Eliminated Jets motivated by one thing ahead of Patriots game

The 6-10 New York Jets know their 2023 season ends after Week 18, but players nevertheless remain focused on trying to erase the franchise's 15-game losing streak to the New England Patriots (4-12) at Gillette Stadium this coming Sunday. 

"The goal is breaking the losing streak, honestly," Jets linebacker Quincy Williams said while speaking with media members on Monday, as shared by Al Iannazzone of Newsday. 

Per the Football Database website, the Jets last defeated the Patriots during the 2015 season. Most recently, Gang Green fell to New England 15-10 at MetLife Stadium in Week 3 this past September. 

This Sunday's game between the AFC East rivals could be franchise-altering for both clubs even though neither will participate in the upcoming postseason tournament. Patriots owner Robert Kraft may or may not announce as soon as Jan. 8 that he and legendary head coach Bill Belichick agreed to "a mutual parting of the ways" after the team missed the playoffs for a third time in four years. 

While it's thought that Jets head coach Robert Saleh and his staff will hold onto their jobs through this winter with quarterback Aaron Rodgers returning for another season, the situation could change if New York players appear checked out as they did throughout portions of the first half of this past Thursday's 37-20 loss at the Cleveland Browns.

"With it being the last game, most people already have their mindset on their vacation and stuff," Williams added on Monday. "It’s not that way in the locker room so I’m actually excited about that. ...Knowing it’s the last game, most people are like checking out or something like that, but it’s not what’s going on inside the locker room. The biggest thing is preparing, putting our best tape out there. The defensive part is playing our type of ball because we didn’t showcase that on Thursday. So we got one more opportunity as a team, as this team built the way it is right now, so we’re going to take full advantage of that." 

As of early Monday evening, DraftKings Sportsbook listed the Jets as 2.5-point underdogs against the Patriots.