Jets Don't Kiss Belichick's Rings; Lose 31-14
The Jets lost to the New England Patriots 31 – 14 today. The recap is being brought to you courtesy of ESPN.com because this Jets fan is going to follow the lead of Rex Ryan. That is right, I will be spending the night crying. Check back on Monday for the JetNation Report Card.
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — The defense Bill Belichick didn’t want to put on the field a week ago kept the offense of the New York Jets off it Sunday.
Leigh Bodden had three of the four interceptions thrown by Mark Sanchez and the New England Patriots defense allowed just one touchdown and 226 yards in a 31-14 win. The victory gave them a two-game lead in the AFC East and sent the Jets to their sixth loss in seven games.
For the Jets (4-6), this game was decided long before the final seconds, unlike the previous Sunday. They lost a week ago 24-22 to the Jacksonville Jaguars on a field goal on the last play. The next day, New York coach Rex Ryan cried at a team meeting, explaining later that he’s an emotional person.There was a lot more for him to feel bad about Sunday, when there were only two major failures by the Patriots.
Eric Smith blocked Chris Hanson‘s punt and Brad Smith returned the ball 4 yards for a touchdown as the Jets cut the halftime margin to 24-7. Then they began the second half with an outstanding 80-yard drive capped by Sanchez’s 29-yard touchdown pass to Jerricho Cotchery.The lead was down to 24-14 and the Patriots punted on their next possession. But then the Jets also had to punt, and whatever momentum they had gained disappeared on their next two series with interceptions by Bodden and Brandon Meriweather. Maroney scored on a 1-yard run after Meriweather’s catch.Sanchez now has 10 touchdowns and 16 interceptions, five of them against the Buffalo Bills on Oct. 18.
Any chance the Jets had for a late rally ended with the rookie’s final turnover when he was sacked by Tully Banta-Cain, forcing a fumble that Derrick Burgess recovered with 3:24 left in the game.After Bodden’s touchdown in the first quarter, the Jets punted on their next two series and the Patriots capitalized with touchdowns — a 4-yarder on a slant-in pass from Brady to Randy Moss and a 2-yard run by Maroney.Bodden grabbed his second interception on the next series and the Patriots made it 24-0 on a 26-yard field goal with 4:14 left in the half.About the only player the Patriots defense couldn’t control was Thomas Jones. He gained 103 yards on 21 carries for the Jets, who entered the game with the NFL’s most productive running attack.
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