Jets (2-8) lose to Patriots after promising start, winning streak ends at two
New England Patriots defensive tackle Christian Barmore celebrates after tackling Jets quarterback Justin Fields during the second half of an NFL football game on Thursday in Foxborough, Mass. Credit: AP/Charles Krupa
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Justin Fields broke 100 passing yards for the second time in five games, but the defense let the Patriots break free too often.
The Jets’ two-game winning streak was snapped with their 27-14 loss to the Patriots at Gillette Stadium on Thursday night.
It was a bad game for the defense. New England quarterback Drake Maye faced very little pressure and was able to distribute the ball to some wide-open receivers, with the Jets’ defense showing little resistance.
“We can’t come into the game and [expletive] just goes out the other ear, we forget,” cornerback Jarvis Brownlee said. “We have to be locked in from the time we walk out there to the time the clock hits zero-zero. Today we didn’t do that, including myself.”
Brownlee had a rough game. He was flagged for three penalties and had a play in which he lost focus and didn’t touch DeMario Douglass when he was down. He got up and ran for about 12 more yards.
The Jets dropped to 2-8. Their next loss will clinch their 10th straight losing season. The AFC East-leading Patriots (9-2) won their eighth straight game.
Fields played better than last game, when he threw for only 54 yards. He finished 15-for-26 for 116 yards and one touchdown and also led the Jets with 67 yards rushing and a touchdown.
But the Jets can’t win with this passing offense and not when the defense gives up explosive plays. Maye completed six passes of at least 20 yards to four different receivers.
“It was a number of plays where guys were running [free], and that bothers me,” coach Aaron Glenn said. “That can’t be a part of who we are. It was unacceptable.”
Fields led the Jets on an opening-drive touchdown for the first time all season, scoring on a 5-yard run. But the Jets scored on only one of their other eight series.
Breece Hall, who had four touchdowns in the previous two games, was held in check, gaining 58 yards on 14 carries. John Metchie caught three passes for 45 yards and his first touchdown as a Jet.
Jeremy Ruckert had four catches for 23 yards but couldn’t hold on to a fourth-down pass in the red zone late in the game. AD Mitchell, acquired from the Colts in the Sauce Gardner trade, had one reception for 10 yards in his Jets debut but also had several drops.
“It was on us just not making plays,” Hall said. “Justin played his tail off today. He put the ball out there, but we got to do a better job of making plays for him.”
The Jets need their skill players to step up with Garrett Wilson sidelined with a knee injury. The star receiver was placed on injured reserve on Thursday, knocking him out for at least four games.
The defense had issues containing Maye and rookie running back TreVeyon Henderson. Maye was 25-for-34 for 281 yards and a touchdown and was sacked only once.
Henderson scored all three of the Patriots’ touchdowns — two rushing and one receiving — and finished with 93 scrimmage yards. Stefon Diggs caught nine passes for 105 yards.
“A lot of miscommunication out there,” Brownlee said. “Guys not on the same page. Ain’t got nothing to do with the coaching, it boils down to the guys on the field. We got to get that [expletive] right.”
The Jets started fast after winning the coin toss and choosing to receive. Fields led a 14-play, 72-yard touchdown drive that took 8:04. Then they had 25 yards of offense on their next four possessions.
Trailing 14-7 at the half, the Jets drove into New England territory on their first possession of the third quarter. An intentional grounding penalty on Fields stalled the series, which ended with right guard Joe Tippmann being flagged for unnecessary roughness, putting the ball back at the Jets’ 36.
“I try to play as close to the end of the whistle as I can,” Tippmann said. “That’s definitely something that cost the team. I can’t make those mistakes.”
The Patriots began the next series on their 31 and needed only six plays to extend their lead. Maye hit Henderson in the back of the end zone for a 6-yard touchdown.
On the ensuing Jets possession, they cut it to 21-14 when Fields threw a 22-yard TD pass to Metchie on third down.
It became a two-score game again on New England’s next series. Brownlee had his missed tackle and a holding penalty on that drive. Jermaine Johnson sacked Maye on second down from the 18 to back the Patriots up 10 yards, and they settled for a 44-yard field goal by Andy Borregales and a 24-14 lead with 12:06 remaining.
Later in the fourth, the Jets coughed up the ball deep in their own territory. Josh Myers snapped it low, Fields had trouble picking it up and the ball was recovered by Anfernee Jennings at the Jets’ 11. It led to a 26-yard field goal by Borregales that made it 27-14 with 6:36 left.
“The one thing that really just sticks out is details and discipline,” Glenn said. “That was a box that we didn’t check off today. We have to look at those things, coaches and players alike, and do a better job.”
Al Iannazzone covers the Jets for Newsday after spending nearly two decades on the NBA beat with Knicks and Nets.
