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Jets vs Patriots: 5 questions with Musket Fire of FanSided

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 7:57 p.m. ET

Fansided, Luis Tirado Jr./FanSided via The Jet Press

Heading into the Week 16 Jets vs Patriots matchup, we sit with Nick Ziegler of MusketFire.com of the FanSided network to discuss the top five questions for the game.

For the upcoming Jets vs Patriots game, things aren’t looking so good for Gang Green. Not only have they been a complete and utter disaster this season, but over the holiday weekend, they face one of the premier teams in the NFL. That’s right, the Jets hit the road to face the Patriots and will probably get completely manhandled in the grand scheme of things.

Either way, while it’s unlikely the Jets leave this game victorious one never knows what could happen come game day. Could the Jets pull off the biggest upset of the year and stun the Patriots? It’s hard to tell but I wanted to sit with fellow Expert Nick Ziegler of MusketFire.com to get his thoughts about this Week 16 AFC East showdown.

1. Do the Jets even stand a chance against the Patriots? Everyone seems to be favoring the Patriots in completely demolishing the Jets, what does Patriots Nation think?

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The Jets played the Patriots surprisingly well in the first matchup. Even though it was only a few weeks ago, a lot has changed on offense for the Jets. Due to the rivalry, I expect the Jets to keep it close for a little while. Even against the Dolphins, they were in the game at halftime before they fell apart in the third quarter.

2. Which offensive player on the Patriots do you think the Jets should keep an eye on that could potentially have a breakout game that no one would expect?

One of the greatest things about the Patriots is their depth at the running back position. Most of the season it has been LeGarrette Blount as their workhorse. However, last week, it was Dion Lewis. In the win against the Broncos, Lewis nearly went for 100 rushing yards. The Patriots have been committed to running the football this season, and it might be Lewis who will be the featured back again.

3. What are your early thoughts on quarterback Bryce Petty?

I’ve been pretty impressed by Bryce Petty so far. There have certainly been some bad moments, but all young quarterbacks go through growing pains. One of the things that really impressed me was against the Dolphins. With Cameron Wake and Ndamukong Suh bearing in to break him in half, he stood in there and made the throw to Robby Anderson. He has all of the physical tools you would want in a quarterback. Now, the Jets just have to put him in a position to develop.

4. Since the Patriots are indeed headed to the NFL Playoffs, which team poses the biggest threat to possibly knock you guys out?

I do believe that the Patriots are the team to beat in the AFC. With wins against the Baltimore Ravens and Denver Broncos in back-to-back weeks, the Patriots are proving just that. However, there are a few teams that I think would cause some issues in the playoffs. The two teams that would be the biggest challenges to the Patriots I think would be the Pittsburgh Steelers and Oakland Raiders. Both of these teams have great quarterbacks and are capable of scoring 30+ points on anyone.

5. Final score and MVP?

Even though the Jets played that Patriots tough in the first matchup, I think the Patriots will cruise in this game. It wouldn’t surprise me if the Jets come out and play them tough for a quarter, but I think that Patriots will eventually put their foot down on them. As Tom Brady continues his quest for an MVP, he should have a big game against a suspect Jets secondary.

Final Score: Patriots 30 Jets 13