Sam Darnold made his triumphant return to the New York Jets last week. After missing three weeks while dealing with complications from mono, Darnold was able to lead the Jets to a surprising 24-22 victory over the Dallas Cowboys.
Next up on the docket for Darnold is the New England Patriots. His reaction to playing the only 6-0 team in the NFL?
"Perfect," Darnold said, per NBC Sports' Peter King.
Come again?
"I wouldn’t want it any other way," Darnold said. "I want to play the best. It’s great."
The Patriots' defense has been the best in the NFL this season and will provide a massive test for the Jets. The Patriots dispatched New York 30-14 in Week 3 when Luke Falk led the Jets' passing attack, but the score is a bit misleading. All of the Jets' points in that game came on defense and special teams -- a Gunner Olszewski muffed punt and a Jarrett Stidham pick-6. The Jets had only 105 total yards on offense.
New England Patriots
Find the latest New England Patriots news, highlights, analysis and more with NBC Sports Boston.
The Jets figure to be better on offense with Darnold at the helm. But his comments could be used as motivation for the Patriots. After all, they did limit Darnold to 167 yards on 16-of-28 passing last season in a 38-3 win over the Jets in Week 17, so they clearly know how to limit the former No. 3 overall pick.
We'll soon see what happens for Darnold against the Patriots. While he's motivated to succeed, the Patriots will surely be a tough test for him, especially with the team getting four days of extra rest and preparation ahead of their Monday Night Football matchup.
Perry's Patriots Mailbag: Do Pats still believe in N'Keal Harry?>>>
Click here to download the new MyTeams App by NBC Sports! Receive comprehensive coverage of your teams and stream the Celtics easily on your device.