It wasn’t too long ago that the Jets came into New England and ended the Patriots season with a stunning in the playoffs. The Patriots will be looking to avenge the 28-21 loss the Jets handed to them in the 2011 AFC divisional playoffs where the Patriots lost only their second game in Foxboro in the past  two years.

But with a new season upon us, the rivalry that is New York vs Boston continues today with the football chapter.

The Jets are back in Gillette Stadium ready for a matchup with the 3-1 New England Patriots, both looking to improve their stature in the AFC with a battle on the field.

The Jets, coming off two consecutive losses, will be getting ready to shut down an explosive Patriots offense but attack a Patriots defense that has been historically bad, giving up as many yards through these first 4 games as any team in NFL history.

5 Keys To A Jets Win

Attack McCourty
Last season’s hero in the Patriots secondary, Devin McCourty, has struggled as much as any defensive player this season. Giving up 28 catches for 398 yards, the Jets need to go with what is working by passing against the second year corner. Plaxico Burress could see time against McCourty, who has had his least success when playing against bigger wide receivers.

Wes Welker Needs To Be Stopped
If the Jets want to stop a New England offense that is punishing everybody, it all starts with Wes Welker. This man has been an absolute monster in the passing game for Brady, catching an unimaginable 40 passes through the first 4 weeks. With Revis playing today for the Jets, it might be the best opportunity for any team in this league to stop Welker. But will the Jets use Revis on Welker?

Those Tight Ends are Dangeeeeeerous
TE Aaron Hernandez and Ron Gronkowski have been fantastic for the Patriots this season in the passing game. If the Jets do not have a plan to shut down these two studs, especially Hernandez who is playing for the first time since an injury he retained in Week 2, the Jets will struggle. It may be just as important to stop these tight ends as it is to stop Welker.

Sanchez Needs a Big Game
After an offensive showing nothing short of depressing for the Jets, Sanchez will need to get this passing attack started early and often against the Patriots. It has been pointed out frequently that Sanchez has struggled against the Patriots in the regular season. But if he can have success against the Patriots in January in the same location, I don’t believe it is too important that he struggled as a rookie and in a game where the team lost 45-3. If he did it once, he can do it twice.

Run the Ball
Simply put, this team can’t abandon the running game. Yes, the Patriots are weak against the passing attack but unless you want to have a one dimensional offensive attack with the running backs, you have to include the backs in this game. Teams have been able to run on the Patriots as well and it would be a huge confidence boost to the entire team if they could manage success against the Patriots via the run.

Wes Welker has 40 receptions in 4 games this season.

I’ll repeat for emphasis:

Wes Welker has 40 receptions in 4 games this season.

Let’s put this in perspective a little bit. Last season, former Jets slot receiver Jerricho Cotchery had 41 receptions in 4 games. So how can it even be possible for Welker to be nearly as productive as a man playing the same position as him in 10 less games.

Simply put, he’s Brady’s go to guy. And the Jets need to stop him on Sunday if they want to beat the Patriots and bounce back from a 2 game losing skid.

With the best cornerback in football playing for the Jets, it may seem like a wise decision to place him on the ever dangerous slot receiver in New England. After all, once you head to Revis Island, you usually don’t do well.

But here’s a few reasons just to speculate why perhaps, Kyle Wilson, a second year cornerback out of Boise State might be the guy to put on Welker in man coverage:

• Last year in the divisional playoffs, the Jets played nickelback Drew Coleman on Welker for the majority of the day and he was very limited in his success. Revis was on Deion Branch.
• I don’t know just how well Cromartie can handle Branch. Branch and receivers like Branch have lead Cromartie to struggle in the past. Revis we know can handle Branch and Cromartie held Ocho Cinco last year to under 40 yards while he was with the Bengals.
• Wilson has been fantastic this year in short man coverage and tackling. Sloppy tackling has been a large reason for Welker’s success over the past few years, but Wilson has been a sure tackle for the Jets this season.
• The Jets have the ability to adjust to put Revis on Welker if it starts out rough for Wilson. It’s that simple. Start with Wilson to see how he can neutralize Welker and if it works awful, simply put Revis on him and spend the rest of the game worrying about the other wideouts being covered.
• The Patriots might not look on Wes Welker as much this game as they have in the past. The Patriots may try to trick the Jets by passing it around and spreading the ball in ways they haven’t done in previous games.

Taking a quick look at the Jets very ugly, 34-17 lose in Baltimore.

• Sanchez is going to take blame for this loss from a lot of people. But fact is, this guy can’t do anything with no offensive line to protect him or a running game to get him started. Sanchez is a very average quarterback at this stage, you cannot really hide it. But if the Jets want to beat the best teams in the AFC, they need to orchestrate some sort of a rushing offense.
• 38 yards rushing for the “Ground and Pound” Jets. If that doesn’t catch you of guard, nothing ever will. This team is changing its tide but there really never is an excuse for that few yards on the ground.
• Schotty calling that swing pass to Holmes, off a play action from under center was just a recipe for poison. Seriously, lets call some better plays. That was an awful decision against a fantastic defense.
• Mcknight was one of very few bright spots on this team today. This guy is a special team monster. He is only a few more big plays away from actually receiving the carries he deserves on offense. He isn’t in the dog house anymore.
• Aaron Maybin is going to show why he can help this Jets team on defense. He brings what the Jets simply do not have. Speed. The Jets need it on defense with such a slow linebacking core and it seems like they now have it. His strip sack this game really could have put this team back in it.
• It is tough to lose a player like Bryan Thomas to a season long injury. The Jets will miss him as he was playing great football for this squad.  Westerman will need to step up in run support… but don’t be shocked if he doesn’t. He’s a mediocre pass rusher. Not really a run stopper at all.
• Can we sign anyone to play instead of Hunter? Baxter’s struggles are to be expected, but Hunter is making over 3 million dollars a year to play this terribly.
• Slauson hasn’t looked good either. Seriously, with holes at LG, RT and Right Guard Brandon Moore only getting older, this team is going to struggle on the offensive line.

Following their first defeat of the season, the Jets will visit the Baltimore Ravens in Maryland with a chance at righting the ship and redemption from last year’s embarrassing 10-9 loss in the regular season opener.

The Jets hosted the Ravens last year in the first game of the season in the team’s new stadium (then known as the New Meadowlands stadium). The team was held to a pathetic 73 yards passing and were unable to score a touchdown.

This year, the Jets will be in Baltimore for the game against Jets head coach Rex Ryan’s former team. Ryan was on the Ravens defensive staff before being signed as the Jets head coach in 2009.

5 keys to a Jets win

Lets Go Baxter!
The beast known as Haloti Ngata gave Jets left guard Matt Slauson nightmares last year in his first career start and will be looking to do the same thing to Baxter. The Jets will need to contain Ngata if they want to have even a shot at winning this game. Ngata is one of the most dangerous defensive players in this league today, so lets hope we don’t see too much of him in the backfield.

Quick Passes For the Win
1 pass for Holmes last week can’t repeat if the Jets want to win. Quick passes to Santonio Holmes and Dustin Keller will be the Jets bread and butter tonight  to open the running game. With Carr ruled out, the Jets need to attack the Baltimore Ravens pass defense. But at the same time…

Make the Right Reed!
Throwing against Ed Reed, the Ravens future hall of fame safety, is a risk only certain quarterbacks should take. I’m not saying Mark Sanchez isn’t a quarterback who can thread the needle past this ballhawk, but I sure don’t want to find out the hard way that he isn’t. Attack the corner backs and avoid the safety slot. It will help the Jets in the long run.

Run it outside with Greene
Greene is simply not Thomas Jones. He cannot run up the gut and make big plays. Greene with a head of steam is the best way to run with him in order for him to break tackles. With the running lanes not there for him in the middle, HB stretches are the best way to run with Greene so he can see that open field.

Rice and A Rookie
Revis should have Anquan locked down with the usual day of business for him but a rookie wideout by the name of Torrey Smith will be looking to cause damage. After torching the St Louis Rams last week for 3 touchdowns and over 150 yards, Smith will likely see time mostly against Antonio Cromartie, last weekend’s mule of the loss. The Ravens star running back Ray Rice will be looking to run through the Jets run defense that gave up 260+ yards against Darren Mcfadden but in the passing game, Rice will likely see many passes in his direction. If the Jets can stop these two men, they can hold the Ravens down and earn a big victory.

The Jets have brought back outside linebacker Aaron Maybin following the placement of Rob Turner on the injured reserve list.

Maybin, who signed with the Jets this offseason, was impressive in training camp before being cut in the final stages of preseason action. The outside linebacker managed to create some pressure for the Jets, something the team is looking for after 0 sacks this Sunday against the Raiders.

Maybin was a first round pick for the Buffalo Bills in the 2009 draft at the 11th slot. He never panned out for the Bills on the defensive line or in the 3-4 defense and has been compared to the Jets bust from 2008, Vernon Gholston, by Bill fans.