← Week 6

NYJatNE

Jets at Patriots

Sun 18 Oct · 17:00 UTC · Gillette Stadium · outdoors · Regular season · Divisional game
FinalNYJ 19 – 26 NE

Scored · generated 18 Oct, 16:47 UTC · Publicly verifiable before kickoff (first public evidence 18 Oct, 16:47 UTC) · model v1.0-2026-rest-of-season (frozen)

Prediction

Model pickNE −7.0Tiny edge · about a coin flip (0.16 pts)Locked 13 Oct, 17:00 UTCAt lock: line NE −7.0 · model NE −7.16 · stats-only NE −8.42Model pick: the side of the market line on which the model's projected margin fell at the first forecast with a market line (the rule for games from 1 to 20 October 2026), graded against that line. It is not a probability of finishing on that side of the line. Edge: how far the model's projected margin was from the line (under 0.5 points is about a coin flip). Stats-only: the football-only model, which uses no market line. Big gap: the stats-only number was at least 3 points from the line when the pick was locked (Biggest gap: at least 4 points); a prompt to check why the market disagrees, not a recommendation.
Market line
NE −7.0
Model line
NE −7.2
Market total
42.5
Model total
43.1
Stats-only line
NE −8.4
Stats-only total
43.5
Projected winner
NE 73% · by 7.2
Details: how the model pick works

Projected margin NE by 7.16; the line implied NE by 7.00. Difference 0.16 points toward NE (tiny). Differences under 0.5 points are labelled tiny and are within normal noise; 0.5–1.5 small, 1.5–3 moderate, 3 or more large.

The model pick is the side of the market line on which the model's unrounded projected margin fell when it was locked, at the first forecast with a market line (the rule for games from 1 to 20 October 2026). It stays the same if the line or the forecast changes later, and it is graded against the line it was locked at. Market line, model line, totals and the projected winner are from the latest forecast. The win probability belongs to the projected winner only; it is not a probability of finishing on that side of the line. For analysis and education only.

Result: Model pick level with the line · margin error 0.2 (actual margin NE by 7.0).

Expected score (Combined (market spread/total + football))NYJ 18.0 – 25.1 NEMeans, not a predicted final score.
Projected winnerNE 73%NYJ 27% · tie 0.4%
Projected margin · totalNE by 7.2 · 43.180%: NYJ by 9 to NE by 24 · total 27.8–60.7

Model comparison

ModelNYJNEMarginTotalP(NE win)95% margin range80% total range
Model (combined)18.025.1NE by 7.243.173%NYJ by 17 to NE by 3427.8–60.7
Stats-only (football only)17.526.0NE by 8.443.577%NYJ by 17 to NE by 3627.3–60.8
Market only17.824.8NE by 7.042.572%NYJ by 18 to NE by 3427.5–60.5

Market inputs: NE −7.0, total 42.5 · source: The Odds API (median of 9 US market lines) · provider updated 18 Oct, 16:45 UTC · retrieved by us 18 Oct, 16:46 UTC. These two numbers are inputs to the combined model; nothing else from the market is used.

Where the stats-only margin comes from

Points each part of the football data adds, in the colour of the team it favours.

Stats-only lineNE −8.4
Jets +0.6 ptsPatriots +9.0 pts
Overall efficiencyOverall efficiency: NE +2.0
Scoring and red zoneScoring and red zone: NE +2.0
Home fieldHome field: NE +1.9
Passing gamePassing game: NE +1.6
Pace and play stylePace and play style: NE +0.9
Turnovers and field positionTurnovers and field position: NYJ +0.6
QuarterbacksQuarterbacks: NE +0.4
Running gameRunning game: NE +0.3
Total = stats-only lineNE +8.4

From the football-only model, which uses no market line. Each bar points toward the team that part of the data favours; together they add up to the stats-only line. 2 groups under 0.05 points not shown. The groups overlap (a team that passes well also tends to score well), so read them together; this describes the fitted model, not football cause and effect. The model line is built from the market line and is not split this way.

How they rate

Percentile among the 28 teams playing this week, as of this forecast: 100 is the best in that measure, 50 is average. Defence measures are turned round so that higher is always better.

Jets (NYJ)Patriots (NE)

Offence

Overall (opponent-adjusted)Overall (opponent-adjusted): NYJ 11th percentile, NE 78th percentile
Passing (EPA per dropback)Passing (EPA per dropback): NYJ 11th percentile, NE 81st percentile
Rushing (EPA per carry)Rushing (EPA per carry): NYJ 37th percentile, NE 33rd percentile
Success rateSuccess rate: NYJ 19th percentile, NE 81st percentile
Points per drivePoints per drive: NYJ 7th percentile, NE 52nd percentile
Avoiding sacksAvoiding sacks: NYJ 7th percentile, NE 19th percentile

Defence

Overall (opponent-adjusted)Overall (opponent-adjusted): NYJ 30th percentile, NE 81st percentile
Pass defence (EPA allowed)Pass defence (EPA allowed): NYJ 15th percentile, NE 89th percentile
Run defence (EPA allowed)Run defence (EPA allowed): NYJ 67th percentile, NE 33rd percentile
Success rate allowedSuccess rate allowed: NYJ 19th percentile, NE 85th percentile
Points per drive allowedPoints per drive allowed: NYJ 26th percentile, NE 96th percentile
Pass rush (sack rate)Pass rush (sack rate): NYJ 81st percentile, NE 52nd percentile

Quarterback

Expected starting QB ratingExpected starting QB rating: NYJ 15th percentile, NE 78th percentile

Per-play efficiency entering the game (EPA = expected points added), weighted towards recent games and, early in the season, still partly last season. These are the same football inputs the stats-only line is built from. Display only.

Coaching staff

NYJ

Head coachAaron Glenn2nd season
Offensive coordinatorFrank ReichNew this season
Defensive coordinatorBrian DukerNew this season

NE

Head coachMike Vrabel2nd season
Offensive coordinatorJosh McDaniels2nd season
Defensive coordinatorZak KuhrNew this season

Seasons in that role with this team ("+": at least, our records start in 2015). Staff from Wikipedia season pages (CC BY-SA); who calls the plays on game day is not always the coordinator. Display only: a test of giving last season less weight after coaching or roster changes (2019–2024) did not improve the forecasts, so the model does not use this.

Lineup assumptions

NYJ: Geno Smith 99.6%

Start scenarioProbability
Geno Smith99.6%
Cade Klubnik0.4%
Evidence for each quarterback
QBChartStatusIf next in line
Geno SmithQB1Not on report99.6%
Cade KlubnikQB2Not on report99%
  • Geno Smith (not on published report): not on the team's published report; historical start rate 0.996 (416/417, 90% interval 0.99-1.00; daily depth charts)
  • Cade Klubnik (not on published report): not on the team's published report; historical start rate 0.986 (34/34, 90% interval 0.95-1.00; daily depth charts)

Depth chart snapshot 2026-10-18 12:02 UTC. Injury data observed 2026-10-18 16:45 UTC.

NE: Drake Maye 99%

Start scenarioProbability
Drake Maye99%
Tommy DeVito1%
Evidence for each quarterback
QBChartStatusIf next in line
Drake MayeQB1None99%
Tommy DeVitoQB2Not on report99%
Behren MortonQB3Not on report99%
  • Drake Maye (injury report): practice: Full Participation in Practice; historical start rate 0.988 (96/97, 90% interval 0.97-1.00; daily depth charts; by final practice (Full))
  • Tommy DeVito (not on published report): not on the team's published report; historical start rate 0.986 (34/34, 90% interval 0.95-1.00; daily depth charts)
  • Behren Morton (not on published report): not on the team's published report; historical start rate 0.986 (34/34, 90% interval 0.95-1.00; daily depth charts)

Depth chart snapshot 2026-10-18 12:02 UTC. Injury data observed 2026-10-18 16:45 UTC.

Injury report (25 players: 6 out, 10 questionable)
TeamPlayerPosDepth chartInjuryPracticeGame status
NYJAdonai MitchellWRWR2FingerDid not practiseOut
NYJBreece HallRBRB1QuadricepDid not practiseOut
NYJDylan ParhamGLG1KneeDid not practiseOut
NYJJoseph OssaiDELDE2AnkleDid not practiseOut
NECarlton Davis IIICBLCB1NeckDid not practiseOut
NEKaron PruntyCBRCB3HamstringDid not practiseOut
NEA.J. BrownWRWR1AnkleLimitedQuestionable
NEChanning CanadaCBLCB2HamstringLimitedQuestionable
NEMarcus BryantTRT3AnkleLimitedQuestionable
NETreVeyon HendersonRBRB2AnkleLimitedQuestionable
NEWill CampbellTLT1KneeLimitedQuestionable
NYJDane BeltonSSS1KneeFullQuestionable
NYJKenyon SadiqTETE1ConcussionFullQuestionable
NYJOmar Cooper Jr.WRWR3AnkleFullQuestionable
NEChristian EllissLBLILB1ChestFullQuestionable
NECraig WoodsonSSS1ShoulderFullQuestionable
NEMorgan MosesTRT1FootLimited—
NYJFrancisco MauigoaLBSLB1QuadricepFull—
NECharles WoodsCBRCB2ShoulderFull—
NEChristian GonzalezCBRCB1ShoulderFull—
NECory DurdenDTNT1IllnessFull—
NEDrake MayeQBQB1ShoulderFull—
NEDre'Mont JonesLBSLB1ShoulderFull—
NEKevin ByardSFS1ChestFull—
NEMarcus JonesCBNB1AnkleFull—

From the official NFL injury report as carried by nflverse (data last changed 18 Oct, 06:01 UTC; we last checked 18 Oct, 16:45 UTC), shown as of kickoff. Most serious first. Depth chart: position and order on the team's latest depth chart before this report (usual starters in bold: first at the position, receivers 1–3). For this game, game statuses (Out, Doubtful, Questionable) come with the final report on Friday 16 Oct. The data feed can lag the league's own report, at times by a day or more, so check the official injury report on NFL.com and team announcements before kickoff. Display only: injuries other than at quarterback are not model inputs (tested; the market line usually reflects them).

What moved the combined model

FeatureEffect (pts)
NYJ sack rate taken+0.02
NE points allowed per game+0.02
NYJ pass defense EPA/dropback allowed-0.01
NYJ points per drive allowed-0.01
NE explosive runs allowed+0.01

Largest contributions to the model's adjustment of the market margin (positive favours NE). This explains the fitted model, not football cause and effect. The adjustments are small because validation showed the market line is hard to improve on.

Weather (display only)

10.0 °C, wind 5.2 km/h (gusts 6.5), precipitation 0.0 mm at kickoff.

Open-Meteo forecast observed 2026-10-18 14:15 UTC, 2.7 h before kickoff. Weather is not a model input: it did not pass the feature-group evaluation (see Performance).

Data freshness at this forecast

All sources were fresh and complete at the cutoff.

SourceStateProvider updatedLast checked by us
Injury reportsfresh2026-10-18 12:02 UTC2026-10-18 16:45 UTC
Depth chartsfresh2026-10-18 12:02 UTC2026-10-18 16:45 UTC
Rostersfresh2026-10-18 12:04 UTC2026-10-18 16:45 UTC
Market line (The Odds API)fresh2026-10-18 16:45 UTC2026-10-18 16:46 UTC

Market line age at the cutoff: 0 h. A source counts as stale if the provider has not updated it for 36 h (8 days for rosters) or we have not re-checked it for 36 h.

Team efficiency entering the game

As-of values at the forecast cutoff: exponentially weighted, shrunk toward league average, prior-season games down-weighted.

MeasureNYJNE
Offense EPA / play-0.0730.045
Defense EPA / play allowed0.036-0.050
Passing EPA / dropback-0.0570.139
Pass defense EPA / dropback0.122-0.054
Rushing EPA / rush-0.092-0.098
Run defense EPA / rush-0.084-0.041
Points / drive1.662.02
Points / drive allowed2.251.73
Sack rate taken8.7%7.2%
Sack rate generated6.9%6.2%
Opponent-adjusted offense-0.0500.040
Opponent-adjusted defense-0.0180.040
Expected QB (EPA / dropback, shrunk)-0.0650.074
Games this season55

Forecast history

Generated (cutoff)Public evidenceNYJNEMarginTotalP(NE)MarketStateVerificationArchive
13 Oct, 17:00 UTC13 Oct, 17:00 UTC18.525.6NE by 7.244.173%NE −7.0 / 43.5SupersededPublicly verifiable before kickoffsha d1bdfb7960… · timestamped Oct 13 17:00:47 2026 GMT · Web Archive copy
13 Oct, 18:16 UTC13 Oct, 18:16 UTC18.525.6NE by 7.244.173%NE −7.0 / 43.5SupersededPublicly verifiable before kickoffsha 28119b5ce9… · timestamped Oct 13 18:16:07 2026 GMT · Web Archive copy
14 Oct, 00:46 UTC14 Oct, 00:46 UTC18.525.6NE by 7.244.173%NE −7.0 / 43.5SupersededPublicly verifiable before kickoffsha 18e5e27fe5… · timestamped Oct 14 00:46:08 2026 GMT · Web Archive copy
14 Oct, 06:16 UTC14 Oct, 06:16 UTC18.525.6NE by 7.244.173%NE −7.0 / 43.5SupersededPublicly verifiable before kickoffsha 2bb66de06a… · timestamped Oct 14 06:16:35 2026 GMT · Web Archive copy
14 Oct, 07:15 UTC14 Oct, 07:16 UTC18.525.6NE by 7.244.173%NE −7.0 / 43.5SupersededPublicly verifiable before kickoffsha bf092cc947… · timestamped Oct 14 07:16:04 2026 GMT · Web Archive copy
14 Oct, 14:47 UTC14 Oct, 14:47 UTC18.525.6NE by 7.244.173%NE −7.0 / 43.5SupersededPublicly verifiable before kickoffsha 252cd4abd4… · timestamped Oct 14 14:47:27 2026 GMT · Web Archive copy
14 Oct, 21:16 UTC14 Oct, 21:16 UTC18.525.6NE by 7.244.173%NE −7.0 / 43.5SupersededPublicly verifiable before kickoffsha 60e55e03ed… · timestamped Oct 14 21:16:21 2026 GMT · Web Archive copy
15 Oct, 15:05 UTC15 Oct, 15:06 UTC18.525.6NE by 7.244.173%NE −7.0 / 43.5SupersededPublicly verifiable before kickoffsha 4bb1937bfb… · timestamped Oct 15 15:06:05 2026 GMT · Web Archive copy
15 Oct, 17:16 UTC15 Oct, 17:16 UTC18.525.6NE by 7.244.173%NE −7.0 / 43.5SupersededPublicly verifiable before kickoffsha 74b683e226… · timestamped Oct 15 17:16:25 2026 GMT · Web Archive copy
15 Oct, 20:16 UTC15 Oct, 20:16 UTC18.525.6NE by 7.244.173%NE −7.0 / 43.5SupersededPublicly verifiable before kickoffsha c10a1a08c3… · timestamped Oct 15 20:16:30 2026 GMT · Web Archive copy
15 Oct, 20:46 UTC15 Oct, 20:46 UTC18.525.6NE by 7.244.173%NE −7.0 / 43.5SupersededPublicly verifiable before kickoffsha 03848b1cbb… · timestamped Oct 15 20:46:42 2026 GMT · Web Archive copy
15 Oct, 21:16 UTC15 Oct, 21:16 UTC18.525.6NE by 7.244.173%NE −7.0 / 43.5SupersededPublicly verifiable before kickoffsha c546721395… · timestamped Oct 15 21:16:33 2026 GMT · Web Archive copy
15 Oct, 23:16 UTC15 Oct, 23:17 UTC18.525.6NE by 7.244.173%NE −7.0 / 43.5SupersededPublicly verifiable before kickoffsha c945479548… · timestamped Oct 15 23:17:05 2026 GMT · Web Archive copy
16 Oct, 00:46 UTC16 Oct, 00:47 UTC18.525.6NE by 7.244.173%NE −7.0 / 43.5SupersededPublicly verifiable before kickoffsha 13c7adb640… · timestamped Oct 16 00:47:06 2026 GMT · Web Archive copy
16 Oct, 16:06 UTC16 Oct, 16:06 UTC18.525.6NE by 7.244.173%NE −7.0 / 43.5SupersededPublicly verifiable before kickoffsha aa172a3c4f… · timestamped Oct 16 16:06:32 2026 GMT · Web Archive copy
16 Oct, 22:16 UTC16 Oct, 22:16 UTC18.525.6NE by 7.244.173%NE −7.0 / 43.5SupersededPublicly verifiable before kickoffsha ba504f3481… · timestamped Oct 16 22:16:48 2026 GMT · Web Archive copy
17 Oct, 00:17 UTC17 Oct, 00:17 UTC18.525.6NE by 7.244.173%NE −7.0 / 43.5SupersededPublicly verifiable before kickoffsha f976ceb4c8… · timestamped Oct 17 00:17:09 2026 GMT · Web Archive copy
17 Oct, 04:46 UTC17 Oct, 04:46 UTC18.525.6NE by 7.244.173%NE −7.0 / 43.5SupersededPublicly verifiable before kickoffsha 59c2ec7341… · timestamped Oct 17 04:46:31 2026 GMT · Web Archive copy
17 Oct, 06:16 UTC17 Oct, 06:17 UTC18.525.6NE by 7.244.173%NE −7.0 / 43.5SupersededPublicly verifiable before kickoffsha f50014f83f… · timestamped Oct 17 06:17:07 2026 GMT · Web Archive copy
17 Oct, 17:16 UTC17 Oct, 17:17 UTC18.525.6NE by 7.244.173%NE −7.0 / 43.5SupersededPublicly verifiable before kickoffsha 16b6a1b527… · timestamped Oct 17 17:16:53 2026 GMT · Web Archive copy
17 Oct, 23:17 UTC17 Oct, 23:17 UTC18.525.6NE by 7.244.173%NE −7.0 / 43.5SupersededPublicly verifiable before kickoffsha df72220584… · timestamped Oct 17 23:17:35 2026 GMT · Web Archive copy
18 Oct, 05:46 UTC18 Oct, 05:46 UTC18.525.6NE by 7.244.173%NE −7.0 / 43.5SupersededPublicly verifiable before kickoffsha 91241513fc… · timestamped Oct 18 05:46:17 2026 GMT · Web Archive copy
18 Oct, 06:16 UTC18 Oct, 06:16 UTC18.525.6NE by 7.244.173%NE −7.0 / 43.5SupersededPublicly verifiable before kickoffsha b3093adbcc… · timestamped Oct 18 06:16:07 2026 GMT · Web Archive copy
18 Oct, 11:46 UTC18 Oct, 11:46 UTC18.025.6NE by 7.743.674%NE −7.5 / 43.0SupersededPublicly verifiable before kickoffsha 0e806c4385… · timestamped Oct 18 11:46:48 2026 GMT · Web Archive copy
18 Oct, 12:46 UTC18 Oct, 12:46 UTC18.225.4NE by 7.243.673%NE −7.0 / 43.0SupersededPublicly verifiable before kickoffsha c3cbe56bb8… · timestamped Oct 18 12:46:14 2026 GMT · Web Archive copy
18 Oct, 15:46 UTC18 Oct, 15:47 UTC18.025.1NE by 7.243.173%NE −7.0 / 42.5SupersededPublicly verifiable before kickoffsha 87e1db4a5d… · timestamped Oct 18 15:46:48 2026 GMT · Web Archive copy
18 Oct, 16:17 UTC18 Oct, 16:17 UTC18.025.1NE by 7.243.173%NE −7.0 / 42.5SupersededPublicly verifiable before kickoffsha 48eb4d731a… · timestamped Oct 18 16:17:30 2026 GMT · Web Archive copy
18 Oct, 16:47 UTC18 Oct, 16:47 UTC18.025.1NE by 7.243.173%NE −7.0 / 42.5ScoredPublicly verifiable before kickoffsha d545a799ab… · timestamped Oct 18 16:47:12 2026 GMT · Web Archive copy

Every version is kept. The information cutoff of each version is its generation time. The highlighted row is the current version: the latest valid version generated before kickoff. Before kickoff it may still be replaced; at kickoff it is locked; once the game is final it is scored. Versions that failed validation are never shown as current or scored. "Public evidence" is GitHub's own record of when the file was first pushed, independent of this project's clock. Each version is also archived outside GitHub Actions: its SHA-256 hash, an RFC 3161 trusted timestamp (proves the exact file existed at that time) and an Internet Archive copy of the public file (checked byte-for-byte against the hash).

Result vs forecast

Actual margin NE by 7.0 (forecast NE by 7.2, error 0.2 pts); actual total 45 (forecast 43.1, error 1.9).