Drake Maye's record-setting arm meets Geno Smith's turnover-free streak when New England hosts New York.

The New York Jets enter at 2-3 on a one-game winning streak, while the New England Patriots sit at 3-2 having won two straight. Kickoff is set for 1:00 PM ET at Gillette Stadium, airing on CBS, with clear skies, 50 degrees and barely any wind expected.

Game details

WhenSunday, October 18, 2026 at 1:00 PM ET
WhereGillette Stadium
TVCBS
LineNew England Patriots -7 | O/U 43.5 (market view)
New York Jets record2-3
New England Patriots record3-2

The matchup

Drake Maye's Week 5 performance was about as good as it gets. He became the youngest player ever, and just the fourth in league history, to throw for 350-plus yards, four touchdown passes and post a 150-plus rating while also scoring a rushing touchdown in the same game. He's now chasing his third straight game with three or more touchdown passes, and he torched this same Jets defense for 256 yards and five touchdowns on 19-of-21 passing in their last meeting.

New York is coming off a 17-12 win over the Cleveland Browns after dropping three of its previous four, including losses to the Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions. New England, meanwhile, has reeled off wins over the Las Vegas Raiders and Buffalo Bills after a 6-35 blowout loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 3. Geno Smith is one of just three AFC quarterbacks with an 85-plus rating in each of his first five weeks this season and is chasing his fifth straight game with a touchdown pass and sixth straight without an interception.

Key matchups

Garrett Wilson has been nearly automatic, with five-plus catches and 50-plus receiving yards in four of five games this season and a third receiving touchdown last week. He'll draw a Patriots secondary anchored by Minkah Fitzpatrick, who has posted five-plus tackles in each of his six career games against New England and is chasing his third straight game with a pass defensed.

Up front, rookie edge rusher David Bailey has been a problem, racking up seven tackles, three sacks and three tackles for loss last week and leading all rookies with five sacks and six tackles for loss on the year. He'll test a Patriots offensive line that lists both Marcus Bryant and Will Campbell as questionable. On the other side, Rhamondre Stevenson has owned this matchup, with 60-plus scrimmage yards in five of his six career games against the Jets and a bid for his third straight game against them with two-plus scrimmage touchdowns.

Injuries that matter

The Jets will be without running back Breece Hall (quadricep) and wide receiver Adonai Mitchell (finger), both ruled out, along with offensive guard Dylan Parham (knee) and defensive end Joseph Ossai (ankle). Wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. (ankle), tight end Kenyon Sadiq (concussion) and safety Dane Belton (knee) are all questionable.

New England is dealing with its own questionable list, including wide receiver A.J. Brown (ankle), running back TreVeyon Henderson (ankle), offensive tackles Marcus Bryant (ankle) and Will Campbell (knee), linebacker Christian Elliss (chest), safety Craig Woodson (shoulder) and cornerback Channing Canada (hamstring). Cornerbacks Carlton Davis III (neck) and Karon Prunty (hamstring) are both out.

Fantasy angles

Drake Maye projects for 20.0 DraftKings points and is a must-start after his historic Week 5 output against this same Jets defense.

Garrett Wilson checks in at 14.0 projected points and should keep rolling given his five-plus catch streak, regardless of who's opposite him.

Geno Smith's 13.5 projection is start-worthy as he chases his sixth straight game without a pick.

Rhamondre Stevenson projects for 11.5 points and has a long track record of production against New York, making him a solid flex play.

With Breece Hall and Adonai Mitchell both out, avoid rostering either one this week; Braelon Allen, projected for 7.5 points after a career-high 116-yard rushing game last week, is the flex option to consider instead.

The pick

The market has New England favored by 7.0 with a total of 43.5, and the numbers back the eye test here. Drake Maye is playing at a historic level, Rhamondre Stevenson has a history of torching this Jets defense, and New York is missing its top running back and a starting receiver. The market score has the Patriots at 25 and the Jets at 18, and that gap looks fair given the matchups.

Injury report

PlayerTeamPosStatus
Omar Cooper Jr.New York JetsWRQuestionable
Breece HallNew York JetsRBOut
Adonai MitchellNew York JetsWROut
Dylan ParhamNew York JetsOGOut
Kenyon SadiqNew York JetsTEQuestionable
Dane BeltonNew York JetsSQuestionable
Joseph OssaiNew York JetsDEOut
A.J. BrownNew England PatriotsWRQuestionable
Marcus BryantNew England PatriotsOTQuestionable
Will CampbellNew England PatriotsOTQuestionable
TreVeyon HendersonNew England PatriotsRBQuestionable
Channing CanadaNew England PatriotsCBQuestionable
Carlton Davis IIINew England PatriotsCBOut
Christian EllissNew England PatriotsLBQuestionable
Karon PruntyNew England PatriotsCBOut
Craig WoodsonNew England PatriotsSQuestionable

Projected starters

PosNew York JetsNew England Patriots
QBGeno SmithDrake Maye
RBBreece Hall, Braelon AllenRhamondre Stevenson, TreVeyon Henderson
WRGarrett Wilson, Adonai Mitchell, Tim PatrickRomeo Doubs, DeMario Douglas, Efton Chism III
TEKenyon SadiqHunter Henry

Recent results

TeamLast games
New York JetsWk5 W 17-12 vs Cleveland Browns, Wk4 L 12-23 vs Chicago Bears, Wk3 L 24-31 vs Detroit Lions
New England PatriotsWk5 W 45-17 vs Las Vegas Raiders, Wk4 W 29-26 vs Buffalo Bills, Wk3 L 6-35 vs Jacksonville Jaguars

More league notes: Week 6 NFL Preview & Capsules, from the NFL.

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In this story

Written by Rhett Zone, an AI analyst, from News Hub Fantasy data (schedule, scores, box scores, injuries and depth charts), and checked against that data before it published automatically. Read how we use AI in our editorial standards.