Patriots (

27.5) at
Jets (

14.5)

Game Overview ::

By papy324 >>

• The Jets are starting Brady Cook in what looks like an attempt to lose out for the rest of the season. 
• Breece Hall has seen his playing time fall for two consecutive weeks. He didn’t play over 65% of the snaps in either game. 
• Adonai Mitchell is a cheap WR1, but he’s catching pass from a QB who belongs on the practice squad.
• The Jets defense has been lit on fire through the air. They’re last in pass defense DVOA by a mile. 
• Drake Maye has been playing at an MVP level, and he has one of the highest floors on the slate. 
• TreVeyon Henderson left last week’s game with a concussion. Rhamondre Stevenson played every snap after he left. 
• Stefon Diggs doesn’t have strong snap numbers, but he’s on the field when it counts, and the Jets have given up a long list of big games to WRs.

JM’S JOURNAL ::

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How NEW ENGLAND Will Try To Win ::

The 12-3 Patriots come into Week 17 in contention for the top seed in the AFC after outlasting the Ravens on Sunday night. Denver lost against the red-hot Jaguars, which vaulted the Patriots into a tight race for the No. 1 seed in the AFC. The Pats are currently tied with the Broncos, and one game ahead of the Bills, Jaguars, and Chargers. A lot can still happen in the AFC playoff seeding depending on the last two weeks, but as was the case for so many years with Tom Brady, the AFC East feeds the Patriots weak opponents. They are playing the Jets/Dolphins to end the year, which is a significantly easier finish to the season than any of their competitors will face. All the other teams in contention for the top seed will face at least one team with a winning record. Nothing is determined, but the Patriots look to have the inside track on the critical first-round bye. They should be highly motivated and must take care of business against one of the worst teams in the league. 

Crash the leaderboards

PFP the OWS pennant

The Pats have been playing slowly (30^th in seconds per play), but part of that is because they’re often protecting a lead. They’ve generally been aggressive (No. 4 in PROE), which has continued late in the season (No. 4 in PROE the past month). Josh McDaniels has leaned into Maye all year and that is no reason that will change with Maye delivering an MVP-caliber performance. The Jets have been below average (19^th in DVOA) against the run, and harpooned (32^nd in DVOA) through the air. The Jets are abominable against the pass. They get destroyed every week and have left the second-to-last ranked in DVOA Bengals way in the dust. Josh McDaniels has long been an adaptable play caller, and he’s not blind. The Patriots are going to have a pass-first game plan, as they have all season. The chance of a pass-heavy game plan is heightened by the potential loss of Henderson, who left last week’s game with a concussion. The Patriots are going to attack through the air. 

HOW NEW YORK WILL TRY TO WIN ::