Jets vs. Patriots: A Rivalry Reversed and a Draft Future on the Line
On January 7, 2024, the New York Jets finally broke free from a 15-game losing streak against their longtime AFC East nemesis, the New England Patriots. It was a cathartic 17-3 win in Foxborough, a long-awaited exhale for a franchise and fanbase that had endured years of frustration at the hands of Bill Belichick’s empire.
But that feel-good moment came with a twist-one the Jets are still feeling nearly two years later.
That loss, as it turned out, marked the end of Belichick’s run in New England. And it gave the Patriots the draft position they needed to land North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye. Fast-forward to now, and Maye has already guided New England back to the playoffs, injecting life into a franchise that looked like it was heading for a prolonged rebuild.
For the Jets, the irony is brutal. They spent over a decade searching for a quarterback with Maye’s upside-and by winning a late-season game that meant nothing in the standings, they handed him to their biggest rival.
Now, as Maye and the Patriots come to MetLife Stadium this Sunday, the Jets are staring down a familiar crossroads. But this time, they have a chance to get it right.
When Winning Isn’t Winning
At 3-12, the Jets' 2025 season is already a lost cause in the standings. The only scoreboard that matters now is the draft order. And with potential franchise quarterbacks like Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza and Oregon’s Dante Moore expected to be on the board-along with Alabama’s Ty Simpson in some evaluations-every loss counts.
Right now, the Jets are slotted at No. 4 overall. But if teams like the Raiders, Giants, and Browns manage to win a few games down the stretch, the Jets could climb even higher in the draft pecking order. The math is simple: lose out, and the door opens to a game-changing pick.
This is where the ghosts of 2023 loom large. That win in Foxborough was framed as a culture-setting moment under then-head coach Robert Saleh.
It was about building something bigger than the standings. But the momentum from that game didn’t carry over.
The Jets won just five games in 2024, while the Patriots found their next franchise QB.
The lesson? Culture isn’t built on moral victories in meaningless games. It’s built on winning consistently-early, often, and when it matters.
A Chance to Flip the Script
So here we are again: Jets vs. Patriots, late December, with playoff hopes long gone but draft implications very much alive. Only this time, it’s the Jets who could benefit from a loss.
Wouldn’t it be something if New York’s next franchise quarterback came as a result of a loss to the very team they once gifted theirs to? It’s not poetic justice yet-but the setup is there.
Of course, there’s more to the equation than just draft position. The Jets have plenty to fix before any rookie quarterback can thrive in their system.
Coaching, Defense, and the Road Ahead
The 2025 Jets coaching staff is still finding its footing in its first season together. Offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand has shown flashes of creativity as a play-caller, but consistency has been elusive. If the Jets do land a top-tier quarterback in April, Engstrand’s ability to build a system around that player becomes one of the most important storylines of next season.
On the other side of the ball, the Jets defense has been one of the league’s worst. That’s a stark contrast to New England, where a veteran coaching staff featuring Josh McDaniels and Mike Vrabel has helped stabilize Maye’s development and build a complementary unit around him.
For the Jets, it’s not just about landing the quarterback-it’s about building the infrastructure to support him. That means improving the defense, solidifying the offensive line, and ensuring the coaching staff is ready to develop talent, not just accumulate it.
Sunday’s Stakes: Bigger Than the Scoreboard
The Jets aren’t playing for pride this Sunday. They’re playing for their future. A loss to the Patriots won’t feel good in the moment, but it could be the first step toward finally solving the quarterback riddle that’s haunted this franchise for years.
If history is going to reverse itself, this is the moment. The Jets once gave the Patriots their next great quarterback. Now, they have a chance to take that kind of talent for themselves.
But only if they don’t win.