The New York Jets are coming off an ugly, but gritty 17-12 victory over the Cleveland Browns in Week 5 to improve their record to 2-3 on the season. They were led by a dominant defense that held the Browns to under 200 yards of total offense and recorded eight sacks, three of them from David Bailey.
The Jets (2-3) now head to Foxboro in Week 6 to face head coach Mike Vrabel and the New England Patriots (3-2).
After a disappointing start to their season, the Patriots have won two straight defeating the Buffalo Bills and the Las Vegas Raiders. A win on Sunday afternoon in a stadium that has been a house of horrors for the Jets would certainly earn Aaron Glenn some trust back from the Jets fan and also some respect from the court of public opinions on social media.
Here are Jets Wire's three key matchups for the team's Week 6 battle against the Patriots:
David Bailey vs. Morgan Moses / Caleb Lomu
It only took a few weeks into his rookie season for Jets fans to turn on Bailey after watching Arvell Reese's impressive start for the Giants this year. But, Bailey had the breakout game that Jets fans were waiting for as the second overall pick had three sacks in last week’s win over the Browns. He was also credited with four quarterback hits and had seven tackles. He was a beast and frustrated Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson all afternoon.
It wouldn’t be fair to expect Bailey to put up a similar performance two games in a row, especially against a team like the Patriots, who love to humiliate the Jets any chance they get. Bailey should see most of his action against former Jet Morgan Moses, but he’s listed as questionable with a foot injury and is practicing on a limited basis. The veteran hasn’t played well this season with a PFF grade of 56.5, ranking him 60th out of 72 offensive tackles. He’s allowed 10 total pressures, but grades out better as a pass blocker (73.8) than as a run blocker (50.5).
If Moses doesn’t play, expect Lomu, the Patriots first-round pick this year to take his spot. However, the Pats offensive line is so banged up, Lomu may have to replace their starting left tackle Will Campbell, who is dealing with a knee injury and is questionable for this game. If Lomu has to replace Campbell, then it's possible Dametrious Crownover, New England's sixth-round pick this year would replace Moses on the right side. Either way, the stars are aligning for Bailey to potentially have another massive game against a depleted Patriots offensive line.
Harrison Phillips / Jowon Briggs vs. Alijah Vera-Tucker
It's become laughable to listen to former Jets players complain about the team's culture when they were in New York, but take no accountability for their own personal failures while with the Jets. Vera-Tucker had plenty of opportunities during his time in New York, but spent most of it on injured reserve, including all of last year with a torn bicep. In a recent interview, AVT commented on the difference between playing in New England and playing for the Jets, citing that losing in New York had become par for the course and business as usual while with the Patriots, it's much different and not accepted. Interesting comments from a player who was injured for three of his five years with the Jets.
I guess everyone will call this the "AVT Revenge Game", but I don't understand why. After a slow beginning to his Patriots career, Vera-Tucker has played much better of late. He grades out better as a pass-blocker (72.4) than against the run (60.3) and has only allowed one sack on the season. He'll face some old friends in Phillips and Briggs, although he may also see rookie Darrell Jackson Jr., who had his first sack against Cleveland. AVT will be ready to prove the Jets made a mistake. It's on the Jets defensive line to ensure that doesn't happen.
Frank Reich vs. Creativity
Over the past two weeks, the Jets offense has looked anything but creative and that falls squarely on the offensive coordinator. In their loss to the Bears in Week 4 and their victory over the Browns in Week 5, the Jets have combined for 433 total yards of offense and three touchdowns. Geno Smith has been sacked seven times over both games and has now developed a tendency to hold the ball for too long. While the Jets have played without key players including Breece Hall and Adonai Mitchell, their lack of creativity with their other offensive players is concerning which has forced Reich to rely way too much on Garrett Wilson to carry the team.
While Hall and Mitchell will miss Sunday's game against New England, the Jets should get Omar Cooper Jr. back which will give the offense a jolt. However, Reich has to do a better job using the personnel he has available to open up the passing game. It may be time to be more reliant on tight ends Mason Taylor and Kenyon Sadiq, who is back after being in concussion protocol this week. For the running game, give Isaiah Davis some more carries or have him line up as a slot receiver in certain situations. The Jets are a better offense when everyone is involved. Reich needs to get creative with his play calling and with his personnel on Sunday. It'll be the difference between the Jets walking out of Foxboro with a win over a heated rival or another in a long line of losses to a team that loves to humiliate them.
This article originally appeared on Jets Wire: Jets at Patriots: 3 key matchups to watch in Week 6