The New York Jets secondary faces a heavy test this week against the New England Patriots.
While the Jets defense has won a lot of kudos, particularly for the defense’s sack attack, they face a different beast in the Patriots. Quarterback Drake Maye and head coach Mike Vrabel know how to mount an air attack, and will be poised to probe the weakest spots of the Jets secondary.
Cornerback Brandon Stephens figures to be a particular target. Second-year corner Azareye’h Thomas has been so solid that teams are largely staying away from him, which puts the pressure on Stephens to cover his side of the field.
Fortunately for the Jets, safeties Minkah Fitzpatrick, Dane Belton and Andre Cisco form a strong unit that can deliver punishing hits. Receivers going across the middle will have to keep their eyes open, lest they suffer the type of hit that put Cleveland rookie KC Concepcion out of the game in Week 5.
The Jets frequently blitz, so the secondary is typically used for tight, physical coverage. Slot corner Jarvis Brownlee Jr., a frequent blitzer, also ranks near the top of the NFL in tackle efficiency among defensive backs.
New England is expected to use tight ends Hunter Henry and Austin Hooper in two tight-end formations. Drake Maye will try to offset the Jets pressure by taking short drops and short passes, a tactic that has worked several times for other teams. That means linebackers Demario Davis and Jamien Sherwood will have to make their presence felt.
New England beat up the Las Vegas Raiders last week, as Drake Maye threw for 374 yards and four touchdowns. Receiver DeMario Douglas played a major part in that, catching two scores. He will be deployed against Brandon Stephens, who will be tested early.
The Pats are also hoping to see something from A.J. Brown, who has been out but returned to practice this week. If he’s activated for the game, he’ll be used to test Stephens on vertical shots down the field.
If the Jets get too comfortable defending the pass, the Patriots will look to their ground game to loosen things up. The goal is to force hesitation, which will open things up in the intermediate range.
New England frequently deploys heavier personnel on the field. The Patriots hope to force the Jets to stay in standard base defenses or compromise their nickel packages. If the Jets try to over-index on stopping the run, Maye has shown he can take advantage in the middle.
The Patriots can punish teams who leave safeties in a single-high look. Maye was 4-6 for 149 yards and two touchdowns on throws over 20 yards against the Raiders. They may test the Jets at some point in similar fashion.
A.J. Brown being out with ankle injury has forced the Patriots to look for ways around the star receiver’s absence. The Pats say his participation will be a game-time decision.
