, the Jets have the worst pass-blocking offensive line in the NFL in the first two weeks. Against the Cowboys, Wilson was pressured on 16 of his 30 passing plays, according to NFL Next Gen Stats.
Robert Saleh attributed that to the Cowboys front seven, particularly Micah Parsons, for the breakdowns in protection. Gang Green’s offensive line was much maligned throughout the preseason, and many of the concerns have come to fruition.
Left tackle Duane Brown struggled against the Cowboys after having limited practice time during training camp after offseason shoulder surgery. Mekhi Becton also didn’t have much time starting at right tackle as he began camp as the backup left tackle.
Throughout his career, Patriots coach Bill Belichick has exploited Wilson’s weaknesses and used them to his advantage. New England will likely do it again if the Jets cannot protect Wilson.
GET OFF THE FIELD
Dallas converted 9 of 18 on third down conversions against Gang Green. The Cowboys also ran 87 plays for the entire game.
Because of both stats, the Jets defense naturally wore down against the Cowboys. The Patriots will likely plan to run the ball a lot with Rhamondre Stevenson and Ezekiel Elliott to keep the ball out of Mac Jones’ hands.
If the Jets can get the Patriots into third and long situations, they will have opportunities to sack Jones and possibly force turnovers, which could set them up with a short field.
