The Patriots are 8-2 and coming off a 28-23 win over Tampa Bay.
The Patriots are 8-2 and coming off a 28-23 win over Tampa Bay.Matthew J. Lee/Globe Staff
The Patriots are back in prime time on Thursday, as New England will host the Jets in the first night game at Gillette Stadium since Week 2 of 2023.
The Patriots will be heavy favorites for their eighth straight win after passing a big test in beating the Buccaneers in Tampa on Sunday. New York, one of the worst teams in football all season, is coming off two straight wins after losing seven straight to start the year.
The Jets took down the Bengals and Browns in consecutive weeks, with the latter coming after a trade deadline fire sale that saw New York deal away a pair of defensive stars in Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams. New York beat Cleveland despite quarterback Justin Fields throwing for just 54 yards.
Patriots quarterback Drake Maye, who became the betting favorite for NFL MVP after the win over Tampa, has thrown for multiple touchdowns in five consecutive games. He had a couple career milestones against the Jets last year: Maye made his debut at the end of a blowout loss to New York in Week 3, then was credited with his first career win when the Patriots beat the Jets in Week 8 despite Maye exiting the game early with an injury.
The Patriots will again be without receiver Kayshon Boutte (hamstring) and running back Rhamondre Stevenson (toe). Linebacker Christian Elliss (hip) and tight end Austin Hooper (concussion) are also out.
New England will be debuting its new “Nor’Easter” alternate uniforms, a bluish-gray look with white helmets, on Thursday.
Kickoff is set for 8:15 p.m. at Gillette Stadium and on Amazon Prime. We’ll have live updates, commentary, and analysis from the Globe staff in Foxborough throughout the evening. Follow along with us.
Catch up on what you may have missed from the Patriots this week.
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Weather and football: The perfect blend for the Patriots’ new nor’easter uniforms debuting tonight
The Patriots’ offense should be able to do what it wants when it wants against the Jets, making it eight straight wins
Patriots rule out four players, including Kayshon Boutte and Rhamondre Stevenson, for Thursday night’s game against Jets
Thursday’s game should be a blowout, but the Jets could put a scare into the Patriots if they don’t take them seriously
‘All the memories are just flowing’: Rob Gronkowski signs one-day contract, retires as a ‘Patriot for life’
‘He’s going to tell you what you need to hear’: How Stefon Diggs has embraced his leadership role with Patriots
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Harkening back to the ‘Next Man Up’ mentality of the dynasty era, the Patriots aren’t winning just because of Drake Maye
How have the Patriots become the best third-quarter team in the NFL?
Three up, three down, and three to watch — 6:00 p.m.
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By Nicole Yang
Let’s take a look at who’s up, who’s down, and whom to watch ahead of Thursday night’s Patriots-Jets game ...
Wide receiver Stefon Diggs: Diggs’s stat line doesn’t pop off the page — five catches for 46 yards — but he made two critical plays in Sunday’s win over the Buccaneers. At the end of the first half, on fourth and goal from Tampa Bay’s 1-yard line, Diggs made an incredible catch in the corner of the end zone, leaping to haul in the ball and toe-tapping on his way down. The touchdown capped a risky sequence of play-calling near the goal line and gave the Patriots the 14-10 lead headed into halftime. Then, when the Buccaneers attempted an onside kick at the end of the second half, Diggs jumped and grabbed the ball to seal the Patriots’ victory. Diggs continues to be one of the Patriots’ best signings of the offseason.
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Patriots rule out four players, including Kayshon Boutte and Rhamondre Stevenson — 5:45 p.m.
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By Nicole Yang
The Patriots ruled out running back Rhamondre Stevenson (toe), wide receiver Kayshon Boutte (hamstring), tight end Austin Hooper (concussion), and linebacker Christian Elliss (hip) for the game against the Jets.
After not practicing for two weeks, Stevenson returned to the field in a limited capacity on Monday and Tuesday before not practicing Wednesday. He has missed three straight games, opening the door for rookie TreVeyon Henderson to take on a heavier workload.
Second-year player Terrell Jennings, who also has taken on more responsibilities out of the backfield, is listed as questionable after suffering a knee injury that sidelined him for the majority of Sunday’s win over the Buccaneers.
Emma Healy can be reached at emma.healy@globe.com or on X @ByEmmaHealy. Amin Touri can be reached at amin.touri@globe.com. Christopher Price can be reached at christopher.price@globe.com. Follow him on Bluesky at christopherprice.bsky.social. Nicole Yang can be reached at nicole.yang@globe.com.Follow her @nicolecyang. Ben Volin can be reached at ben.volin@globe.com. Tara Sullivan is a Globe columnist. She can be reached at tara.sullivan@globe.com. Follow her @Globe_Tara.