If the New England Patriots can win their final two games of the regular season, they will secure the top seed in the AFC and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. Those games will pit them against the New York Jets on Christmas Eve and the Miami Dolphins in the regular season finale.
Jets vs. Patriots 2016 live stream: Game time, TV schedule, and how to watch NFL Week 16 online
The Patriots are trying to lock up the top seed in the AFC, while the Jets are just trying to finish strong after another lost season.
Christmas Eve falls on Saturday this year, and that’s when the Patriots and Jets will kick off from Gillette Stadium in Foxborough. The game starts at 1 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on CBS. A live stream will be available via CBS All-Access, though it will require login credentials from a cable or satellite provider in addition to a subscription to the All-Access service.
The Patriots have won their past five games since dropping a game to the Seattle Seahawks. They have fallen to only the Seahawks and the Buffalo Bills this season, though they avenged their loss to the Bills earlier in the season. Their winning streak includes quality wins over the Denver Broncos and Baltimore Ravens.
New York is far out of the playoff picture after the team has struggled on both sides of the ball this season. On offense, the quarterback position has been a mess, as former starter Ryan Fitzpatrick regressed big time between last season and this one. Defensively, the complete and utter collapse of cornerback Darrelle Revis has hurt more than anything, and the Jets have been on the losing end of a couple of blowouts this season.
One of those came in their last outing, a 34-13 loss to the Dolphins. Before that, they earned a narrow victory over the lowly San Francisco 49ers — a win that snapped a four-game losing skid.
Fitzpatrick leads the team with 2,364 yards, 10 touchdowns, and 15 interceptions, which is far worse than the Jets were hoping. Bryce Petty, a player the fans were clamoring for all season, is now the starter, but he hasn’t been any better. Petty has completed 75 of 130 passes for 809 yards with three touchdowns and six interceptions. Turnovers have been a consistent problem for the Jets’ offense.
Running back Matt Forte has been a mostly successful reclamation project for the Jets. He has 813 yards and seven touchdowns on the season, but just a 3.7 yards-per-carry average. Forte is dealing with a “nerve issue” in his shoulder and has apparently been playing all season on a torn meniscus in his right knee, so his status for Saturday’s game is still up in the air.
Patriots quarterback Tom Brady has appeared on the injury report with a thigh issue this week, but there is little concern about his availability. The Patriots have clinched a spot in the postseason and a first-round bye, and to make things even better, the team recently activated third-string quarterback Jacoby Brissett from injured reserve. If New England takes an early lead, Brady could be in for a short day now that they have assurances at the position.
LeGarrette Blount should get plenty of touches. The running back is in the middle of his best season ever, and while he’s not putting up the yardage that the other top backs in the league are, he’s cutting his teeth in short yardage. Blount is a punishing, physical back who fits the Patriots offense perfectly, and has parlayed that into the single-season Patriots record for rushing touchdowns, with 15.
He’ll have plenty of chances to build on that over the next two games. Below is all you need to watch Saturday’s action.
How to Watch Jets vs. Patriots on Saturday
Time: 1 p.m. ET
Location: Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Mass.
TV: CBS
Announcers: Ian Eagle, Dan Fouts, Evan Washburn
Online Streaming: Sunday Ticket, CBS All-Access
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