If things look bad for the Jets right now, it’s only because things are bad for the Jets right now. The facts speak for themselves. The team has lost five straight games, ranks last in the league in passing offense and must face teams that are 3-3 or better until their bye in the middle of November, starting with the Patriots (4-2) tonight in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
Keep the expectations realistic — as in, don’t bet the farm on this one — but there are reasons to believe the Jets can snap their skid this week and begin the long trek back to .500.
Putting the ‘ace’ in Jace
Don’t look now, but Jets tight end Jace Amaro is emerging as a threat in the receiving game. The 2014 second-round pick has caught 24 of 29 passes thrown his way for 212 yards — including 58 yards after the catch — and a touchdown. At 6-5 and 265 pounds, he’s a huge target that Geno Smith will have a hard time missing. It will be hard to repeat with 10 catches — his total in Sunday’s 31-17 loss to the Broncos — but the Patriots linebackers and secondary are dealing with injuries, so he could be in for a good night.
Remember the rivalry
OK, so the Jets have lost more than they’ve won against Bill Belichick’s Pats, but the games often are hotly contested down to the final minutes — “butt-fumble” aside. In fact, last year’s two-game series was split, with a field goal being the deciding factor in each instance. When these two AFC East rivals clash, anything can happen.
At least they have their health
After six weeks, players are bound to be dinged up and dealing with various aches and pains. The Jets are no exception, but none of their principle players are listed as any less than probable on the injury report. As for New England … not so much. Top runner Stevan Ridley and defensive anchor Jerod Mayo were lost for the season last week due to knee injuries. Those are big blows to recover from on a short week.
