New York Jets: Full Jets vs. Patriots Preview

Key Match-Ups.

The Jets will have to bring Rob Gronkowski to a halt if they have any chance at an upset today. Mandatory Credit: Mark L. Baer-USA TODAY Sports

Rob Gronkowski vs Jets Defense

The big question on everyone’s mind is: “who will be covering Gronk and attempt to stop him?”

Well, it won’t be easy. He’s already caught 66 passes for 1,072 yards and 11 touchdowns this year and is without a doubt one of the toughest in the NFL to game-plan against. Defensive coordinator Kacy Rodgers tried to cover stop him back in the first meeting, but gave up 11 catches for 108 yards and a touchdown.

“There is really no way to prepare; you just try to coach your guys up on the best technique to use against him based on what you’ve seen off the film, and that’s the way we’ll go.”- Kacy Rodgers 

Cornerback Darrelle Revis is an obvious option when Gronkowski splits wide as a receiver, but in the tight end spot, it could be a linebacker along with either safety Calvin Pryor or Marcus Gilchrist, who could attempt to contain him. Whatever the option is, it’ll be worth watching. With Julian Edelman and Danny Amendola both ruled out, shutting down Gronk could go be the deciding factor in containing the Patriots’ high-powered offense. 

Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker vs Malcom Butler and Co.

The Patriots doubled Brandon Marshall in the first Jets-Pats game, and left Decker in single coverage, mostly in the middle of the field out of the slot against Butler. Decker caught six passes for 94 yards and did most of his damage in the first half of the contest. Other defenses have tried doubling Decker along with Marshall in recent games, but Ryan Fitzpatrick has been spreading the ball around, with running back Bilal Powell getting heavily involved as an additional option.

Since the last meeting, Marshall was almost invisible but has become an elite receiver since then. The 10-year veteran has caught 93 passes for 1,261 yards and 11 touchdowns in his first season in New York. He and Decker have 21 combined touchdowns and have become one of the most deadly wide receiver duos in football. 

Just like the last meeting, New England was resilient to Marshall and shaded coverage his way and kept him in check. He may be covered the same way today but with the weapons that Fitzpatrick has and has found, it shouldn’t be a problem.

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Jets Defensive line vs RB Steven Jackson

Referring yet again to Week 7, the Patriots ran the ball a total of five times and due to injuries, they have signed veteran Steven Jackson for this week. That gives New England them four available backs: Jackson, James White, Brandon Bolden, and Joey Iosefa but we don’t really know how they will be used.

So this just makes the Gronkowski match-up even more important. With him being one of the only go-to weapons on the utility belt of Tom Brady, shutting him down forces the Pats to go the running game which doesn’t seem like a threat to the Jets second ranked rush defense.

Next: Injury Report