On Thursday night, a national audience will get to see the New England Patriots for the second time this season. Head coach Mike Vrabel and company will host the New York Jets at Gillette Stadium — a rivalry
game in more than one sense: the Patriots will debut their alternate Rivalry uniforms for the matchup.
To celebrate the occasion in style, they will need to defeat an opponent that has had its problems so for this year.
Jets key stats
New coach, familiar results. Even under Aaron Glenn in his first year at the job, the Jets have struggled playing competitive football. The result is a 2-7 record and last place in the AFC East.
Record: 2-7 (4th AFC East)
Scoring differential: -46 (t-24th)
Turnover differential: -10 (32nd)
Offense: 21.7 points/game (25th), 285.6 yards/game (28th), 11 giveaways (t-17th), -0.060 EPA/play (27th), -0.051 EPA/dropback (27th), -0.072 EPA/run (22nd)
Defense: 26.8 points/game (26th), 329.0 yards/game (19th), 1 takeaway (32nd), 0.089 EPA/play (25th), 0.179 EPA/dropback (26th), -0.031 EPA/run (22nd)
When looking at the Jets’ statistics this season, one number immediately jumps off the page: the team has managed to register only one takeaway in its nine games so far this year, a fumble recovery by safety Andre Cisco in Week 6 against Denver. For comparison, no other team has fewer than six takeaways this year.
Despite being relatively solid in the turnover department on the other side of the ball, the Jets’ inability to take the ball away has resulted in the bottom ranking in turnover differential. It is not too big of an outlier either, though: the team as a whole has been defined by being entirely unremarkable on both sides of the ball, resulting in a 2-7 record and apparent fire sale at the NFL trade deadline.
Jets 2025 season
The Jets struggled to open the 2025 season, losing each of their first seven games. However, as a closer look at those contests shows, most of them actually were relatively competitive: only two of those seven losses came by more than one score.
Week 1: 34-32 loss vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (0-1)
Week 2: 30-10 loss vs. Buffalo Bills (0-2)
Week 3: 29-27 loss at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-3)
Week 4: 27-21 loss at Miami Dolphins (0-4)
Week 5: 37-22 loss vs. Dallas Cowboys (0-5)
Week 6: 13-11 loss vs. Denver Broncos (0-6)
Week 7: 13-6 loss vs. Carolina Panthers (0-7)
Week 8: 39-38 win at Cincinnati Bengals (1-7)
Week 9: Bye
Week 10: 27-20 win vs. Cleveland Browns (2-7)
Recently, however, the Jets have managed to get off the schneid. Of course, they did so against two of the worst teams in football this season and in rather unconventional fashion: they needed a 15-point fourth quarter comeback to defeat the Bengals, and relied on two special teams scores to beat the Browns.
Still, every victory counts the same. And as a result, the Jets are headed into Week 11 at 2-7 and as the owners of the eighth-longest win streak in the league.
Jets active roster
Roster up-to-date as of Nov. 12, 5 a.m. ET | *denotes nominal starter
Quarterback (2): Justin Fields* (7), Tyrod Taylor (2)
Running back (4): Breece Hall* (20), Isaiah Davis (32), Kene Nwangwu (34 | KR), Andrew Beck (47 | FB), Khalil Herbert (36)
Wide receiver (7): Garrett Wilson (5), Tyler Johnson* (16), Arian Smith* (82), Adonai Mitchell (15), Isaiah Williams (18 | PR), John Metchie III (3), Allen Lazard (10)
Tight end (4): Mason Taylor* (85), Jeremy Ruckert* (89), Stone Smartt (84), Jelani Woods (86)
Offensive tackle (4): Olu Fashanu* (74 | LT), Armand Membou* (70 | RT), Max Mitchell (61), Chukwuma Okorafor (79)
Interior offensive line (4): John Simpson* (76 | LG), Josh Myers* (71 | C), Joe Tippmann* (66 | RG), Xavier Newman-Johnson (65)
Interior defensive line (4): Harrison Phillips* (97), Jay Tufele* (78), Jowon Briggs (91), Mazi Smith (98)
Defensive edge (5): Will McDonald IV* (9), Jermaine Johnson* (11), Micheal Clemons (72), Braiden McGregor (55), Tyler Baron (94)
Linebacker (6): Jamien Sherwood* (44), Quincy Williams* (56), Kiko Mauigoa (51), Mykal Walker (53), Ja’Markis Weston (54), Kobe King (45)
Cornerback (5): Brandon Stephens* (21), Jarvis Brownlee Jr.* (29), Azareye’h Thomas (23), Qwan’tez Stiggers (37), Ja’Sir Taylor (36)
Safety (4): Tony Adams* (22), Malachi Moore* (27), Isaiah Oliver* (26), Dean Clark (35)
Specialists (3): Nick Folk (6 | K), Austin McNamara (14 | P/H), Thomas Hennessy (42 | LS)
The biggest names on the Jets’ roster are actually those no longer here. Ahead of the NFL trade deadline, the team parted ways with arguably its two best defenders: defensive tackle Quinnen Williams was sent to the Dallas Cowboys, with cornerback Sauce Gardner headed to the Indianapolis Colts. Both were cornerstone players whose absence changes the complexion and most importantly talent on that side of the ball.
How did the Jets replace them last Sunday against Cleveland? Up front, the team rotated Jay Tufele and Jowon Briggs alongside regular starter Harrison Phillips. In the secondary, New York inserted a third safety — Isaiah Oliver — and also increased the role of rookie cornerback Azareye’h Thomas, who moved up to No. 3 at the position behind Brandon Stephens and Jarvis Brownlee Jr.
The Jets’ personnel questions do not end there, however, because neither Phillips (foot) nor Thomas (concussion) participated in practice on Tuesday. Should they be out for the trip to Foxborough, the team’s depth will be tested even more.
It gets worse, because the same is true at wide receiver. Garrett Wilson, who leads the team in targets (59), receptions (36), receiving yards (395) and touchdowns (4), is expected to miss Thursday’s game with a knee injury. In his absence, the team will likely rely on Tyler Johnson (10-187-1) and rookie Arian Smith (6-47-0) to lead the receiving group. Adonai Mitchell, who joined the team as part of the Gardner trade, might also factor into the mix.
Regardless of who is or is not available at wide receiver, however, the Jets’ biggest weapon is elsewhere: Breece Hall, who the team refused to trade despite receiving interest, is one of the most dynamic running backs in football and a vital piece of New York’s offense. Through nine games this season, he has carried the ball 138 times for 664 yards (4.8/carry) and a pair of touchdowns, while also catching 22 passes for 220 yards and another score.
Hall will likely be a big part of the Jets’ game plan, and a key supporting piece for the quarterback. Head coach Aaron Glenn refused to commit to either Justin Fields or Tyrod Taylor as his starter for Thursday’s game, but all signs are pointing toward the former keeping his starting job. If so, the Patriots will be going up against a QB that has gone 113-of-178 (63.5%) for 1,143 yards with six touchdowns and an interception this season, but has failed to reach 60 yards passing in three of the last four games.
Jets reserves
Practice squad (16): QB Brady Cook (4), WR Trenton Irwin (38), WR Jamaal Pritchett (81), WR Quentin Skinner (88), WR Brandon Smith (87), OL Liam Fornadel (50), OL Marquis Hayes (77), OL Kohl Levao (60), DT Fatorma Mulbah (96), DT Payton Page (69), ED Jackson Sirmon (49), ED Eric Watts (58), CB Tre Brown (—), CB Jordan Clark (33), CB Nik Needham (40), S Jarius Monroe (25)
Practice squad exempt (1): OL Leander Wiegand
Practice squad IR (1): RB Keilan Robinson
IR (9): RB Braelon Allen, WR Josh Reynolds, OL Guss Hartwig, RG Alijah Vera-Tucker, DT Byron Cowart, ED Cam Jones, ED Marcelino McCrary-Ball, CB Kris Boyd, S Andre Cisco
PUP (1): WR Irvin Charles
Besides ex-Patriots Liam Fornadel (PS) and Byron Cowart (IR), the Jets also have some other notable names on their reserve lists heading into Thursday’s game.
Tops among them is Alijah Vera-Tucker, the team’s nominal right guard, who tore his triceps ahead of Week 1 and will miss the remainder of the season. Also on the list are the aforementioned Andre Cisco, who is responsible for the only takeaway by the team so far this season, as well as starting wide receiver Josh Reynolds. Like Vera-Tucker, neither of them will play against the Patriots.
Jets coaching staff
Head coach: Aaron Glenn
Coordinators: Tanner Engstrand (OC), Steve Wilks (DC), Chris Banjo (SC)
Arriving in New York in January — after turning down an interview opportunity with the Patriots — Aaron Glenn rebuilt most of the Jets’ coaching staff. He installed a new offensive coordinator, bringing Tanner Engstrand with him from the Detroit Lions, and also hired longtime NFL assistant and head coach Steve Wilks to run his defense. On special teams, former NFL player Chris Banjo was brought aboard from the Denver Broncos.
One position that did not change was wide receivers coach. Former Patriot Shawn Jefferson was retained by Glenn, which speaks for the work he has done with the team’s pass catchers.
