NY Jets: Patriots will be without two key starters in Week 2

The NY Jets have dealt with their fair share of injuries in recent weeks. Fortunately for them, their Week 2 opponents, the New England Patriots, aren't exactly fully healthy either.

The Jets have a whopping 16 players on reserve injury lists at the moment which is one of the highest totals in the NFL. But the Patriots are right up there with them with 13 players on injury lists.

And on Sunday, New England will also be without a pair of key starters in outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy and right tackle Trent Brown.

Brown exited the Patriots' Week 1 game after just seven snaps with a calf injury. He returned to practice on Friday and was originally listed as questionable, but he was downgraded to OUT on Saturday.

As for Van Noy, he was held out of practice all week with a throat injury and was declared OUT on the final injury report.

The NY Jets can take advantage of the Patriots injuries

Just as the Patriots will look to take advantage of the Jets' recent injuries including the losses of Mekhi Becton, Lamarcus Joyner, and Jamien Sherwood last week, the Jets can look to do the same.

With Brown out, a strong Patriots offensive line will have a weakness at right tackle. 2020 sixth-round pick Justin Herron originally replaced Brown in the starting lineup last Sunday, but he was supplanted by Yasir Durant before the game was over.

Herron and Durant have a combined seven career starts and could struggle against the likes of John Franklin-Myers and Bryce Huff who each had excellent debuts last Sunday.

The Jets will also benefit from the absence of Van Noy. The Patriots brought back Van Noy in the offseason after a year spent in Miami and he wasted little time making an impact again recording a sack in Week 1.

The 30-year-old is one of the most versatile, important parts of the Patriots defense and his absence creates a hole that can't necessarily be filled by one player.

The Jets offensive line struggled mightily in Week 1 and things won't get easier with Becton sidelined for the foreseeable future. But at least with Van Noy out, the team might fare a little better.

Both the Jets and Patriots are worse for wear going into Week 2. Now, it's all about which team will be able to capitalize.