Week 10 Sunday Night NFL Picks: New England Patriots @ New York Jets Odds and Predictions – Free NFL Picks 11/13/11

Week 10 Free NFL Picks: New England Patriots @ New York Jets NFL Week 10 Vegas Odds, Free Picks, and Expert Predictions on NBC 11/13/11: First-place in the AFC East is one the line Sunday night when the New England Patriots (5-3) go on the road to face the New York Jets (5-3). The teams are heading in opposite directions entering the matchup, with the Patriots dropping two straight and the Jets riding a three-game winning streak. That being said, New England did beat New York 30-21 in Foxboro earlier this year, but for what it’s worth, the Jets haven’t lost again since. This is one of the fiercest rivalries in the NFL right now, and while New York is favored, it is only by a single point.

When the two teams met in early October, the Jets couldn’t run the ball on offense and couldn’t stop anyone on defense. Meanwhile, the Patriots were throwing the ball all over the field, piling up yardage and points at a record pace. Entering Sunday’s rematch, it is the Patriots that are sputtering on offense and getting torched on defense, while the Jets are starting to look more and more like the power running team that has gone to back-to-back AFC Championship Games.

While momentum is on the Jets’ side, they certainly have some issues to address in order to avoid a repeat of October’s loss. Patriots’ wide receiver Wes Welker was able to beat star cornerback Darrelle Revis to the tune of 124 yards. Tom Brady topped 300 yards through the air, and New England running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis ran wild, topping 130 yards and scoring twice. Basically, the New York defense was torched in every aspect of the game.

The good news for the Jets is that their defense has been better and more physical in recent weeks, which has been the recipe for beating New England. If Revis and company can push around the New England skill position players, the timing of Brady will be disrupted, and the Patriots could be held to 20 points or less for the fourth game in a row. A low-scoring game favors the Jets.

Offensively, the Jets were already somewhat successful in their earlier loss to the Patriots. They ran the ball early with Shonn Greene, setting up quarterback Mark Sanchez with easier throws in the passing game. The formula has been the key to the Jets’ current winning streak. New York seems to have finally realized over the past month that Sanchez isn’t and shouldn’t be the center of the offense, but he should have opportunities to make big plays against a New England secondary that is the worst in the NFL.

The X-factor Sunday could be New York receiver Plaxico Burress. After struggling at the start of the year, Burress is finally rounding into form and finding his place in the offense. His height and leaping ability make him an excellent red zone option, and in recent weeks, Sanchez has looked for him on crucial third downs. New England doesn’t have a cornerback that matches up with him physically, which could mean a big game for Burress.

With any rivalry game, Sunday’s meeting between the Patriots and Jets is going to be heated and physical. In the end, two elements could influence the outcome. New York plays much better at home and has not lost a game yet at MetLife Stadium this year. More importantly, the Jets get the chance to play Brady while he is struggling compared to his typical standards. Considering the Jets are one of the few teams that have had consistent success against the Patriots anyway, they have a golden opportunity to pick up a big win.

Prediction: New York Jets (-1) Win the Game

Free NFL Football Picks and Predictions: NY Jets -2

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