Bedard: Unless offense flips a switch, it will be up to the Patriots defense again vs. stingy Jets

A few picked up pieces after watching the Jets' upset of the Cowboys:

- I expect this to be another slog for the offense, though, with 11 days off between games, you expect them to get a few things figured out. The Patriots aren't going to transform overnight, but I would expect Josh McDaniels and Dante Scarnecchia to have basically started from scratch, starting with the question: "OK, what are we good at?" And then start to build off that.

- Areas of the game that I think can be built on: the Patriots' play-action/run-action has been good most of the time, even without the running game. The inside zone runs have been OK when the guards are getting on the linebackers, which will need to happen with excellent Jets LB C.J. Mosley expected back after missing the first matchup. Some good practice reps from both the line and the backs can help the running game execute at a higher level. I expect we'll see improvement with that this week.

- If we don't, there could be real trouble. As good as Mosley is, he's the type of player that the Patriots in the past would routinely wipe out of the game. If he's effective, that's a bad sign in my mind.

- This is a very important stretch for the offense — well, as much as it can be after last season when we saw the passing offense basically be mediocre until Week 16 — with the meat of their schedule coming up after the Jets and Browns game: at Ravens, bye, at Eagles, vs. Cowboys, at Texas, vs. Chiefs. After playing nobody for the first eight games, the Patriots suddenly have to ramp up about two levels. Sure, no team is perfect and the Patriots' defense is going to be hard to beat, but that's a really tough run of games. I think a 3-2 run would be fine, with three tough road tests on the docket. 4-1 would be terrific.

- Jets defensive coordinator Gregg Williams and his unit did a nice job on the Patriots after falling behind 20-0 thanks to some really bad coverage busts. They were much better after that, as the Patriots only had one drive longer than five plays. Only three of 10 drives gained more than 20 yards.

- Brady completed 11 of 13 passes for 154 yards in the first quarter. He was 17 of 32 for 152 yards after that. Brady was only pressured on 22.9 percent of his dropbacks, as the Jets played a lot of coverage.

- Jets safety Jamal Adams is a bad man and has to be accounted for. I think he's now the best strong safety in the game and Williams uses him as the tip of the spear. He was blowing up inside running plays by himself. One collision with Adams started Julian Edelman — the slot has to block a lot of box safeties in the Patriots' running game — on a downward trajectory with his health.

- Going from Luke Falk to Sam Darnold completely changes the defensive gameplan for the Patriots because he's really good and can make all the throws. The Patriots knew Falk wasn't going to beat them so they were hyper-aggressive: 29 percent blitzes, 45 percent pressure and they stuffed the run an amazing 63 percent of the time because they could stack the box.

- Darnold is good, but this Jets offense is really hamstrung by their offensive line. LG Alex Lewis is a good player, and LT Kelvin Beachum has his moments, but C Ryan Kalil and RG Brian Winters are shells of themselves, and RT Chuma Edoga is just terrible. Overall, the line is unathletic — expect a lot of games from the Patriots — and can't run block. Le'Veon Bell signed with the wrong team.

- So I think Darnold needs to slow down this talk, considering his offensive line: "Right now we’re just missing Chris (Herndon), once all the guys are back together, I think we’re unstoppable as an offense or we can be. It’s up to us how we execute or how well we go out there and play. It’s really up to us how many points we score, I think. I think we’re capable of scoring so many points. Our offensive line, too, they played well the last game, with the way we’ve been running the ball and the way they’ve been protecting, I think sky’s the limit for us.” Settle down, bud.

- Patrick Chung and/or Terrence Brooks have to do a good job against TE Ryan Griffin, who is Darnold's security blanket and a player Adam Gase likes to isolate in the red zone.

- Former Patriots Demaryius Thomas had some nice production last week, but he is soooo slow. At one point, he screwed up the timing on a designed deep shot to Robbie Anderson. Thomas was so slow getting down the field compared to the scheme timing of the play that Anderson clipped him and couldn't make a play on the ball. The play was designed for Thomas to be long gone and to draw coverage from the safety as well. Instead, it was just a mess. I wouldn't be surprised if the Patriots just stuffed Thomas at the line with JC Jackson.

- Anderson did have a 92-yard touchdown last week on a stutter-and-go, but the cornerback was terrible on the play and the free safety was worse. Watch your angles, Duron Harmon. Stephon Gilmore can also get grabby on those routes, but this is a prime-time game so he'll be good to go. I would be more worried if it was a 1 p.m. game.

- Gilmore has owned Anderson in their four previous matchups, where Anderson has totaled just nine catches for 59 yards.

- If there's a play designer who can finally take advantage of Jackson, if he gets into the game, it would be Gase. He always has a nice script but then things go off the rails.

GAME PICK

Line: Patriots -9.5. O/U: 44. Season: (6-0, 4-2 ATS).

Normally, I would think this would be one of those typical late/post Rex Jets games where New York would hang around for a while and then the defense or special teams would come up with a score that started the rout. And with this defense, that's certainly possible. But I think Williams, Adams and Mosley make a big difference as the Jets play a simple scheme that the players can execute. Plus, this is one of the least efficient Patriots offenses during Tom Brady's run. And Darnold is a gamer with some weapons, and Gase has always been an effective playcaller against the Patriots. This may come down to how well the Jets line can hold up. I'm guessing not well enough.

Patriots 24, Jets 17.