Skip to main content
Jets Country

Jets Have 3 Clear Advantages Over Patriots Going into Week 6

How the Jets stack up...
Oct 11, 2026; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA;  New York Jets linebacker Jamien Sherwood (44) and New York Jets defensive end Joseph Ossai (46) celebrate with defensive end David Bailey (31) after a sack against the Cleveland Browns during the second half at MetLife Stadium.  Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Oct 11, 2026; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Jets linebacker Jamien Sherwood (44) and New York Jets defensive end Joseph Ossai (46) celebrate with defensive end David Bailey (31) after a sack against the Cleveland Browns during the second half at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

In this story:

No one expects the New York Jets to walk into Foxborough this weekend and upset the New England Patriots.

New York is coming off a three-win season while the Patriots are coming off a Super Bowl appearance. The Jets have played inconsistent football to begin the year while New England is on a two-game winning streak.

But stranger things have happened across the NFL. New York has the tools in place to pull off said upset.

And they have an advantage in three key areas to make sure it sticks.

Jets pass rush

The name of Sunday's game is pressure. It's true that Patriots quarterback Drake Maye is very good against the blitz. That won't matter so long as the Jets are able to get consistent pressure on the young signal-caller with their four downlinemen.

From David Bailey to Will McDonald to Jowon Briggs, New York needs to get pressure throughout Sunday. The good news is that the Patriots offense is still somewhat of a weakness for the team. They are dealing with a number of injuries and while the hobbled group has stayed afloat over the last couple of weeks, there's an advantage here for the Jets to exploit.

If New York gets the kind of rush production they got against Cleveland, it could stymie the entire offensive gameplan for the Patriots.

Garrett Wilson vs. the field

Christian Gonzalez should be good to go for Sunday's contest. If New England was smart, they would have him travel with Jets star receiver Garrett Wilson throughout the game.

Let him.

New York needs to consistently feed targets for Wilson throughout Sunday. The best way to do that is by getting him in the slot and in off coverage. So long as the Jets give Wilson space to move, they'll be able to get chunk plays and positive influences across the offense.

Wilson is an ascending talent and someone who seems to be taking the true moniker of a top-10 receiver. Beating up Gonzalez and New England's other corners is just the next step for him going forward.

Mistake-free Mindset

The Patriots currently sit at 19th in the league in turnovers forced this season. While they can be opportunistic, it just isn't something they are known for this year.

That's a good thing for the Jets offense, even without some of their key players in the game. Geno Smith has yet to throw an interception this season, and has played very well compared to last year's struggles with the Las Vegas Raiders.

If New York doesn't turn the ball offensively, it will give them an edge, especially since the Patriots have a quarterback tied for the league-lead in interceptions so far this season.

Winning the turnover battle is more important than ever in a game like this.

Get Jets On SI straight to your inbox: sign up for our free newsletter here.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Published
Nick Faria
NICK FARIA

Nick covers the NFL for Sports Illustrated/FN. He was previously on the New York Jets' beat for AM New York with prior experience reporting on the New York Islanders and the Philadelphia Eagles. The New York City resident is also an Adjunct Professor at LIU Brooklyn.

Share on XFollow nick_faria1720