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| The Buttfumble, Thanksgiving 2012 |
The New England Patriots and New York Jets face off on Thursday Night Football this week.
New England has won each of the last 5 regular season match-ups by an average of 21 points. However, the New York Jets shocked the Patriots in the 2011 AFC Divisional round. This playoff win came just a month after losing (45-3) to New England.
On Thursday Night, they play in front of a national audience on NFL Network.
Here are my 5 crucial tactics for the Patriots to use against this inferior Jets team:
Score Early and Often
Using a balance of both speed no-huddle and slow, methodical drives, the Patriots should try and put up as many points as possible right off the bat. Don't be surprised to see a deep ball or two to try and hit an early home run.
Blitz Heavily Against Rookie QB
Jets rookie QB Geno Smith had a mixed performance in his season opener against Tampa Bay. As naive as he is, his late game luck probably has given him an extra boost of confidence and swagger. Guys like Rob Ninkovich and Chandler Jones need to attack relentlessly from the corners, keep him in the pocket and make him see ghosts.
Protect the Ball, Minimize Turnovers
Ball security was a major issue in Week 1 for New England. RB Stevan Ridley fumbled twice, one of which was returned for a long TD. Rookie TE Zach Sudfeld tipped a more-than-catchable pass to a Buffalo defender, causing an untimely INT. Belichick will certainly make protecting the ball and winning turnover battle major points of emphasis this week.
Disguise Defenses & Use Robber/Spy
If the Patriots can get the early lead and force the Jets into passing game, they can try some exotic looks. One such tactic is using a Robber/Spy to follow the QB, read his eyes and go for the big play. This worked great last year with Mark Sanchez being susceptible to masked coverage and consequently turning the ball over with great frequency.
Run It Down Their Throats
With jack-of-all-trades speedster Shane Vereen lost to a broken wrist bone, the Patriots running back committee is more thunder than lightning. If they get a big lead and need to seal the win, get ready for "The Stevan Ridley and LeGarrette Blount Show" to drop the hammer in the second half. There is no reason why these two should not combine for 150 yards on the ground.
What do you think are the crucial tactics for winning this game? Are the Jets going to be a walk in the park?
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