The 2013 NFL season isn’t even two weeks old, and already the scheduling gods are smiling upon NFL fans and fantasy football buffs alike. Tonight’s Thursday Night Football game on ESPN features the New York Jets vs. New England Patriots, an AFC rivalry that’s always hot but takes on added meaning considering the Jets’ quarterback situation. Without question, if you’re unable to watch the game on TV or the Xbox 360 ESPN app, you’ll want to watch New York Jets vs New England Patriots live streaming online.
Tom Brady and the New England Patriots are consistently a red-circle date on all NFL teams’ calendars, particularly for the New York Jets. These two AFC teams always deliver a must-watch rivalry game, but this 2013 outing has more intrigue than ever. Mark Sanchez has not only been replaced by Geno Smith as the Jet’s starting QB, but it was revealed today that Sanchez requires surgery for his injured right shoulder and will be out for the season. So whether you watch New York Jets vs New England Patriots live streaming online or via your Xbox 360’s ESPN app, you’ll want to pay particular attention to Smith’s performance against Tom Brady. How will the rookie quarterback handle the pressure against one of the Jets’ biggest rivals and, frankly, one of the quarterbacks against which all QBs are judged?
Kickoff for tonight’s NFL Thursday Night Football game between the Jets and Patriots is 8:25pm Eastern / 5:25pm Pacific. We’ll all find out then whether Geno Smith vs. Tom Brady will add an epic chapter to the AFC rivalry, or whether it will continue the Pats’ recent dominance. The Patriots have won four of the past five games against the Jets. Can Smith’s ability to run and pass change that trend, or will the rookie falter under the pressure? If Smith and the Jets win, Mark Sanchez’s one-way ticket out of New York will be all but stamped.
As ESPN reported, “when Sanchez was injured Aug. 24, while playing behind a second-team offensive line, he appeared to be on the verge of claiming the starting job after a training camp battle with Smith.” Now that Sanchez is out for the season, the pressure on Geno Smith has skyrocketed, particularly as the now-de-facto Jets starting quarterback goes up against Tom Brady.
Smith’s first start came Sunday against Tampa Bay, where he led the Jets to an 18-17 victory. Smith had some missteps, including a fumble and an interception, but he also led a late drive that resulted in the winning score. His final stat line was 24 for 38 for 256 yards passing and a touchdown, and he led the team in rushing with 47 yards. Can Smith duplicate those stats and lead the Jets to victory in this key rivalry game? You’ll find out if you watch New York Jets vs New England Patriots live streaming online, on ESPN, or via the ESPN app on Xbox 360.
Interestingly, tonight’s game isn’t just anticipated by fans, but by players as well. Tom Brady himself called the rivalry “awesome,” and that was before Mark Sanchez was declared out for the season leaving Geno Smith to go head-to-head against Tom Brady. Brady’s performance Sunday against the Buffalo Bills was admirable, as he led a 49-yard 12-play drive that included two complete passes on pivotal third downs.
The Patriots are currently an 11.5-point home favorite, so there’s some extra motivation to watch New York Jets vs New England Patriots live streaming if you’ve got money on the line. Jets QB Geno Smith will surely be under scrutiny, but frankly, so will Patriots QB Brady. The Pats won last week, but they eeked it out during a crucial drive against the Bills. With Rob Gronkowski apparently still out of commission, Brady’s got extra pressure to perform. Most people would give the nod to Bill Belichick over Rex Ryan in the coaching department, but all things being equal, the final score could be closer than the oddsmakers claim. If you can’t catch the game live on ESPN or via the Xbox 360 app, make sure you watch New York Jets vs New England Patriots live streaming tonight. Here are a few links: NFL Game Pass, Verizon’s NFL Mobile App.