The New England Patriots (7-3) appear motivated to obtain their ninth division title in a ten year span.  The Pats will look to feast on the New York Jets in an AFC East division showdown on Thanksgiving Day. 

However, New England be forced to do so without the services of one of the NFL's top playmakers, Rob Gronkowski.  The Pro Bowl tight end is expected to be out of action for a period of four to six weeks after undergoing surgery for a broken left forearm.

Quarterback Tom Brady, who has a 111.3 quarterback rating over the past four games with 11 touchdowns and zero interceptions, spoke to ESPN about the loss of Gronkowski.

"It's part of this game.  He's (Gronkowski) got to do his best to get back as soon as possible, and we've got to go out there and win some games without him," he said.

The Patriots have fared extremely well against the Jets as of late, having won 15 of the last 19 regular season games, which includes a string of four straight victories.

In their last matchup with New York, the Patriots prevailed in an overtime nail-biter by a 29-26 margin on Oct. 21.  The win seemingly ignited New England's current four-game winning streak.  The team also tied a franchise mark for points in their 59-24 victory at Foxborough against the Indianapolis this past Sunday.

The Patriots currently hold a three-game lead in the AFC East, as the rest of the pack including the Jets, all sport a 4-6 record.   

The injury to Gronkowski isn't anything new for the New England offense, as fellow tight end Aaron Hernandez has been out six games this season with a sprained right ankle. 

CLICK HERE to watch the New England Patriots take on the via live stream.  Coverage of the NFL game is set to begin at  8:20 p.m. ET on Thursday, Nov. 22.  

Tags: NFL.