The New England Patriots did not bring their best stuff in Week 11 against the New York Jets. Yes, they escaped with a two-score victory on Thursday Night Football, which is always ugly, but they surely weren't as sharp as head coach Mike Vrabel would have liked.
Still, there is hardly anything to complain about in Foxborough. The Patriots are an incredible 9-2, which not only puts them atop the AFC East by 1.5 games but has them currently slotted in as the No. 2 team in the entire conference.
The same cannot be said about their divisional foes, however. The Buffalo Bills and Miami Dolphins are both making runs, but the Jets are as down on their luck as they've ever been. In fact, the Patriots just broke them so badly that they are seemingly giving up on their recent $40 million gamble.
Jets bench Justin Fields after awful showing against Patriots
This offseason, the Jets signed quarterback Justin Fields to a two-year, $40 million deal. This was seen as a huge risk at the time, especially at that price point. To say that it has not worked out through the first 10 games of the 2025 NFL season is an understatement.
Things came to a head on Monday, as The Athletic's Dianna Russini reported that New York was benching Fields after his Week 11 showing against New England. In his place, the Jets will start Tyrod Taylor, which feels like an official white flag being waved for the year.
Fields' benching was long overdue, as he has had four games this season with less than 55 passing yards. Against the Patriots, he threw for a measly 116 yards and a touchdown, but he also ran for 67 yards and a score.
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However, stats rarely tell the whole story. New England's defense had Fields and the Jets' offense in a blender, and that was clearly the tipping point for New York. Leave it to the Patriots to send the Jets into a downward spiral.
Of course, with each loss, the Jets move further up the draft board and, therefore, closer to potentially finding a long-term solution under center next April. Every team wants to find its Drake Maye, and who can blame them?
But for now, the Jets are as down in the dumps as they have been recently, and the Patriots can take pride in being the final nail in the coffin before New York gave up on their always ill-advised decision to give Fields $40 million.