FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — Leonard Williams and the rest of the New York Jets defense have studied the film and know exactly what they need to do against Tom Brady.

Get pressure. Sack him. Force him into rushing throws.

“We have noticed that Tom Brady holds onto the ball a little bit longer than he usually does,” defensive end Leonard Williams said. “They’ve given up more sacks at the start of the season than they did all of last season, so for us, that’s definitely giving us something to look forward to, getting after the quarterback.”

Williams is right about the sack total. Brady has gone down 16 times after being sacked just 15 times in 12 regular-season games last season.

“I think everybody in this league knows what they’ve got to do to beat Brady,” defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson said. “You know, he’s been beaten, so I’m sure pretty much everybody has watched the film of guys and what they do good against him.”

The Patriots star has also been a bit banged up, sitting out two practices with a sore left shoulder before returning Thursday on a limited basis.

“We know that he’s the head of the offense,” Williams said. “So, if we can get to him and affect him as much as possible, we can affect the game.”

It certainly sounds simple enough. But Brady remains one of the most prolific quarterbacks in the NFL, despite those high sack numbers. Through five games, Brady leads the NFL with 1,702 yards passing and ranks second with a 112.0 passer rating. The Patriots offense still ranks No. 1 in total yards and passing yards. New England will certainly pose perhaps the toughest test for New York’s defense.

“So far this year, it’s not even close,” defensive coordinator Kacy Rodgers said. “There’s so many problems (to defend).

Stopping the Patriots run game will also be crucial for the Jets defense. New York has struggled against the run this season, ranking 30th in the NFL in that category.

“The more we let them run, the more Tom Brady is going to be able to stand back there when it’s time to pass,” Williams said. “We have to make them one-dimensional and make them pass.”

New York has allowed just four touchdowns in its past three games and appears to be playing better lately – and looser. Just in time for Brady and Co.

HARVEY LANGI, New England’s rookie linebacker, and his wife were involved in a car accident Friday night in Foxborough, Massachusetts.

Injuries to Langi and his wife Cassidy are considered “serious” but not life-threatening.

Langi, 25, was signed by the Patriots this spring after he went undrafted out of BYU. He’s played in one game this season and recorded one tackle.

ALAN BRANCH feels like he had another “pretty good” week of practice.

Will that lead to a return to the game-day lineup? The Patriots defensive tackle still doesn’t know.

“I control what I can control,” Branch said. “I go out there and practice, and (Coach Bill Belichick) makes the decision. The reasons why, I don’t know.”

Branch was left home last week when the Patriots traveled to Tampa. The team told him the benching was for performance-related reasons, according to a source.

This has been an ongoing story for Branch. He played just six snaps in Week 2 against the Saints, by far his fewest in four seasons with the Patriots, and 12 in Week 4 against the Panthers. More than half of Branch’s 81 snaps this season came in the opening loss to the Chiefs (42).

“Basically, it’s not my call, man,” Branch said. “That’s the only thing I can say. If you want to know the reason, you’ve got to ask the person that makes the choice. That’s all I can say.”

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