NY Jets @ New England Patriots: Brady's bunch can ground the Jets

Romilly Evans
12 September 2013

Tom Brady challenges the Jets to a game of stone-paper-scissors

Join

Twitter

Facebook

View the Betslip

Romilly Evans reckons New England can improve on an erratic opening weekend against the luckless NY Jets, in the first of this weekend's televised NFL clashes

"Any case you might make for the Jets - and I’ve tried a few – simply doesn’t survive a collision with the facts"

New York Jets @ New England Patriots
Start-time: Friday, 01:30
TV: Live on Sky Sports 1

The New England Patriots have won last four regular-season meetings between teams but only managed to cover the Vegas spread twice, so this may not be the foregone conclusion many would expect from a handicapping point of view. Especially after the Patriots opened their season in such shaky style against the Buffalo Bills in Week One.

Furthermore, for once, there wasn't too much to nitpick about the New York Jets' initial tussle with Tampa Bay. Rex Ryan's outfit, despite all their surface limitations, at least showed themselves a resilient bunch, rallying under the battle cry of rookie quarterback, Geno Smith, with only 34 seconds left on the clock.

Smith, starting with Mark Sanchez still injured on the sidelines, made up for his lack of experience with some seasoned poise and finished as the game's leading passer (another nail in the shallow grave of Tampa's Josh Freeman).

With Sanchez's troublesome shoulder proving a protracted nuisance, Smith gets the gig again this Thursday night. Coming from behind in Week 1 with no expectations is one thing. Performing against the Pats in Primetime, however, is quite another. And as the eyes of a nation turn to a cold night at fortress Foxborough, most neutrals are predicting an avalanche in favour of Tom Brady's boys - the handicap is already pitched at 13 points.

Brady, of course, is the league's pin-up boy. However, since the off-season, his cool composure has been called into question (misjudged comments at former go-to guy Aaron Hernandez's criminal conviction, and then a sideline dressing down of his teammates as they let the Bills back into the game). Brady is desperate to get back to the Super Bowl and right the wrongs he has suffered at the hands of the New York Giants. But is his desire turning to desperation?

The Pats should still walk the AFC East Division, so weak are their three rivals. But their offensive machine is not as well-tooled as it was, particularly in the receiving corps. That said, despite the exits of Wes Welker et al, Danny Amendola did man up against Buffalo with 104 yards on 10 grabs, although he is now doubtful due to a persistent groin strain. Neverthless, Julian Edelman can be expected to make hay against New York's own depleted secondary.

Brady's clutch connection to Amendola to set up the game-winning field-goal again demonstrated that in the final analysis, the Patriots still invariably prevail. And while a mere 288 total passing yards isn't exactly Brady at his finest, at least Shane Vereen and Stevan Ridley's numbers on the ground provided New England with some offensive balance and an alternative outlet. Vereen blew his wrist in training this week, so expect Ridley to hog the ball, even in the red zone.

The Jets, on the other hand, are unlikely to find too many diamonds in their collective rough. Smith is making his first tentative steps in the game, but the Jets' options at running back look equally bleak (Bilal Powell and Chris Ivory is defective form). Instead, Smith to tight end Kellen Winslow (79 yards a one TD) could be their saving grace for now. Until wide man Santonio Holmes returns to peak condition that is.

However, for now, Ryan appears to have been set up to fail at the coaching helm. How must dream of having the same weapons at his disposal as his opposite number, Bill Belichick. Small wonder he once threatened to deck the Pats boss in his frustration.

Any case you might make for the Jets - and I've tried a few - simply doesn't survive a collision with the facts. And with Rex Ryan's suggestions' box empty, even New York's exorbitant head-starts (full-time, half-time, standard) will seem eminently retrievable for Brady. To think this was once a compelling rivalry.

Recommended Bets:

Back New England Patriots (-12.5) to win on the Match Points Spread @ 2.1411/10
Back New England Patriots (-6.5) to win on the First Half Points Spread [@ 1.91] or better
Back S Ridley to score First Touchdown @ 8.07/1 or better