Geno Smith makes his second start on Thursday when the New York Jets meet the New England Patriots. Kickoff is at 8:25 p.m. ET. Watch on the NFL Network or follow the link HERE to watch the live stream.
Rex Ryan could be in his last season as the Jets' coach. With a new general manager and a new quarterback, a new coach could be the next change for the Gang Green. Ryan needs wins, and a win over their division rival is a great way to start.
"If you want to win your division you have to beat (the Patriots)," Ryan said, via ESPN. "It's going to be a huge challenge without question."
The Jets' defense faces a new-look Patriots offense. Wes Welker and Aaron Hernandez are no longer on the team, and Rob Gronkowski is sidelined. Despite the lesser-known names on the Patriots' offense, Ryan isn't underestimating the team - or its future Hall of Famer under center.
"Their team is different now," Ryan said. "But again, it's New England. It starts with Brady."
The Patriots, like the Jets, escaped Week 1 with a victory. Still, the Patriots offense seemingly appeared to struggle at times against the Buffalo Bills - something the team hopes will improve over the season.
"We know that there are some players on our offense that are gaining experience each week and that there are plenty of players on our offense that have plenty of experience already," Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels said, via ESPN. "Our standard is high. We want to play good offense and take care of the football and maintain our balance, score in the red zone and convert on third down.
"Those things are never going to change."
It's a short turnaround for both teams, and the division rivalry makes for an exciting game.
"It's Boston-New York," Patriots quarterback Tom Brady said, via ESPN. "It's going to be exciting. Hopefully, we can go out on a short week and win the game."
