New England Patriots
The Patriots need to avoid any more attrition after an injury-plagued win over the Ravens.
Welcome to Season 14, Episode 16 of the Unconventional Preview, a serious yet lighthearted, nostalgia-tinted look at the Patriots’ weekly matchup …
If you’re a Patriots fan, it’s endlessly amusing that a half-dozen years after Tom Brady’s exceptional 20-year run ended, the franchise has found another extraordinary quarterback in Drake Maye.
It’s especially amusing when you consider that the best quarterback in Jets history played when the franchise was in a different league, and by far the most legendary moment in franchise lore was Joe Namath’s victory guarantee before Super Bowl III. That’s right, III. The Jets have been waiting five decades for his true successor.
It’s not fair, but that’s how it is. And so the Patriots, in Maye’s remarkable second season, look for their 13th victory Sunday, and to finish with an 8-0 record on the road, which would be the third time in franchise history that they’ve achieved such a feat.
The Jets, under rookie coach Aaron Glenn, are a mess even by their standards. They’re 3-12 after a 29-6 loss to the Saints on Sunday, and undrafted rookie Brady Cook — who has one touchdown pass and six interceptions — will make his third start at quarterback.
The Patriots, coming off a come-from-behind 28-24 victory over the Ravens, should roll, providing that they don’t overlook a Jets team that is easily overlooked.
This one won’t be a battle with the Jets, but for a while it might be a battle with human…