EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsFOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Quick-hit thoughts and notes around the New England Patriots and NFL:1. Rookie report: The Patriots (355) have had rookies play more snaps on special teams than every team but the Colts (403) entering Week 6 games, according to ESPN Research.That has been one of the defining characteristics of the team's class of 2026. That also could be changing Sunday when the 3-2 Patriots host the 2-3 New York Jets (1 p.m. ET, CBS), with first-round pick Caleb Lomu possibly set to make his first career NFL start if left tackle Will Campbell's sprained MCL keeps him on the sideline.Lomu delivered in a pinch when Campbell left last week's 45-17 win over the Raiders early in the second quarter with a sprained right MCL, which provides a timely springboard to highlight the contributions of the Patriots' rookie class so far."I feel like he owned that and did a good job of anchoring. He's athletic and he's big," quarterback Drake Maye said of the 6-foot-6, 313-pound Lomu. "You get reminded of guys that played three years and come out of college. I was in the same scenario ... I was really proud of him stepping up."Up to that point, Lomu's primary role on offense was as a jumbo tight end. His most extended playing time on offense had come in the fourth quarter of a Week 3 blowout loss to the Jaguars, with coach Mike Vrabel saying the idea was to get him experience.Maye, remembering his own rookie season and trying to fit in with his more experienced teammates, had a message for Lomu."I told him after maybe the first or second time we scored with him in there, it's like, 'Hey, we're just playing ball now. Just have some fun'," Maye relayed. "I think that's kind of just a reminder I try to tell the young guys -- once you get in there, you get rolling. After that, you kind of let the nerves settle. It's just playing the same old football."To his credit, outside linebacker Gabe Jacas, the second-round pick from Illinois, has made the transition look rather seamless after he missed all spring and the initial days of training camp due to a knee procedure and contract stalemate. Jacas has played a rookie-high 60.7% of the defensive snaps, totaling 15 tackles, 1.5 sacks and one interception.Meanwhile, third-round pick Eli Raridon has played 40% of the offensive snaps and amassed eight receptions for 101 yards and a touchdown. He's the No. 2 tight end behind veteran Hunter Henry, a role he might have had to wait longer to seize if not for a season-ending knee injury sustained by Julian Hill in the spring."He's talented," said Vrabel, who previously noted Raridon (6-6, 245) became a better blocker quicker than anticipated. "He's continuing to get more comfortable each and every day, that he sees what this league is about, maybe starts to have more confidence in himself that he can do this at this level and he can do it fairly well."Vrabel also noted that fifth-round pick Karon Prunty, a cornerback out of Wake Forest, had been gaining confidence as a gunner on special teams before a hamstring injury has sidelined him the last two games.Furthermore, linebacker Namdi Obiazor (sixth-round pick out of TCU) has played 104 special teams snaps and is tied for the team-lead with fellow rookie Erick Hunter (undrafted) with six tackles.Other rookie contributors on special teams have included undrafted rookies Channing Canada and Tanner Arkin, while offensive tackle Dametrious Crownover (sixth-round, Texas A&M) and quarterback Behren Morton (seventh-round, Texas Tech) have been developing behind the scenes.One point Vrabel has made in the past is how significant the leap is from college to the NFL, which he referenced Friday when asked what has stood out to him from the class."I think they've improved and played for us in some good spots. They're 21-, 22-year-old kids, so it's good to see them improve, and we have to invest in those guys. We can't lose sight of them [even though] they aren't playing 80% of the snaps," he said."We have to continue to do that, and that's exciting. They're very coachable. Much more coachable than some of the veterans, that's why I like coaching them."2. Maye vs. blitz: When assessing the Jets' defense, offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels said, "They blitz. And blitz. And blitz."The Jets have sent five or more rushers 41% of the time (No. 3 in the NFL), according to ESPN Research, and Maye has a 63 QBR vs. the blitz, which ranks 15th. It will be a key part of Sunday's matchup.3. AVT reunion: Left guard Alijah Vera-Tucker said he's approaching the game against the his former team like any other week, although the presence of close friends on the Jets' sideline naturally adds a twist after he spent the first five years of his career there.Vera-Tucker has played every snap this season and ranks 18th among NFL interior offensive linemen in pass block win rate (92%). Vrabel said one thing that has stood out to him about Vera-Tucker is that "it's really meant a lot to him; I can see that in the way he prepares and responds."4. Milton sees double: Defensive tackle Milton Williams isn't filling up the stat sheet (11 tackles, no sacks), although that didn't stop ESPN NFL analyst Dan Orlovsky from asking last week if he is the NFL's best at his position. The analysis was timely, as Patriots defensive coordinator Zak Kuhr noted Williams has been seeing more double-teams, and Williams shared he's handling that better mentally than he was earlier in the season."I felt like the first couple weeks I was in my own head about it, making excuses, instead of going out and playing," he said.5. Morton perspective: Rookie quarterback Behren Morton, the Eastland, Texas, native who attended Texas Tech, touched on three topics this week:Impressions of New England region: "It's beautiful. The spring was awesome, and you actually get a true fall. That's something I never got in Texas, because it usually goes summer straight into winter. Seeing the leaves turn, get the fall feeling, it's football season. The people have been great up here. I've really enjoyed it and my fiance is up here now, too, and we've really enjoyed the Northeast, for sure."What stands out football-wise: "It feels like I've been here for 20 years already, the amount of time processing the playbook. It's a lot [different] than a college playbook, especially coming from Texas Tech, the no-huddle situation, always in the gun. Coach McDaniels has brought a different side of football to me. Your football IQ can't help but go through the roof learning from him and getting to watch all the years of Tom [Brady] doing it. It's the same offense, so you can learn so much. There's an endless amount of film."Scout-team QB role: "Go back to Josh Allen. That week was awesome. I knew that we had to have a get-back-on-track game for us, so always trying to put my best foot forward in game prep -- whatever I could do for the defense with little tricks of the trade that Josh does. Because he does some different stuff. Then getting the win on Sunday, that makes you feel a lot better, too."6. Vrabel's sarcasm: The Patriots are one of four teams with a turnover in every game this season (11 overall) entering Week 6 games, joining the Broncos, Raiders and Chargers, and Vrabel's sarcasm was evident in an interview on Patriots All-Access. Previewing Sunday's game against the Jets, he cracked, "They've only turned the ball over three times. We can do that in a half."7. Byard's take: Jets quarterback Geno Smith has yet to throw an interception this season after totaling 17 in 2025, and Patriots safety Kevin Byard made the point he's noticed Smith holding on to the ball longer to avoid those miscues. As a result, Byard noted what could be a key in the game, saying, "It gives some opportunities for our pass rushers for sacks and forced fumbles."The Patriots enter with 11 sacks (tied for 18th in NFL) and five forced fumbles (tied for 17th).8. Coach Gonzo: Cornerback Christian Gonzalez returns Sunday after missing the last two games with a shoulder injury, but his presence on the sideline was notable in last Sunday's win over the Raiders. He said it was important to him to be there for his teammates and share tendencies he saw from the offense as he works to "grow vocals and trying to lead." Gonzalez added he was looking forward to facing Jets No. 1 receiver Garrett Wilson on Sunday.9. Did You Know, Part I: The Patriots have posted 11 wins over the Jets by 30 or more points, the most by any team against a single opponent in the Super Bowl era (since 1966). The next highest is nine -- by the 49ers over the Falcons.10. Did You Know, Part II: The Patriots have had rookies play a total of 818 snaps entering Week 6 games, which ranks 15th in the NFL. The Dolphins (2,090) easily lead the NFL in snaps played by rookies, followed by the Browns (1,401), Chargers (1,301), Giants (1,246), Ravens (1,101) and Buccaneers (992), according to ESPN Research.
