The Jets refuse to acknowledge it, so let’s go ahead and say it right here, right now: The Patriots are as vulnerable as they’re probably going to be all season.
Bloated point spread (the Patriots are favored by 13) and widespread disrespect for them (the Jets are at or near the bottom of every “power ranking’’ this side of the Arena Football League) aside, the Jets will be catching the Patriots at the perfect time when they play them Thursday night in their home-opener at Gillette Stadium.
As you watch the game, remember these names: Matthew Slater, Josh Boyce, Kenbrell Thompkins, Julian Edelman and Michael Hoomanawanui. These are the players Tom Brady will be throwing footballs to tomorrow night against the Jets defense.
Those five have combined for 81 NFL catches for 881 yards and six touchdowns — but 76 of those catches for 793 yards and all six TDs have come from Edelman, the only veteran in the group.
The new and sadly muted Rex Ryan spoke of the Patriots offense — even including the rash of injuries that have crippled them — as if he feared them more than an angry look from his wife or a pink slip from Jets owner Woody Johnson.
We heard a lot of, “Well, they still got Tom Brady back there,’’ default non-answers out of Ryan Tuesday.
The old and brash Rex would have thumped his chest in front of reporters and said something like this: “If our defense can’t put a hurting on this cast of backups and unproven players then we don’t belong in the league.’’
It’s quite possible a version of that is what Ryan has been telling his players behind closed doors this week, though. Because the Patriots offense has been severely compromised by injury, and that makes the Pats as beatable for the Jets as they’ve been in three years.
Brady was already playing with a new deck of cards on offense this season with his favorite target, receiver Wes Welker, now in Denver via free agency, tight end Aaron Hernandez in jail and the other tight end, Rob Gronkowski, out recovering from back and forearm injuries.
The Patriots survived the Bills in Sunday’s season-opener, winning 23-21. But the skill position players who contributed most, running back Shane Vereen (101 rushing yards on 14 carries) and newcomer Danny Amendola (10 catches for 104 yards), were injured in the game. Vereen, who suffered a broken wrist, was placed on injured reserve/designated to return Tuesday and will not play. Amendola, who suffered a groin injury Sunday, is a long shot to play.
If you don’t think the Jets defensive coaching staff is licking its chops at the chance to get after this depleted New England offensive unit, you do not know Ryan very well.
“This is their home-opener, they’re going to be geeked up and I would like to think they’re kind of looking past us,’’ Jets right guard Willie Colon said.
The last time the Jets, who are 3-6 against New England in the Ryan era (including losses in the last four meetings), played the Patriots was last Thanksgiving night in that 49-19 buttfumble debacle.
“I remember watching the buttbumble,’’ said Colon, who was with Pittsburgh last season. “They showed it like a million times. But that’s the past, man. Personally, I’m tired of us being considered as jokes. We’ve got a lot of great ballplayers and a lot of guys with pride on this team. It’s time for us to start knocking people’s doors down, one by one.’’
Brady with limited skill-position resources would be a good place to start.