Two numbers frame this AFC East rivalry heading into Sunday. The Patriots hammered the Jets 42-10 the last time these teams met, and New York has won just two of its last 20 games in Foxborough. But 2026 looks different: Drake Maye has thrown seven interceptions, Geno Smith has thrown none, and the Jets have a rare chance to make this a real game.
This guide covers the New York Jets vs New England Patriots match player stats you actually need: the freshest Week 6 numbers, a full head-to-head comparison, a player-by-player breakdown of the December 2025 blowout, injury news, and the betting lines. Everything is updated as of October 16, 2026.
Latest Updates: JNew York Jets vs New England Patriots Week 6
Here is what has changed in the last few days and what matters for Sunday.
Game Details and How to Watch
- Date: Sunday, October 18, 2026
- Kickoff: 1:00 p.m. ET
- Venue: Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts
- TV: CBS (Spero Dedes, Adam Archuleta, Aditi Kinkhabwala)
- Streaming: Paramount+, NFL+ (local market), NFL Game Pass International outside the US
The Patriots enter at 3-2 after a slow start and two straight wins, including a 45-17 victory over the Raiders last Sunday. The Jets are 2-3, with both wins coming against Tennessee and Cleveland.
Injury Report: Who Might Miss the Game
The Patriots have been hit hard this season, with 19 players already on injured reserve, more than all of last year. The key names for Week 6:
- QB Drake Maye (right shoulder): Full participant in practice for the third straight week.
- RB TreVeyon Henderson (ankle): Left the Raiders game with a reported high-ankle sprain and is expected to miss multiple weeks. Rhamondre Stevenson becomes the lead back.
- WR A.J. Brown: Returning from injured reserve and a key name to watch.
- WR Stefon Diggs (hamstring): Missed Week 5 after injuring the hamstring in Week 4.
- CB Christian Gonzalez (shoulder): Back as a limited participant.
For the Jets, RB Breece Hall (quad) did not practice on Wednesday, while WR Adonai Mitchell (finger), G Dylan Parham (knee) and DE Joseph Ossai (ankle) were also sidelined. Check the final Friday report before locking in any lineup or bet.
Betting Lines and Trends
- Spread: Patriots -7
- Moneyline: Patriots -325, Jets +260
- Total: around 43.5 points
- Against the spread: Both teams are 3-1-1.
- Totals trend: The under is 4-1 in Jets games.
Analysts lean toward New England because the Patriots scored 74 points over their last two games and the Jets’ offense has struggled to match that firepower.
New York Jets vs New England Patriots Match Player Stats: Head-to-Head Comparison
This is the core of the matchup. All figures are 2026 season stats through Week 5.
Quarterback Head-to-Head
| Stat | Drake Maye (NE) | Geno Smith (NYJ) |
| Games | 5 | 5 |
| Completions / Attempts | 99 / 151 | 102 / 147 |
| Completion % | 65.6% | 69.4% |
| Passing Yards | 1,228 | 1,084 |
| Touchdowns | 8 | 6 |
| Interceptions | 7 | 0 |
| Passer Rating | 88.9 | 104.2 |
| Times Sacked | 11 | 16 |
Edge: Smith is the more efficient passer right now, with a clean turnover record and a 104.2 rating. Maye has more volume and more touchdowns but also seven interceptions and a rating that sits far below his 113.5 mark from 2025. The Jets, meanwhile, have allowed Smith to be sacked 16 times, a number New England’s pass rush will target.
Playmaker Head-to-Head
| Role | Patriots | Jets |
| Lead rusher | Rhamondre Stevenson: 227 yds, 2 TD (57 carries) | Braelon Allen: 236 yds, 2 TD (57 carries) |
| Top receiver | Romeo Doubs: 13 rec, 219 yds, 2 TD | Garrett Wilson: 31 rec, 374 yds, 3 TD |
| Tight end | Hunter Henry: 15 rec, 177 yds, 1 TD | n/a |
| Sack leader | Elijah Ponder: 4.5 | David Bailey: 5 |
| Tackle leader | Robert Spillane: 34 | Dane Belton: 39 |
Edge: Wilson is the best individual weapon on the field, and he accounted for 104 of Smith’s 182 passing yards in the Week 5 win over Cleveland. New England’s receiving production is more spread out.
Team Snapshot
| Category | Patriots | Jets |
| Record | 3-2 | 2-3 |
| Points allowed per game | 18.8 (4th in NFL) | n/a |
| Rushing yards allowed per game | 90.8 (6th) | n/a |
| Completion % rank | n/a | 3rd |
| ATS record | 3-1-1 | 3-1-1 |
| Last 20 meetings in Foxborough | 18 wins | 2 wins |
Who Has the Edge?
New England wins on defense, home field and history. The Jets win on quarterback efficiency and ball security. If Maye cleans up the turnovers and Henderson’s absence does not slow the ground game, the Patriots should control this one. If Smith keeps protecting the football and Wilson keeps winning one-on-one, the Jets can hang around.
Season Context: How 2025 Set the Stage
The 2025 results explain why the Patriots are favored even in a down start to 2026. After winning the AFC East and finishing 14-3, New England advanced to Super Bowl LX, where it was defeated by Seattle. The Jets finished 3-14 in head coach Aaron Glenn’s first year.
Drake Maye was the engine. His 2025 line: 4,394 passing yards, 31 touchdowns, eight interceptions and a 113.5 passer rating. This year’s 88.9 rating and seven interceptions in five games are a big drop, and it is the main storyline for the Patriots offense.
For the Jets, the biggest change is at quarterback. Justin Fields signed a two-year, $40 million deal in 2025 but struggled and was eventually benched for Tyrod Taylor. In 2026 the Jets turned to Geno Smith, and the early returns are strong on efficiency and turnovers.
Last Meeting: Patriots 42, Jets 10 (December 28, 2025) Player Stats
The most recent meeting is still the best reference point for the New York Jets vs New England Patriots match player stats because the same core players are expected to be involved again.
Drake Maye’s Career-High Day
Maye finished 19-of-21 for 256 yards, five touchdowns and no interceptions, a 157.0 passer rating. He added three rushes for 22 yards. He became the fourth Patriots quarterback to throw five touchdown passes in a game and the first to find five different receivers for touchdowns. He was done for the day after the third quarter’s opening drive.
Every Patriots Touchdown
| Quarter | Scorer | Play |
| 1 | Austin Hooper | 2-yard pass from Maye |
| 1 | Rhamondre Stevenson | 1-yard rush |
| 2 | Rhamondre Stevenson | 22-yard pass from Maye |
| 2 | Stefon Diggs | 3-yard pass from Maye (fourth-down conversion) |
| 2 | Hunter Henry | 13-yard pass from Maye |
| 3 | Efton Chism III | 10-yard pass from Maye |
Chism, a rookie, caught the first pass of his NFL career for 30 yards earlier in the game. TreVeyon Henderson added 19 carries for 82 yards on the ground.
Jets Player Stats
The Jets scored only on a 39-yard Nick Folk field goal and a 59-yard Breece Hall touchdown run in the fourth quarter, when the game was already decided. Brady Cook started at quarterback and finished 19-of-33 for 152 yards, two interceptions and a 56.6 rating. Cook was 5-of-8 for 39 yards in the first half, when New England built a 35-3 lead.
Team Stats From the Game
| Statistic | Patriots | Jets |
| Final score | 42 | 10 |
| Touchdowns | 6 | 1 |
| First downs | 28 | 14 |
| Rush attempts | 36 | 28 |
| Time of possession | 31:55 | 28:05 |
The Patriots scored a touchdown on each of their first six drives, finished the regular season a perfect 8-0 on the road and clinched the AFC East that night.
Jets Player Stats to Watch in Week 6
Geno Smith: The Efficiency Leader
Smith has a 104.2 rating, 1,084 yards, six touchdowns, and no interceptions.. The Jets rank third in the league in completion percentage. His weakness is pressure: 16 sacks in five games is the highest number on either roster.
Garrett Wilson: The Primary Weapon
With Adonai Mitchell sidelined, Wilson is in line for every target he can handle. He leads all Jets receivers with 31 catches for 374 yards and three touchdowns.
Breece Hall and Braelon Allen: Backfield Watch
Hall rushed for 1,065 yards in 2025, a career high and the first 1,000-yard season by a Jet since 2015, then signed a three-year, $45.75 million extension in May. His quad injury is the story this week. If he sits, Allen, who ran 24 times for 116 yards and a touchdown against Cleveland, takes over. Allen already leads the team in rushing this season with 236 yards.
The Pass Rush
David Bailey leads the Jets with five sacks. The defense recorded eight sacks of Deshaun Watson in Week 5, which suggests New York can disrupt a quarterback who holds the ball.
Patriots Player Stats to Watch in Week 6
Drake Maye: Fix the Turnovers
Maye has 1,228 yards, eight touchdowns and seven interceptions, a far cry from his 2025 form. His right shoulder remains a quiet concern, though he has been a full participant three weeks running. Sacks are not the problem; he has been taken down only 11 times.
Rhamondre Stevenson: Lead Back by Necessity
With Henderson likely out for several weeks, Stevenson (227 yards, two touchdowns) becomes the lead runner. Corey Kiner is next on the depth chart behind him. Stevenson was also a scoring option in the passing game against New York in December.
Receivers: Doubs, Henry, Diggs and A.J. Brown
Romeo Doubs leads the group with 219 yards and two touchdowns, and tight end Hunter Henry (177 yards) remains a reliable red-zone target. The return of A.J. Brown from injured reserve and a healthy Diggs would give Maye his best group of the season.
The Defense
New England allows 18.8 points per game (fourth in the NFL) and 90.8 rushing yards per game (sixth). Elijah Ponder has 4.5 sacks and Robert Spillane leads the team with 34 tackles. Gonzalez’s return to the secondary matters against a Jets passing game built on timing and accuracy.
Jets vs Patriots Rivalry History
New England owns a clear advantage in the regular-season series at 75-55-1, along with a 2-1 postseason edge. The Jets’ last playoff win against the Patriots came in the 2010 AFC Divisional Round, a 28-21 upset.
The recent record is lopsided:
- The Patriots swept the Jets in 2025, their 24th season sweep of the series.
- Those results were a 27-14 Thursday-night win at Gillette Stadium on November 13 and the 42-10 win at MetLife Stadium on December 28.
- New England has won three straight meetings.
- The Jets are 2-18 in their last 20 games in Foxborough.
- The two teams meet again December 27, 2026 at MetLife Stadium.
Key Player Matchups That Will Decide Sunday
Maye vs the Jets pass rush. New York’s front produced eight sacks in Week 5. Maye has to avoid the forced throws that have produced seven interceptions.
Geno Smith vs the Patriots secondary. Smith has not thrown an interception, but New England’s pass defense has been one of the stingiest in the league. Pressure on Smith is the Patriots’ best path to a turnover.
Garrett Wilson vs Gonzalez and company. Wilson can win the game by himself if Gonzalez is not playing at his best.
The running games. Without Henderson for New England and with Hall questionable for New York, backups Kiner and Allen may decide which team controls the clock.
Final Verdict: What the Numbers Say About Jets vs Patriots
The New York Jets vs New England Patriots match player stats point to a closer contest than the seven-point spread suggests on paper, but the Patriots still hold the structural edge. They have the better defense, a decisive home-field record in this series and an offense that scored 74 points in its last two games. The Jets bring a more efficient quarterback, a star receiver and an offense that does not turn the ball over.
The swing factors are simple: Maye’s interceptions, Smith’s pressure, and whether Hall suits up. If Maye protects the football and the Patriots defense keeps Smith under duress, expect another New England win. If New York gets Hall back and Smith stays clean, this could be the Jets’ best shot in years at ending the Foxborough drought.
Bookmark this page and check back after Sunday’s game for the updated post-game player stats and box score breakdown.
