Instant Analysis: New England Patriots Barely Hang on for 27-25 Victory over the New York Jets

Oct 16, 2014; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots quarterback

(12) throws a pass to running back

(34) against the New York Jets during the first half at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

On a wet and rainy Thursday night at GIllette Stadium in Foxborough, MA quarterback Tom Brady and the New England Patriots faced off against quarterback Geno Smith and the New York Jets. On paper, the game looked like a mis-match as the 4-2 Patriots and 1-5 Jets seemed a contrast in style. The Patriots have been riding a revamped offensive line and an impressive passing offense. The Jets have been limited to ground-and-pound with quarterback Geno Smith struggling to spark the offense.

However, this being the NFL the match-ups do not tell the whole story when two franchises are as entwined as the Jets and Patriots. The Jets have a massive defensive line that has stars Muhammad Wilkerson, Sheldon Richardson, and Damon Harrison to stop the opposing running game and pressure the quarterback without having to resort to blitzing. Add in edge rushers Quinton Coples, Jason Babin and Calvin Pace and the Jets can generate pressure. The Patriots offensive line was down impressive rookie starting center Bryan Stork and veteran starting guard Dan Connolly as both were ruled out prior to the game.

In addition, the Patriots came into the Thursday Night Football game on the heels of two huge injuries last week: defensive captain and starting linebacker Jerod Mayo and leading rusher Stevan Ridley. Both are out for the season due to their knee injuries and the Patriots have to scramble to replace them with rookies linebacker Deonte Skinner and running back Jonas Gray.

The Jets have had injuries as well and 2013 first-round draft pick and starting cornerback Dee Milliner is out for the season with an Achilles injury. Starting guard Brian Winters was also placed on injured reserve and backup guard Oday Aboushi has to step in on a beleaguered offensive line that outside of left tackle D’Brickashaw Ferguson and center Nick Mangold has struggled to make holes for the running game and protect the quarterback.

The Jets started the game with four drives all deep into New England territory that all ended in field goals. Tom Brady was 12 of 21 passing in the first half for 174 yards and two touchdowns to Shane Vereen. The Jets rushed for 124 yards in the first half and passed for 73 yards. The Patriots rushed just five times in the first half for 35 yards. Brady focused on Gronkowski, Edelman, and LaFell in the first half like last Sunday against Buffalo, but Vereen was the difference maker in the first half.

The Jets got the ball to start the second half and New York took advantage of defensive end Rob Ninkovich not holding the edge and Chris Ivory busting outside for 17 yards. After three plays the Jets had pounded into New England territory as Ivory gained 30 yards on his first two second half rushes and topped 100-yards for the game on his next carry.

The Patriots missed a golden opportunity for a turnover as Smith fumbled a handoff but fell on the ball. A Chris Jones pass rush on the next play stopped a touchdown as he hit Smith as he threw the ball and the pass was just short to an open Jeremy Kerley. On a huge third-and-twelve at the 26 yard line of the Patriots Eric Decker beat Darrelle Revis for a huge first down and goal at the eight. The Jets finally got into the end zone as Ivory leapt in from the one-yard line and the Jets opened the second half with another long, sustained drive against an uninspired, tired, and lethargic Patriots defense to take a 19-17 lead.

The Patriots put together a deliberate and well orchestrated drive with almost as many rushes as the entire first half. A third-and-nine was just short of the first down market inside the twenty as the Jets dropped nine into coverage and rushed just two. A thirty-six yard field goal by Stephen Gostkowski put New England ahead 20-19 with just over four minutes to play in the third quarter.

The defense finally came up with a stop and forced the Jets to punt for the first time just inside of two minutes to go in the third quarter. It took almost three quarters, but the Patriots defense, thanks to a coverage snap, forced a punt. The Jets tried to get aggressive as they only ran the ball on a direct snap/wildcat play that was stuffed by defensive end Rob Ninkovich.

A three-and-out saw the Patriots unable to convert on third down as the Jets blitzed and outside linebacker Jason Babin beat Marcus Cannon–who was rotated in at left tackle–and the pass to Danny Amendola was knocked away by Jets defensive back Antonio Allen. The Jets had possession as the third quarter ended with Patriots ahead by a single point 20-19.

The Patriots opened with a run stuff and a big sack on third-and-six to force a punt. Unfortunately, the Jets forced another three-and-out.  The Patriots had the Jets pinned deep, but a phantom holding penalty on cornerback Brandon Browner gave the Jets a first down. Kerley had slipped down and Browner was called for the hold to give the Jets a first down.instead of a third-and-long.

On the next play Geno Smith was injured as the Patriots pass rush got to him on the pass and knocked him out for a play bringing Michael Vick into the game for a rushing attempt before Smith returned. Initially it looked like it could have been a significant leg injury. On third-and-five Smith threw to Decker into tight Revis coverage and a poor punt of 29 yards gave the Patriots great field position.

The Patriots took advantage of it by getting completions to Gronkowski and Edelman to get down inside the ten yard line for a first-and-goal. A negative yardage rush and a false start from tight end Tim Wright backed up the offense. Brandon LaFell’s offensive pass interference penalty backed them up to the nineteen-yard line and a throw away from pressure had New England at third-and-goal backed up deep in the red zone.

Brady got outside the pocket on third down and fired a laser to Danny Amendola for his first touchdown of the year as he made a nice grab and twisted into the end zone to give New England a 27-19 lead with under eight minutes to play in the game. For Amendola, it had to be a relief to have a game where he finally pulled in a touchdown pass and had some electrifying kickoff returns as well in special teams.

The Jets took over and Smith was sacked on first down and for the second time a sack by Chandler Jones was nullified due to a holding call in the secondary. Jeremy Kerley had his first catch beating Alfonzo Dennard as the Jets moved thirty yards quickly as the clock ticked down towards six minutes to play. On a big third-and-three Smith again ran for the first down as the Patriots could not track him down until he gained a big first down just past midfield.

The Jets continued pounding the ball with the running game as the clock ticked down and another sustained drive by the Jets into the red zone. With 2:36 to play the Jets had another big third down with 2:36 to play. The Jets converted with a touchdown to tight end Jeff Cumberland in front of Patrick Chung. The Jets needed the two-point conversion to tie the game and Smith overshot tight end Jace Amaro trying to connect in the back of the end zone leaving the Patriots ahead 27-25.

Danny Amendola saved New England again as the onside kick attempt bounced off a Patriot and was free for any Jet to grab. Amendola dived on the ball and covered it  giving New England a chance to run the clock down inside two minutes whether they convert a first down or not.  The Patriots ran a silly misdirection flip to Vereen that lost four yards going into the two-minute warning.

The Patriots punted away with a two point lead as the Jets took over at the twelve yard line. The Jets got up to the 31 and then spiked the ball with just under 30 seconds to play and their top weapon–kicker Nick Folk–warming up on the sideline. A completion to David Nelson on the sideline and then thirteen to Kerley gave the Jets the ball in Patriots territory at the 45 with 14 seconds to play.

Five more yards and eight seconds had the Jets in field goal range at the 40.  A 58-yard field goal attempt by Nick Folk was blocked by Chris Jones as Kyle Arrington just missed it rushing around the outside to allow the Patriots to hang on and win 27-25.

Tom Brady came out firing to start the game going three of three on the opening drive for 76 yards and hooking up with Shane Vereen for a 49-yard touchdown to electrify the crowd. Brady beat a three-man rush and slid outside the pocket to freeze the safety and get Shane Vereen open downfield beyond the secondary. Brady threw a strike and it was 7-0 New England after one-and-a-half minutes.

The Jets moved right down field immediately afterwards with a heavy dose of the running game. The one big completion was when Devin McCourty slipped and fell in man-to-man coverage of tight end Jeff Cumberland and it resulted in a 28-yard gain on third down. A holding penalty on first-and-goal took a touchdown off the board for the Jets. They stalled in the red zone and had to settle for a 22-yard field goal. The Patriots had cornerback Darrelle Revis locked-up on former Denver Broncos wide receiver Eric Decker on that first drive and later in the drive they showed the Brandon Browner-Revis tight-man coverage on the corners.

After a sloppy three-and-out by the Patriots, the Jets got the ball back and Geno Smith continued to look like Hall-of-Fame quarterback Steve Young on the first two drives of the game for New York by throwing strikes and making first downs with his feet.  He completed his first five passes leading the Jets on two long drives into Patriots territory as the Jets offensive line tossed the Patriots defensive line around as New York marched on unimpeded. Both drives were stopped by holding penalties in the red zone by the Jets. On the second drive of the game a huge drop by impressive rookie tight end Jace Amaro set-up a third-and-nineteen instead of either converting the first down or setting up a third-and-short.

With the score 7-6 with the Patriots ahead, they got the ball back deep in New York territory after a holding penalty on special teams. The second quarter saw the Patriots fail to convert on third down as the Jets rushed three on third down and doubled Julian Edelman and Rob Gronkowski resulting in a second straight three-and-out as Brady could not convert to Brandon LaFell deep downfield.

The Jets continued running the ball and grinding out first downs against the Patriots defense. Without creating a turnover, the Patriots defense was not able to come up with a big stop other than the Jets offensive line creating their own problems.  On their third drive the Jets converted first downs by running the ball, by penalty, and then with Geno Smith working outside the pocket to get outside and convert. A run stop on first down finally slowed the Jets as they stalled and kicked their third field goal to take the lead 9-7 halfway through the second quarter.

The Patriots finally got another first down on first-and-fifteen after two three-and-outs. The Patriots completed passes to Edelman, Rob Gronkowski and LaFell to move down the field. An outside run by Vereen on a quick snap after an incompletion sprung Vereen for 17 yards. The change of tempo helped the offense get some momentum and drive into the red zone.  On third-and-goal at the three-yard line Brady found Vereen for his second touchdown of the night and put New England back in front 14-9 as the Jets rushed two and dropped nine into coverage.

However, a big kick return by Walter Powell of 62-yards set-up New York in New England territory as it was another big special teams play going New York’s way. After three straight double-digit play scoring drives the Jets were in field goal range for kicker Nick Folk. Another third down conversion by Smith running outside the pocket got the Jets deep into New England territory. Another pair of pounding runs by Chris Ivory had the Jets inside the red zone at the two-minute warning.

A pass sailing over the head of wide receiver David Nelson in the end zone saw the Jets fourth consecutive drive of the first half end in a field goal. After starting five-of-five passing, Smith finished one-of-seven passing to end the first half. It was 14-12 New England ahead still with just one minute to play.

The Patriots drove quickly down field. A series of completions to LaFell and Gronkowski the Patriots made up a chunk of yards. After igniting the kick return game with three hard-charging returns, Danny Amendola drew a pass interference penalty on cornerback/safety Antonio Allen down at the 12-yard line. Unfortunately, a penalty on Jordan Devey who shoved recently activated Antwan Barnes in retaliation after a hit on Brady falling out of bounds on a throw-away.

There was no penalty on Barnes and the Patriots ran a draw on third-and-nineteen and kicked a 39-yard field goal to go into halftime up 19-14 after an inconsistent first half.