Last week, the New England Patriots bounced back to a 3-2 record with a dominating 45-17 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders. After struggling in Weeks One and Three, the Patriots looked locked in, with the offense outshining the Buffalo Bills on the road at Highmark Stadium and then crushing the Raiders, who were once at a 3-0 record earlier this season. Now, New England will aim for a third straight win to jump to 4-2 as they go up against the New York Jets in Foxborough. A third consecutive win could bring this Patriots team a load of momentum going into their Week Seven matchup against the Chicago Bears during Thursday Night Football.
The Patriots offense has been rolling the past two weeks, and now the team could potentially see the return of three-time Pro Bowl wide receiver A.J. Brown, who suffered a high ankle sprain in Week One against the Seattle Seahawks. Brown was supposed to miss a minimum of four games; however, it will be a game-time decision on whether the three-time Pro Bowler returns to New England’s offense for the first time since September 9th. Having the 29-year-old receiver back in the offense would be huge for quarterback Drake Maye, who has seen his share of his own ups and downs this early in the 2026 season. Yet, Maye has been ferocious the past two games. Last week, the 24-year-old became the first Patriots quarterback since Steve Grogan in 1987 to throw four touchdowns and rush for one touchdown in a single game. The defense also played their part against Las Vegas, recording two sacks and two forced fumbles.
While most knew the New York Jets weren’t going to be a playoff team in 2026, they have shown signs of improvement and will look to win even with their difficult schedule. They’ve defeated the Tennessee Titans in Week One and the Cleveland Browns in Week Five, standing at a 2-3 record. A win on the road in Foxborough, pushing the Jets to 3-3, wouldn’t be groundbreaking, but it would certainly give New York a fighting chance against some of the best football teams in the league. Geno Smith is trying to do the impossible with the Jets, with a young core within the offense. Running backs Breece Hall and Braelon Allen, in addition to receivers Garrett Wilson and Kenyon Sadiq, have all shined this season. New York’s defense put up eight sacks, one forced fumble, and two fumble recoveries last week in a 17-12 win over the Cleveland Browns. Rookie defensive end David Bailey had three of the Jets’ eight sacks. If Bailey and the rest of the defense can pressure Maye enough, we could see a frustrated Patriots quarterback make bad throws and tally more interceptions.
The big matchup between these two teams is the Patriots offense against the Jets defense. New York’s defense needs to shut down Maye, especially if Brown makes his return this week, while New England has to light up the Jets for another 30 or 40 points. Smith and the rest of the Jets offense will come together behind the defense if they’re able to keep the Patriots offense silent. New York’s defense allowed 10 points in the win over Tennessee and 12 during their victory last week against the Browns. They certainly have the tools to shut an offense down if all cylinders are clicking.
Even though the Jets have seen some life in 2026, I don’t think they can stop the Patriots’ momentum. New England is ready to prove to the doubters that they’re more than just an NFL Playoff team but a Super Bowl contender. The Patriots offense seems like it's finding its footing and looks to go on a monstrous run like they did last season. New York’s defense has allowed 20 or more points this season three times, while New England’s offense has scored 20 or more points three times. I’d say the Patriots take this one 27-17.
