Jets may have to change their defensive approach against Drake Maye

The New York Jets face a massive test on Sunday, as they will take on the New England Patriots on the road. It's a place where they've only won four times since the start of the 2003 season.

If they would like to get back in the win column up in Foxborough, the Jets' defense is going to need to play a big role in slowing down Drake Maye and the Patriots' offense. So far this season, the Jets have ranked towards the top of the league in sacks, yards, and points against.

One of the biggest changes to the Jets' defense this year has been the blitz rate that Aaron Glenn has used.

Should the New York Jets maintain their blitz rate vs. Patriots?

Gang Green has blitzed on 52.4% of snaps through five weeks of the NFL season. Only the Minnesota Vikings have blitzed more often, coming in at 78.5% of snaps.

Clearly, the blitz has been working for the Jets defensively, although they might want to change their approach for this specific matchup.

According to Pro Football Focus, when Maye is blitzed this season, he has a passer rating of 101.4, which is the 13th-best mark in the NFL. He's also tallied three touchdowns, just one interception, and a completion percentage of 64.9 percent.

His numbers look a lot different when he's not blitzed. Maye's completion percentage moves up to 66 percent, but this is where the turnovers come in. Maye has five touchdowns to six interceptions. His passer rating drops to 81.4 as well.

The way to beat Maye isn't to send the house. He struggles against Cover 6, which is a zone coverage that combines the concepts of Cover 2 and quarters. Seattle ran a bunch of Cover 6 in the Super Bowl; will we see the Jets take a similar approach?

If that's the case, the Jets are going to have to get home-sending just three or four, something they've struggled with all season. Interior pressure will also be key, so the likes of T'Vondre Sweat, Jowon Briggs, and Darrell Jackson Jr. are going to have to have a big day at the office.

It's not going to be an easy task for the Jets on Sunday; they have to prove that they can adjust defensively in order to contain Maye. If Aaron Glenn is able to do it, though, expect the conversation surrounding this team to change drastically.

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