3 takeaways from the Jets' loss to the Patriots

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — The Jets’ modest two-game winning streak ended with their 27-14 loss to the Patriots. Here are three takeaways:

1. Catch the football 

The Jets have a hard enough time moving the ball down the field. They didn’t help themselves or Justin Fields by dropping three passes on Thursday night.

Newly acquired AD Mitchell had two drops. The second-year receiver, who came to the Jets from Indianapolis in the Sauce Gardner trade, had one on a deep ball on the left sideline in the second quarter. It was a well-thrown pass by Fields that hit Mitchell in the hands, but he couldn’t come up with it.

“It was definitely a situation where if I could get it back, I would go up and attack the ball instead of letting it come down,” Mitchell said. “I misjudged the ball. At the end of the day, I have to be better than that. It was a great pass. It should have been an explosive [play].”

Mitchell caught only one of six targets. Fields missed him a couple of times, but Mitchell put the offense’s struggles on his shoulders.

“If I could pinpoint anything, I would point the finger at myself and say I need to perform better,” Mitchell said. “I just need to do better.”

It wasn’t a great game by Fields by any means. He threw for only 116 yards, but Aaron Glenn said he thought Fields did some good things.

“I'm sure there are some things Justin is going to say, ‘I could have done better, could have made some plays,’ ” Glenn said. “Then again, there are some plays out there our guys got to make for him also."

2. Let Fields run 

Some of the Jets’ most effective plays were runs by  Fields. Three of their biggest gains came when he carried the ball. It’s something the Jets should do more, but Glenn said they also have to protect him.

“The thing is, we don't want to make it a habit of our quarterback just continuing to run because we can put him in harm's way,” Glenn said. “Justin ran the ball quite a bit. The thing is we, man, can't put Justin in a situation where that's a running back and I think we all know that because we will put him in harm's way.”

Glenn’s point is valid, but running is Fields’ strength and he doesn’t mind doing it. He led the Jets with 67 yards on 11 carries and scored his fourth rushing touchdown of the season.

“Whatever I have to do to get this team as successful as can be and for us to reach our highest potential, I'm willing to do whatever,” Fields said. “If that's me running the ball, that's what it is.”

3. You can’t win playing undisciplined

Glenn said something to that effect in training camp, but after showing improvement recently, the Jets reverted back to those old bad habits.

They were penalized seven times for 62 yards. Two of them were unnecessary-roughness penalties on cornerback Jarvis Brownlee and guard Joe Tippmann.

Brownlee was flagged three times, but only two were accepted. He also failed to touch receiver DeMario Douglas when he was down, allowing him to get up and run for another 12 yards.

“I had three penalties,” Brownlee said. “I have to control what I can control. I feel like I played a [expletive] game. I have to step up to the plate. I am self-aware and I always own up to my mistakes if I feel like I played bad.

“When I watch the film, I know it probably ain’t going to look that bad, but to me, you get three penalties, as a defensive back, that’s [expletive] terrible. I have to get back to the drawing board and get back in the building and just work and keep going at it. I’ll be better.”

By Al Iannazzone

al.iannazzone@newsday.comAl_Iannazzone

Al Iannazzone covers the Jets for Newsday after spending nearly two decades on the NBA beat with Knicks and Nets.