New England Patriots vs New York Jets: Game Six Preview and Prediction
By Hal Bent
WHO NEEDS TO STEP UP?
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Malcolm Butler
- Interior offensive line
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Trey Flowers
- Malcolm Butler
With injuries to Eric Rowe (groin) and Stephon Gilmore (concussion) the Patriots are seriously short-handed in the secondary going into their week six game against the Jets. They are down to cornerback Malcolm Butler, second-year player Jonathan Jones and special teamer Jonathan Badamosi. From this trio they need to slow down a passing attack that is not explosive or elite, but is efficient and effective.
The top threat is wide receiver Jermaine Kearse. Kearse is familiar to the Patriots as the receiver in Super Bowl 49 for the Seahawks who made the incredible catch to set-up Butler’s goal-line heroics. Kearse was acquired via trade with the Seahawks along with a second-round draft pick for the underperforming and disgruntled defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson. He has teamed with veteran slot receiver Jeremy Kerley to give the Jets a pair of solid veterans with savvy and experience.
Kearse leads the Jets with 22 receptions for 220 yards and three touchdowns through five games. Butler–just like in Super Bowl 49 at the end of the game–should be aligned primarily on Kearse. If Butler can shut down the Jets’ top passing option in Kearse, it should be a big boost to the defense and help slow down the Jets passing attack.
- Interior offensive line
New England needs to protect Tom Brady and run the ball effectively to take pressure off the passing game. With an emphasis on a vertical passing attack, the Patriots need to hold their blocks longer and the interior offensive linemen need to create a pocket for Brady to step-up into when he throws.
This week all eyes will be on center David Andrews and guards Shaq Mason and Joe Thuney as they will be responsible for slowing down the Jets’ pair of 3-4 defensive ends Muhammad Wilkerson and Leonard Williams. While the pass rush for New York has struggled to generate pressure, it is a matter of time until these two talented pass rushers break through.
So far in 2017 Williams and Wilkerson have somehow failed to record a sack. The pressure is on the interior offensive line of the Patriots to keep it that way. Brady has been sacked 16 times and hit 32 times in just five games so far. Keeping Brady’s jersey clean is a priority for this group.
3.Trey Flowers
When going up against mobile quarterbacks in four of the first five games of the season, head coach Bill Belichick and defensive coordinator Matt Patricia have pulled the reins on their pass rushers. Rather than aggressively collapsing from the edges, the Patriots have maintained a disciplined pass rush to try and contain the scrambling quarterback in the pocket.
This week the Patriots should be able to let their defensive ends and specifically their young leader Trey Flowers to get back to an aggressive style of play. The Jets’ 38-year old quarterback Josh McCown is a pure pocket passer who struggles to escape from pressure and is not comfortable outside the pocket. McCown has already been sacked 15 times in five games.
The Jets have a new pair of tackles in 2017. They signed free agent left tackle Kelvin Beachum who flamed out in Jacksonville after he was let go by the Steelers when he could not stay healthy. On the right side is second-year former fifth-round draft pick Brandon Shell who is playing more out a lack of any competition after the position was a black hole last season.
Neither tackle is anything more than average which should give a big advantage to defensive end Trey Flowers wherever he lines up and rushes from on Sunday. He has continued his impressive play from the second-half of 2016 and the playoff run and he leads the team with 3.5 sacks.
Flowers should be able to add to that total against these tackles for New York, especially if the defense can get the Jets into obvious passing downs and allow Flowers to tee-off on McCown.
This is a match-up of a struggling pass rush against a duo of poor pass protectors. This should be an opportunity for Trey Flowers to add a couple of sacks to his team-leading total.