It’s only Week 3, but plenty will be on the line for the Jets when they take on the Patriots on Sunday.
Sitting at 0-2 on the season, New York is in desperate need of a win. The odds are stacked against them, but the Jets need to avoid starting 0-3 if they want to maintain any hope of making the postseason. Anything can happen on any given Sunday, so it’s not completely out of the realm of possibility that New York pulls a massive upset.
With that being said, let’s take a look at some storylines to keep an eye on before the two teams kick off.
Falk’s first start
After making his NFL debut in relief of Trevor Siemian last week, Sunday will mark another first for Luke Falk.
The Washington State product will make his first career start with Sam Darnold on the mend with mono and Siemian on season-ending injured reserve. Falk wasn’t terrible against Cleveland, going 20-25 for 198 yards. However, the circumstances are much different this week with the Patriots having a whole week to scheme against him.
The Jets need Falk to be serviceable at the very least under center. It’s not going to be easy, but Falk is capable of pulling it off should things fall in his favor throughout the afternoon.
Injuries Aplenty
The Jets are riddled with injuries entering Week 3, as 13 players are either out, doubtful or questionable for Sunday’s game against the Patriots.
Among the walking wounded are Kelechi Osemele, C.J. Mosley, Quinnen Williams, Kelvin Beachum and Demaryius Thomas. Mosley, Williams and Thomas are doubtful to play against New England, while Beachum and Osemele are questionable.
As if playing the Patriots wasn’t already tough enough, New York will likely be playing with a bunch of backups. That’s not a recipe for knocking off arguably the best team in football.
Cornerback Conundrum
The Jets aren’t in too bad of shape at cornerback right now, but there is a conundrum surrounding the status of New York’s highest-paid player at the position.
Trumaine Johnson didn’t see the field against the Browns until three minutes were left in the game. The Jets got solid cornerback play against Cleveland despite the final score, which makes it worth wondering if Johnson will be essentially benched for the second consecutive week.
Le’Veon Bell’s workload
With the Jets down to their No. 3 quarterback, Le’Veon Bell’s workload is only going to increase against the Patriots.
Adam Gase will rely on his star running back heavily against New England. He turned to Bell when Siemian exited against the Browns and there’s a strong possibility he’ll do exactly that again against the Patriots.
Running Bell early and often will be the staple of New York’s gameplan in Week 3. It might be an overly predictable way to go about calling plays, but it’s necessary given the team’s quarterback situation.
