Jets vs Patriots Game Thread

Week 12 of the NFL season has the 3-7 New York Jets suffering through a four game losing streak in which the Jets have looked progressively worse as the streak has gained momentum. Perhaps coming off the bye week and getting some of their players healthy can help cure the Jets of what ails them. Unfortunately one of the players who is not yet quite healthy is the Jets starting quarterback, Sam Darnold. Darnold won’t be playing today, as he is suffering from a strained foot injured in the Dolphins game three weeks ago. That will leave 39 year old backup quarterback Josh McCown under center in a game against the always tough 7-3 New England Patriots. All the Jets can hope for here is that McCown finds some of the magic that propelled him to a career year in 2017. Failing that the Jets chances in this game look bleak.

The Patriots come into this game looking more vulnerable than they have in a long time. Quarterback Tom Brady has played at an uncharacteristically low (by his lofty standards) level this year, with turnovers being more of a problem and touchdowns being harder to come by than they have been in years. The Patriots defense isn’t very good, the offense, while good, is operating at a lower level than we are used to seeing, and the Patriots are staring at a Wild Card Weekend game for the first time in forever. All that might give Jets fans a glimmer of hope in a year when the Jets weren’t terrible. Unfortunately, this isn’t that year. About the best Jets fans can do for hope is the any given Sunday mantra, which has proven more prophetic against the Patriots this year than usual, as they have lost to multiple clearly inferior teams this year. Who knows, maybe the Jets can be one more inferior opponent to ruin the Patriots’ Sunday this year.

It’s the Jets and the Patriots in an AFC East match that has lost most of its former juice. Leave your comments in the section cleverly marked “comments” below. Enjoy the game everybody.