FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Patriots coach Mike Vrabel made sure his team took time to celebrate the narrow victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday.
He also made it clear that it would be more muted than normal with only three days to recover before hosting the AFC East-rival New York Jets (2-7) on Thursday night.
“This is the all-hands-on-deck week,” Vrabel said.
By Tuesday it was evident that message had been received by New England (8-2) when Vrabel offered to take 25 minutes off a team meeting to allow his players more time to recoup. He also set practice for inside the team's temperature-controlled bubble on a day when the thermometer only rose to around 40 degrees.
Their response? No, thanks.
Quarterback Drake Maye said the reasoning from their standpoint was simple.
“To not take shortcuts,” Maye said. “Trying not to let the little things go and know that these things will matter, (and) have mattered for us in the past and will show up again. ... We’re trying to make it hard to play up here in December and late in the season. I think we have the advantage. So just trying to embrace it."
A win Thursday would be the Patriots eighth straight, extending their longest win streak since 2021 when they last qualified for the playoffs. They would also move to 3-0 in the AFC East and maintain their lead over defending division champion Buffalo (6-3, 2-2).
But after an 0-7 start to the season, the Jets have showed progress over the last two weeks, sandwiching a bye week between back-to-back wins over Cincinnati and Cleveland.
Though coach Aaron Glenn said this week isn't about trying to post the Jets' first three-game winning streak since early in the 2023 season.
“I don’t care if it’s three games, I don’t care if it’s one game, we just want to win," he said. "And the more you win, the more confident you get as players, the more confident you get as a team and that’s the only thing that we care about.”
The Jets will be without star wide receiver Garrett Wilson on Thursday night because of a knee injury that could sideline him a few weeks.
Wilson missed the first two games of his career after initially hurting his right knee before returning last week. Now, New York will need someone else — or a few players — to make up for the loss on an already struggling offense.
Adonai Mitchell, acquired from Indianapolis in New York’s trade of Sauce Gardner, was inactive last Sunday but could make his Jets debut at New England. John Metchie III, another trade deadline addition, is also on the active roster, as are Tyler Johnson, Allen Lazard, Arian Smith and Isaiah Williams.
“I mean, it’s tough, but it is what it is,” quarterback Justin Fields said of not having Wilson. “There’s going to be guys that, you know, have opportunities to go make plays, but it’s definitely tough when one of your best guys on offense is out. But like I said, it’s an opportunity for some other guys to go come in and make plays.”
With running back Rhamondre Stevenson (toe) and wide receiver Kayshon Boutte (hamstring) both out last week against Tampa Bay, the Patriots needed someone to step into the play-making role.
Rookie running back TreVeyon Henderson and receiver Kyle Williams answered the call. Henderson scored on runs on 55 and and 69 yards, and Williams added a 72-yard touchdown reception.
It’s added a new quick-score dimension to New England’s offense.
“Just making big plays. Just make it easier on the guys up front,” Maye said. "It’s hard to get explosiveness in this league. And that’s what you want, to make drives shorter. ... Just got to get the ball in their hands in space and they’ll make something happen.”
Breece Hall has factored in the winning score of the Jets’ two victories this season.
Against Cincinnati on Oct. 26, Hall rushed for 133 yards and two touchdowns and also threw the winning TD pass in New York’s 39-38 win. Last Sunday, the fourth-year running back took a screen pass from Fields 42 yards for the go-ahead score in the 27-20 victory over Cleveland.
Hall’s 125 total yards against the Browns accounted for 74% of the Jets’ 169 net yards. He’s the only NFL player to account for at least 74% of a team’s offense in a win, and he has done it twice.
“He’s that man,” Fields said. “It’s simple. He’s that man.”
Will McDonald reestablished himself as a pass-rushing force last week with a record-tying performance.
The Jets’ 2023 first-round pick joined Mark Gastineau (twice) and John Abraham as the only players in franchise history to have four sacks in a game. McDonald, who had a career-high 10½ sacks last season, has seven this season and five in his last two games.
“I have been relentless since the beginning of the season,” he said. “Nothing wants to stand in front of you if you keep being relentless. Eventually, they’re going to move out of the way. For me and the team, that’s all we need to keep doing and we’ll be just fine down the line.”
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AP Pro Football Writer Dennis Waszak contributed to this report.
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