Mike Vrabel wanted his team to celebrate Sunday’s gritty win over Tampa Bay, but not too much. With only three days to recover before hosting the New York Jets on Thursday Night Football, the New England Patriots are treating Week 11 like a business trip at home.
The Patriots (8-2) survived a physical matchup against the Buccaneers to extend their winning streak to seven — their longest since 2021 — but Vrabel’s message was clear: recovery comes first. By Tuesday, that message had been embraced. Vrabel even offered to cut 25 minutes from a team meeting to give players more rest, and scheduled practice inside the team’s climate-controlled bubble with temperatures barely hitting 40 degrees outside. The players, though, opted to practice outdoors.
A win Thursday would extend New England’s streak to eight and keep them unbeaten in the AFC East (currently 3-0), maintaining their division lead over Buffalo (6-3, 2-2). The Patriots are looking to recapture their playoff form for the first time since that 2021 run.
After starting 0-7, the Jets (2-7) are finally finding traction under head coach Aaron Glenn. They’ve won consecutive games for the first time this season, sandwiching a bye week between victories over Cincinnati and Cleveland. Glenn insists the focus remains on improvement, not streaks.
New York will have to do that without star wide receiver Garrett Wilson, who re-injured his right knee and could miss several weeks. His absence leaves a major void in an already limited passing attack.
Help could come in the form of two recent acquisitions: rookie Adonai Mitchell, acquired from Indianapolis in the trade that sent cornerback Sauce Gardner to the Colts, and John Metchie III, a trade-deadline pickup from Houston. Both could see expanded roles Thursday, joining a receiving corps that includes Allen Lazard, Tyler Johnson, Arian Smith, and Isaiah Williams.
If the Jets are to pull an upset, they’ll need another monster performance from Breece Hall. The fourth-year running back has singlehandedly carried New York’s offense during their brief resurgence.
In the win over Cincinnati, Hall tallied 133 rushing yards, two scores, and even threw the game-winning touchdown. Last week against Cleveland, he accounted for 125 of the team’s 169 total yards, including a 42-yard screen pass for the deciding score.
Hall has now been responsible for more than 74% of the Jets’ offensive output in both of their victories — the only player in the NFL to do that twice this season.
Defensively, Will McDonald IV has emerged as a cornerstone. The 2023 first-round pick tied a franchise record last week with four sacks, joining club legends Mark Gastineau and John Abraham as the only Jets to reach that mark in a single game. McDonald has seven sacks on the season — five in his last two games — and looks poised to challenge for double digits once again after finishing with 10½ last year.
Injuries haven’t slowed New England’s offense, either. With Rhamondre Stevenson (toe) and Kayshon Boutte (hamstring) sidelined last week, the Patriots leaned on explosive rookies TreVeyon Henderson and Kyle Williams to generate points.
Henderson provided back-to-back highlight-reel runs of 55 and 69 yards, while Williams hauled in a 72-yard touchdown from Maye, adding a quick-strike element rarely seen early in the season.
For the Patriots, Thursday represents another step toward cementing control of the AFC East and solidifying their postseason credentials. For the Jets, it’s a chance to prove their recent surge isn’t a fluke — even without their best offensive weapon.
Kickoff between the New York Jets and New England Patriots is set for 8:15 p.m. ET on Thursday Night Football from Gillette Stadium.
