NY Jets run defense must show up vs Patriots in Week 3 on Thursday Night Football

The NY Jets defense allowed 180 yards rushing in Week 1 against the San Francisco 49ers and 130 yards rushing in Week 2 against the Tennessee Titans. This week the Jets face a rushing attack that, while maybe less of a threat on the ground, is every bit as prolific as those two teams. The New England Patriots are without a doubt going to try to establish the run early and often.

New England knows where their bread is buttered. Quarterback Jacoby Brissett has only thrown the ball a total of 51 times in two games this year. He may keep them in games, but he won't win them games. Their running backs, Rhamondre Stevenson and Antonio Gibson, who have combined for a total of 64 carries thus far, are where the Patriots will find any success.

The Jets should not have any trouble against Brissett, their struggling offensive line, or their receivers who have yet to crack 90 yards combined so far this season. The ground is where they could be tested. So this week's biggest key to victory is shutting down the Patriots rushing attack.

The Patriots have run the ball a total of 75 times, which ties the Eagles for third in the NFL through two weeks. They are averaging 4.7 yards per attempt, which ranks 13th in the league. So while they run the ball a lot, they are far from unstoppable. They are definitely formidable but not invincible.

The one thing they definitely are though, is hot. In Week 2 against the Seahawks, the two running backs combined for a total of 177 yards on 32 carries, an average of 5.5 yards per carry.

This included a huge 45-yard trot from Antonio Gibson late in the fourth quarter, which put the Jets up 3 points. They will no doubt try to ride the hot hand and run the ball all day, which is where the Jets' run defense comes in.

Things would be a lot easier for the run defense if they still had C.J. Mosley. He is questionable with a toe injury for TNF, but I think we should all assume he won't be playing. This leaves linemen Quinnen Williams and Javon Kinlaw, as well as linebackers Quincy Williams and Jamien Sherwood, with a lot of responsibility on Thursday.

The NY Jets must neutralize Rhamondre Stevenson and Antonio Gibson

As of this moment, they have not held up their end of the bargain. The run defense has been putrid, getting gashed consistently in Weeks 1 and 2. It's hard to pinpoint exactly why that is, being that the talent is there.

The 49ers seem to always be able to run the ball, but the Titans should not have had as much success as they did. And now without Mosley, the Jets will need Quincy Williams to pick up more of the slack on the interior than he is used to and Jamien Sherwood will have to increase his snap load.

Sherwood played solid enough on Sunday, and Quincy Williams appears to thrive in any circumstance. They will need to have a big impact on Thursday, and so will Quinnen Williams and Javon Kinlaw.

Of course, you would hope that Will McDonald, Micheal Clemons, and company will also play their part. But the responsibility of neutralizing the run falls on the interior first and foremost.

The responsibility also falls on Robert Saleh, as it always does. So far most Jets fans would say they aren't thrilled with him. Even in a win, it felt like Saleh was getting out-coached on Sunday.

He needs to make certain that his run defense shows up. He needs to remind everyone why he was such a highly coveted prospect for head coach a few years ago. He is supposed to be a brilliant defensive mind. Thursday is a good chance to prove that and take a little bit of heat off himself.

If the Jets can stifle Rhamondre Stevenson and Antonio Gibson, it will force Jacoby Brissett to put the ball in the air. With all due respect to Brissett, that is what the Jets should want the Patriots to do.

Fewer runs and more passes mean shorter possessions (if the Jets do it right), and more time for Aaron Rodgers and the offense to get into a rhythm. The offense needs all the snaps together that they can get.

They can't do that with Rodgers watching helplessly on the sidelines as Rhamondre Stevenson picks up five yards at a time and the Patriots let the clock tick away. And that is absolutely what they are going to try to do.

So when you tune into the game on Thursday night, pay attention to New England's run game against the Jets. If the Jets corral Stevenson and Gibson, I bet you will see the defense get off the field and allow Aaron Rodgers to be Aaron Rodgers.

If they cannot do that, I bet you will see a lot of Week 1 deja vu. Aaron Rodgers watching instead of passing is the only way I can see the Jets struggling here. They have to ensure that is not the case.

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