There will be a lot going on at MetLife Stadium tonight. So much that the Jets, playing their third game in their first 11 days of the new season, won't feel a thing, at least until around midnight.
For starters, all eyes will be on one specific Jets starter. QB Aaron Rodgers gets his Jets Home Debut 2.0, having put last year's opening-night season-ending injury well behind him with two interesting full games on the road this season.
A year ago when he was introduced to the Green & White fan base, Rodgers came jogging out of the tunnel from his new home stadium locker room carrying an American flag and the crowd roared.
"That flag thing was a spur of the moment, didn't think about it at all," Rodgers said before the game. "Someone just grabbed me with a flag and I'm like OK, I'll run with this thing. But I'm sure there will be some stuff. Whatever happens, happens."
There are many other individual player stories that will play out over the course of this game, set for an 8:15 p.m. ET kickoff. But the team angles for the Jets as well as the Patriots are of paramount importance.
■ The Jets want to start their 2024 home season off right with a victory over their long-time AFL/AFC East foes and improve to 2-1 heading into their "mini-bye" Sunday before returning to work Monday to prepare for the Broncos at MetLife on Sept. 30.
See the Jets arrive for home opener in Week 3 against New England.
■ The Jets, who ended overall and road losing streaks to the Patriots with their snowy 17-3 triumph in last season's finale at Gillette Stadium, want to do the same to their eight-game skid against the Pats at MetLife. The last win: 2015 and Eric Decker's "Meadowlands Leap" to celebrate his clinching OT touchdown catch in the Jets' 26-20 win.
■ Monday night in San Francisco didn't work out the way the team wanted, but Thursday night in the Meadowlands could provide a different outcome. The Jets have lost six consecutive Thursday night appearances since their 2016-17 twin TNF wins over the Bills. They are eager to find that primetime magic again.
But the biggest reason for a win is to keep the Jets in the middle of the action to contend with all their division brethren and give themselves the best possible chance to win the AFC East title for the first time since 2002 and position themselves for the postseason. For all these reasons, a win over the Patriots isn't do or die, but it's way up there on the importance scale.
The Jets will be without their defensive and team leader and MLB C.J. Mosley, listed as inactive with a toe injury he suffered at the Titans. This will be the first Jets game Mosley has missed since sitting out one game in 2021. Jamien Sherwood is set to step into the starting lineup for Mosley.
They will not be listing LB Jermaine Johnson on their injury report tonight since they placed him on Injured Reserve today due to his Achilles injury sustained at Tennessee in Sunday's win over the Titans.
Starting RCB D.J. Reed also will not be listed because he is active and ready to return from one game off due to a knee injury. And with slot corner Michael Carter II through his own ankle injury, it appears the Jets' secondary will be at full strength.
This is the Jets' six-player inactive list for tonight's game:
- RB Izzy Abanikanda
- CB Jarrick Bernard-Converse
- LB C.J. Mosley
- DL Eric Watts
- T Max Mitchell
- T Carter Warren
New England placed an LB of their own on Injured Reserve this week, but it wasn't MLB and defensive captain Ja'Whaun Bentley, who tore his pectoral muscle in the first half vs. Cincinnati last week. Backup 'backer Oshane Ximines was also injured and has been placed on IR. Bentley's injury is reported to be a season-ender but the Patriots, while deactivating Bentley for this game, have kept him on their active roster. Expectations are for Raekwon McMillan to move into the middle against the Jets.
Additionally, post-Bill Belichick first-year head coach Jerod Mayo on Wednesday declared that the left-side starters on his offensive line — LT Vederian Lowe (knee) and LG Sidy Sowe, who will miss his third game with an ankle injury — will also be inactive.
The Patriots' six-player inactive list:
- LB Ja'Whaun Bentley
- QB Joe Milton
- CB Marco Wilson
- DE Jamree Kromah
- T Vederian Lowe
- G Sidy Sow
