'It didn't sit well' — Jets eager to pay back Patriots for last year's blowout

The memories are not good ones for Zach Wilson and the Jets who were with the team when the Patriots beat them, 54-13, last year.

Aside from the 2010 AFC divisional-round playoff game, there haven’t been many good memories for the Jets from this rivalry since Bill Belichick spurned them for New England in 2000. They can add one Sunday when they host the Patriots in what should be a loud and raucous atmosphere at MetLife Stadium.

The two teams are on different paths. Robert Saleh’s Jets (5-2) are riding high, having won four consecutive games. Belichick’s Patriots (3-4) are stumbling and have a quarterback controversy. Mac Jones is starting, but any signs of struggle and Bailey Zappe could enter the game.

The Patriots have won 12 straight games against their AFC East rivals, but this is the first time the Jets have a better record than New England heading into a matchup since 2001.

Saleh talks about every game being “a championship game.” This truly is a championship-type game for the Jets’ franchise, the players and their fans.

The Jets can show how far they’ve come since last year’s game and that they’re no longer going to be stomped on by New England.

“I just know we’re going to go out there and do what we need to do,” edge rusher Carl Lawson said.

Wilson suffered a knee injury last Oct. 24 against the Patriots that kept him out of four games. The Jets suffered an embarrassing loss that still sticks in their craws because of the way the Patriots continued to throw the football in the fourth quarter despite their insurmountable lead.

Many current Jets weren’t on the team, but they were made aware of what happened. Players and coaches remain bothered by Belichick running up the score. Defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich made it clear that he is “looking forward to this game” after last year’s pounding.

“It didn’t sit well,” Lawson said. “That’s pretty much all there is to say about that.”

If the Jets want payback, this is their opportunity.

“Is it in people’s heads?” C.J. Mosley said of last year’s game. “Yes. Maybe. Maybe not. That’s not our motivation for this game coming up. We’re a totally different team.”

The Jets will look a little different on offense Sunday. They have lost their top playmaker, Breece Hall (torn ACL), and best offensive lineman, Alijah Vera-Tucker (torn triceps). They also won’t have Corey Davis (knee), but Elijah Moore will be back after being inactive last week in Denver following an outburst directed at coordinator Mike LaFleur about his lack of involvement in the offense.

Michael Carter will take over for Hall as lead back. The Jets acquired James Robinson from Jacksonville on Monday, but they plan to take it slow with him because he is new to the system.

All of this points to more being put on Wilson’s right shoulder. The second-year pro has been more of a game manager the last three games, leading to questions about whether he can be their franchise quarterback. He has attempted only 65 passes and hasn’t thrown a touchdown pass or interception in those three games. In the last two games, he’s averaged 13 completions and 115.5 passing yards.

“We need more out of the passing game,” Wilson said.

Belichick is known for taking away a team’s strength. Even with Hall out, he likely will focus on the Jets’ running game especially after New England allowed 243 yards rushing in Monday night’s loss to Chicago.

Besides that, Belichick likes to rattle young quarterbacks, so he might try to force Wilson to prove he can beat the Patriots.

Wilson threw four interceptions in his first game against New England last year and sprained his right PCL after a hard hit from Matthew Judon. It’s a painful memory for him.

“It’s unfortunate getting injured,” he said. “Really the big takeaway from there was we just didn’t play well as a unit or as a team. I obviously didn’t play well. So it’s going to be a fun challenge for us because I feel like we’ve grown as a team. I feel like mentally, I’m in a lot better spot than I’ve been.

“I’m really excited to take these guys on. I know the whole team is as well.”

The Jets don’t want to be one-dimensional. They have too many talented skill players to be that. Yet in the two games before Hall got injured, he totaled 38 runs while the rest of the players had 39 touches combined. You stick with what’s working, but diversity is important, too.

LaFleur has tried to take the attention away from Wilson and says it’s up to the offensive coordinator to make sure he’s getting the ball in all of his playmakers’ hands. “It’s about finding that right balance not only for him, but for the whole offense,” LaFleur said.

Jets fans would love to see fireworks in the passing game. They may have to settle for actual fireworks an hour before kickoff, signaling fans to stop tailgating and enter the stadium.

The Jets are urging fans to arrive early and be in their seats for the start of the game.

“We’re working hard. We’re trying to turn things around,” Mosley said. “I expect MetLife — aka JetLife — to be nice and turned up for Sunday’s game.”

By Al Iannazzone

al.iannazzone@newsday.comAl_Iannazzone

Al Iannazzone covers the Jets for Newsday after spending nearly two decades on the NBA beat with Knicks and Nets.