Though Patriots quarterback Tom Brady has thrown just one touchdown over his last three games, the Jets are not buying into his decline ahead of Sunday's matchup.
"Man, I'm not taking him lightly," linebacker Avery Williamson said, according to ESPN's Rich Cimini. "I don't care if he didn't throw any touchdowns for a month. Man, Brady, he can still make it happen."
Though the Patriots are 7-3 are tied for the third-best record in the AFC, they are 2-1 over their last three games, with Brady's numbers not reminiscent of his potential.
The 2017 MVP and five-time Super Bowl champion has an 84.5 quarterback rating with 872 passing yards and one touchdown over his last 12 quarters. But even so, the Jets know what he's capable of.
"He's been great for a long time," head coach Todd Bowles said. "[It] doesn't look like any difference."
Brady has thrown for at least two touchdowns in each of his last four games against the Jets over the past two seasons. In his career, he is 25-7 against the Jets with 7,561 passing yards, 48 touchdowns and 41 interceptions.
Of course, the 2018 Jets have a much different look than the past two seasons. They added Williamson and cornerback Trumaine Johnson in the offseason and have gotten increased productivity from linebackers Jordan Jenkins and Darron Lee.
"It would be a nice accomplishment to get a win against Brady," Jenkins said. "I just want to get a win, period, but it would be pretty nice to get a win against him."
It's difficult to determine exactly how the Jets' passing defense ranks this season. They rank in the top 10 in interceptions (10th, 10) and opponents passer rating (seventh, 88.0), but they rank 16th in passing touchdowns allowed (17) and in passing yards allowed (2,421).
However, the Jets allowed Matt Barkley to go 15-of-25 for 232 yards with two touchdowns, no interceptions and a 117.4 passer rating in their last game before the bye week.
Brady will be a new challenge, one the Jets aren't underestimating.