Nothing about the Patriots’ start to the 2017 season has been easy — and a suddenly competent Jets team could make sure Week 6 is no different. New York is 2-10 in its last dozen games against New England, but a victory Sunday could go a long way in derailing its division rival’s playoff hopes while boosting its own. The two teams meet at 1 p.m. ET Sunday and broadcast live on CBS (live stream).

Tom Brady has been as sharp as ever, but a lackluster defense has the Patriots in a three-way tie atop the AFC East — right alongside the Jets. The 2017 season was supposed to be a rebuilding year for New York, but wins over the Dolphins, Jaguars, and Browns have pushed a depleted roster over .500 after five games. The Jets are still looking for a quality win after beating some low-octane teams; toppling the defending champions would certainly qualify.

Time, TV channel, and streaming info

• Time: 1 p.m. ET
• Location: MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ
• TV: CBS
• Streaming: NFL on CBS
• Odds: New England is favored by 11 points.

Patriots at Jets news:

• The Jets were supposed to be tanking in 2017. They’re doing a bad job of it:

J-E-T-S! JETS! JETS! JETS! … Don’t y’all realize you’re supposed to be tanking? The “suck for Sam” (Sam Darnold, USC quarterback) campaign in full force? Come on now. You have too many wins — two, after four games. That’s right. After four weeks, the New York Jets are 2-2, something no one saw coming after a terrible preseason, coupled with the notion they are tanking.

• Sure, the Patriots limited the Bucs in their Thursday night win, but their defensive problems are far from fixed:

The most glaring problem for the Patriots is their front seven. It’s telling when a team has to lean on three- and four-man rushes to pressure an opposing quarterback. That’s exactly what the Patriots did, acknowledging schematically that they don’t have the players to get after the passer.

• The Jets could be without top tailback Bilal Powell thanks to a calf injury:

Things I learned: Bilal Powell has a calf strain. That is all.

Bowles seldom provides useful information along these lines, and there is little incentive for him to do so. As he indicated, he probably isn’t certain about Powell’s status for Sunday himself. We will all just have to watch how he progresses through the week.

• Brandin Cooks: fifth on the New England roster in receptions, seventh in the NFL in receiving yards:

Not many can take a first-and-10 screen well past the sticks and follow it up seconds later with an over-the-shoulder grab on a meandering deep cross into a trio of red jerseys. The fact Cooks can makes him a steady variable, even on the days in which the 5’10, 189-pounder isn’t steadily touching the football.

Can the Patriots defense take advantage of the Jets’ lack of firepower?

New England rebounded to hold Tampa Bay to 14 points last week — with some help from Buccaneers’ kicker Nick Folk’s three missed field goals. On Sunday, the Pats face the weakest offense on its schedule. The Jets currently rank 26th in the league in total offense and are led by journeyman quarterback Josh McCown. If the Patriots secondary gives up its sixth-straight 300-plus-yard passing game, something is terribly wrong in Foxborough.

Patriots at Jets prediction:

It’s unanimous. All eight of our experts and OddsShark’s computer agree on their Week 6 picks: The Patriots will win.