Patriots Demario Douglas Leads 3 to Watch vs. Jets

As the New England Patriots prepare to face the New York Jets in Week 3, Patriots Country highlights three players to watch.

The New England Patriots are hoping to avoid an 0-3 start for the first time since 2000, as they face the New York Jets in Week 3 of the 2023 NFL season. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. ET on Sunday at MetLife Stadium.

Despite rallying into the game's closing seconds for the second straight week, New England dropped its Week 2 matchup 24-17 to the Miami Dolphins in Foxboro. Following their surprising victory over the Buffalo Bills in their season-opener, the Jets fell 30-10 to the Dallas Cowboys last Sunday. 

Though many Patriots players are expected to garner some attention during Sunday's matchup, here are three players that might raise an eyebrow when the Pats take the field against the Jets.

Demario 'Pop' Douglas

The collective eyes of Patriots Nation will be on Douglas on Sunday for many reasons. In only New England's second offensive series during last week's loss to the Dolphins, the Pats rookie receiver halted what was becoming a promising drive by fumbling his third-down catch while attempting a cut to gain significant yardage after his reception. Miami capitalized on the turnover by adding a touchdown of their own, while Douglas spent the remainder of the game on the bench. 

Still, the Patriots' coaching staff must recognize that Douglas' shiftiness and speed make him one of the most explosive playmakers on the roster. As such, is expected to see a dramatic increase in his snaps and targets. Despite his 5-8, 180-pound frame, the Liberty product is most effective out of the slot in short yardage. In order to compensate for the usual height differential with his opponent, he has developed a knack of anticipating defenders attacking him — a strategy which has served him well to date. However, he also has the skill set to evades tacklers when he has the ball in his hands in open space. As a result, Douglas’ acceleration and speed may be essential to helping Mac Jones and the Pats offense put the Jets on their heels early —especially if their defense mistakenly plays him in soft coverage. 

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Calvin Anderson

Despite the absence of rookie lineman Sidy Sow (concussion,) New England's offensive line has the chance to be at its healthiest since the start of the season. Startin left tackle Trent Brown is expected to return to the lineup, while second-year guard Cole Strange should help anchor the left side. After splitting time with rookie Atonio Mafi in Week 2, starting right guard Michael Onwenu is likley to see an increase in snaps.  

Still, the Pats are not without their question marks along an overall struggling line. With Sow out, Calvin Anderson is expected to get the start at right tackle. Anderson was credited with allowing a sack on Jones, while surrendering three quarterback hits during last week's loss to the Dolphins. The veteran tackle had his share of difficulties in containing Dolphins' edge rusher Andrew Van Ginkel, whose speed and spin moves got the better of him on several occasions. In Week 3, the task gets even more difficult against Jets edge rusher Bryce Huff. With Huff's speed, as well as defensive end John Franklin-Myers providing pressure in base formations, Anderson will need to prove himself up to the formidable challenge posed by New York's defensive front. 

Perimeter Cornerback: Next Man Up?

With Jonathan Jones ruled out for Week 3, the Pats will turn to their already thin cornerback depth to fill the spot along the perimeter, opposite rookie Christian Gonzalez. Despite his ability to align in multiple positions within the Pats secondary, Jalen Mills played a majority of his time at perimeter corner for the past two seasons. Despite missing seven games last season, Mills was able to log 31 tackles, five pass break-ups and intercept two passes. In the process, he held opposing quarterbacks to completing only 27-of-45 for 333 yards when targeting him. Though he has seemingly made a positional switch to safety, his multi-faceted skill set will allow him to provide Gonzalez with assistance on the boundary.

Gonzalez, in turn, will have his hands full in attempting to contain New York's top wideout Garrett Wilson

Reserve corner Shaun Wade is the definition of potential versus performance. In seven games played for the Pats since 2021, he has compiled just five tackles (one for loss) in limited duty. At his best, Wade is aggressive at the catch point, while showing an ability to read his opponent. Despite a limited pro resume, he should receive plenty of attention, as well as opportunity to make an impression. Given his abilities to align either in the slot or on the outside, Wade may now get the chance to showcase his versatility for the first time at the pro level.