In what may have been the most complete game of the season the New England Patriots never trailed and were carried by an undrafted running back to a 30-21 win over their division rival New York Jets at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro on Sunday afternoon.
The much-maligned defense is still far from great but it did look improved and did enough to hold off a so-so offensive effort by the Jets. The biggest stat of the day was that the Patriots held New York to 3 for 14 on 3rd down conversions, one of the sorry spots for the teams defensive unit this season.
New York only had 255 total yards on 97 rushing and 158 passing without turning over the ball once. It was the first game this year that New England failed to get a takeaway.
New York QB Mark Sanchez was sporadic in his play and largely ineffective against the leagues worst rated pass defense and if you’re a Jets fan you have to start wondering two and half years into the Sanchize-era if it’s truly the correct way to go.
One week after throwing for only 115 yards vs. Baltimore he was 16 of 26 for 166 with 2 TD’s, 0 INTs and 2 sacks against what the rest of the league has made look like a prep school defense.
Rushing wise the Patriots held Jets RB Shonn Green to 83 yards on 21 carries he also added a TD.
Meanwhile the Patriots offense was leaving points on the field. Three times they had drives stalled and needed a trio of field goals by Stephen Gostkowski. He connected from 44 yards early in the second quarter, from 24 yards out early in the 4th and with a minute left he sealed the game with a 28 yarder.
New England QB Tom Brady also got picked in the red zone in the final seconds of the first half as New York CB Antonio Cromartie got his hands on a ball that was boxed by Patriots TE Aaron Hernandez in the end zone.
Brady finished the day 24 of 33 for 321 yards with 1 TD, 1 INT and he was sacked a season high 4 times as most of the sack pressure came from out on the edges by mostly unblocked Jets defensive backs.
BenJarvus Green-Ellis was the offensive star for the Patriots on this day as he had 136 yards on 27 rushes and scored on a pair of 3-yard rushing TD’s. WR Deion Branch had 7 catches for 74 yards and a TD, while WR Wes Welker and Hernandez each made 5 grabs.
The Patriots entertain the Cowboys next Sunday at Gillette Stadium game time is 4:15 p.m.
Jets at Patriots Gamebook. This includes the box score, all the stats, play by play, drive charts and more.
Jets at Patriots Game Recap via Associated Press.
To continue reading, hit the read more button below if you’re on the home page.
Turning Point(s) of the Game
The game clinching drive that lasted 6:12 seconds and led to the pad points on the Gostkowski 28 yard FG to seal the win with just over a minute left to play.
Offensive Player of the Game
Patriots RB BenJarvus Green-Ellis had a career high 136 yards rushing on 27 carries and scored 2 TD’s. He also had 1 catch for 13 yards.
Defensive Player of the Game
Patriots DE Mark Anderson had 3 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 2 QB hits and 1 tackle for loss.
Game Notes
Starters for the Patriots were:
On Offense:
LT Light
LG Mankins
C Connolly
RG Waters
RT Solder
TE Gronkowski
TE Hernandez
WR Welker
WR Branch
WR Ochocinco
QB Brady
On Defense:
DE Ellis
DT Wilfork
DT Love
DE Carter
OLB Guyton
ILB Spikes
OLB Ninkovich
CB McCourty
CB Arrington
S Chung
S Ihedigbo
Inactives for the Game:
Patriots
1. LB Jerod Mayo (MCL)
2. T Sebastian Vollmer (back)
3. RB Danny Woodhead (ankle)
4. WR Julian Edelman (ankle)
5. DE Mike Wright (concussion)
6. S Josh Barrett (hamstring/thumb)
7. QB Ryan Mallett
Jets
1. LB Garrett McIntyre (concussion)
2. WR Logan Payne (wrist)
3. TE Josh Baker
4. C Colin Baxter
5. DT Kenrick Ellis
6. QB Kevin O’Connell
7. RB Bilal Powell
The spread (Patriots minus 9) was a push while the over/under (49 1/2) was covered. I am now 3-1-1 vs. the spread and 4 of 5 calling the under/over.
The overall series between New York and New England is now tied at 52-52-1 including playoffs.
The Patriots have not lost a regular season game at Gillette Stadium since the 2008 season having won 19 consecutive regular season home games.
Since 2002 when Gillette Stadium opened the Patriots are 69-14 at home.
Since 2003 New England is 31-5 in October with a 17-1 mark on The Razor.
Since Robert Kraft purchased the team in 1994 the Patriots are 23-14 vs. the Jets.
New England is 50-15 vs. the AFC East since 2001.
The Patriots have scored 30 or more points in 13 consecutive regular season games. The NFL record is 14 games.
Bill Belichick now has 181 wins – 10th all-time. Bill Parcells is 9th with 183 wins.
Tom Brady is now 15-4 vs. Jets
His streak of throwing 2 or more touchdown passes in 13 consecutive games ended today. He shares the NFL record with Peyton Manning.
Brady has won 30 consecutive regular season games at home, a NFL record. His last regular season home loss was November 12, 2006 to the New York Jets.
Brady is 64-10 at home in the regular season in his career.
Brady has thrown 14 TD’s and 6 INT’s while being sacked 8 times in five games
Brady’s 1 TD pass gives him 275 in his career he is now tied for 8th all-time with his former teammate Vinny Testaverde.
WR Wes Welker now has catches in 87 consecutive games, 70 as a Patriot including playoffs. The last time Welker did not have a catch in a game was 12/24/05 as a Dolphin.
RB BenJarvus Green-Ellis has 18 rushing TD’s in the last two seasons that’s the most in the NFL.
Green-Ellis also had a career high in rushing yards with 136.
It was his 4th career 100+ yard rushing game.
WR Matthew Slater suffered a rib injury and he did not return.
DT Albert Haynesworth suffered from cramping late in the game he did return.
TE Rob Gronkowski played with an illness that kept him from pregame warmups.
Haynesworth and TE Aaron Hernandez contributed after missing the last two games with injuries.
Jets QB Mark Sanchez found Sunday’s game “just frustrating”.
New York head coach Rex Ryan says the Patriots are just “the better team right now”.
In 7 of the 11 New York possessions they were held to three and out by the New England defense.
40% of Sanchez passing totals came on the final Jets scoring drive in the fourth quarter.
The New England defense has sacked the opponents quarterback 8 times in 5 games.
New England is now plus 4 in turnover differential.
Jerome Boger was the game referee. The temp at kickoff was 82, sunny and humid.
Before the game the Boston Bruins brought out the Stanley Cup to show off to the Gillette Stadium crowd.
Game attendance was 68,756.
Post Game Interviews
Patriots head coach Bill Belichick and Patriots QB Tom Brady post game press conferences via patriots.com
This Week in the AFC East
Buffalo beat Philadelphia, 31-24
Miami had a bye week
AFC East Standings
Patriots 4-1/2-1
Bills 4-1/1-0
Jets 2-3/0-1
Dolphins 0-4/0-1
Next Game
The Patriots host the Dallas Cowboys at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro MA on Sunday. Kick off is at 4:15 p.m. on FOX.
Follow Steve on Twitter @djstevem
Photo credit: AP Photo
