Did you hear? It’s Jets week - oh you heard that….Good, I thought you might have missed that bit of news. When asked why I like Bill Belichick, the coach, there are 50 reasons I could give and the top ten are almost interchangeable. When I'm asked why I like Bill Belichick, there are 50 reasons I could give but at the top, the number one reason is chiseled in stone. Bill Belichick hates the damn JETS. If you're new here you know how much I loathe this team, more than the Dolphins and way more than I hate the Bills. You see this hatred is deep seeded. One that goes back to my youth. One that goes all the way back to the birth of my love of this game. All the way back to Broadway Joe. Here are my monster keys to beating Gangrene.
First quarter Points
I don't remember the last time I saw the Patriots celebrate a TD in the first quarter. It may have been last December against the Bills. A big reason the Pats have seemed so one dimensional is they have been chasing leads all year. Get out early and play from in front.
Pin your Ears Back
In two games, this Patriots defence has accumulated 4 sacks. And Christian Gonzalez has one of them. Lots of pressure but they need to get home. No, I don't care how mobile those QB’s were. Time to get aggressive. I want Zach Wilson walking on his elbows on the way back to the bus..
Get under Center
Mac and Bill O’Brien have spent much - hell, most of this season in shotgun, chasing leads can force your hand into doing that. I need to see more Mac under center to keep this Jets D honest. And the options are more in the forefront of their minds. From here, more play action and roll action can get into the game plan.
Shoot your Shots
I said last week that I didn't care if the Pats took three or four shots downfield….Welp time to flip that script. The aforementioned roll action and play action should give Mac the opportunity to exploit more medium and deeper level passes. I’m not huge on chunk plays and I could give a hang about public perception, but this team is leaving yards on the field.
The Weeklies
Win the Turnover Battle : for christ sakes take care of the football. Tuck it away and know where Sauce Gardener is on every play.
Own third Down: The Pats were 7-15 on third down conversions last week. Not too shabby but when you're scoring as few points as the Patriots are, you need to do better. Especially when you are on the opposition's side of the field.
Take The Points : new weekly
Limit The Laundry: 5 flags for 45 yards in week two LOSS. Loss being the big word here. And it could have been more but the Pats O-line wasn't quick enough to be in position to get more holding calls as Miami pass rushers got past them like The FLASH going out for a quart of milk.
Get the Young Studs out there.
The only rookies I don't want to see more of this week are Bailey Zappe and Bryce Baringer. Keion White should never leave the field, yet he played just 19 snaps last Sunday. Marte Mapu snap count dipped to 36%. We won't get into Pop Douglas … You drafted playmakers let them make plays.
Sell Out
Stuff this Jets run game. While there is a chowderhead under center for the Jets (Zach Wilson is TRASH) the running backs are not. Breece Hall and Dalvin Cook can both be game changers. Load the box up and get gangrene out of their script.
Dictate tempo
This season McCorkle Jones has seemed most comfortable in no huddle and running the two minute, let's get this party started right. While I don't expect this team to go full bore uptempo for 60, I do want to see a lot more of it.
That's it, my rabid readers thank you for stopping in to see what keys need to be turned this week. I kept away from the X’s and O’s because I like this team needs to get back to basics. Basics - as in Patriots football. Play smart, play aggressive and beat the GOT DAMN JETS.
As always you can follow/give me grief on Twitter @Tmurph207