Highs and Lows: Solid Victory
BOSTON (CBS) - WBZ-TV's Levan Reid breaks down the Patriots-Jets showdown in New Jersey.
Fourth Quarter/Final Thoughts
The Highs:
-After the Jets scored to pull within a touchdown, the Patriots put together a 13-play drive that goes 84 yards and eats up 6:51 on the clock. Brady finishes things off with an eight yard score to Deion Branch. Brady a perfect seven-for-seven on the drive, extending his completion streak to 11 straight. Patriots go up 30-16, and the fans started to head for the parking lot.
Stats: Pats-Jets Box Score
-Rob Ninkovich with a beautiful pick-six on Sanchez to put the nail in the coffin. Sanchez was looking for LT, but after jamming Dustin Keller with Tracy Kelly, Ninkovich was there to jump in front and take it 12 yards to pay dirt. Put the Pats up 37-16. Great two interception night for the Pats linebacker.
-Overall the defense looked solid despite having bandages in some big spots. Patrick Chung was inactive and corner Devin McCourty left early on, but the D held together. They pressured Sanchez and avoided those big penalties that have been doing them in lately.
-Andre Carter recorded 4.5 sacks, a new franchise record. The man is an animal. Up to nine on the season now.
-Another huge night for Rob Gronkowski. The Jets could not cover him, and Gronk torched them for eight catches, 113 yards and two touchdowns. Brady threw Gronkowski's way 11 times in this one.
-The Patriots now lead the all-time series 53-52-1.
The Lows:
-First play of the quarter, Sanchez hits Plax over Moulden in the end zone. New York cuts the Patriots lead to 23-16 with 14:55 left.
-The injuries keep piling up for New England, and the shoulder injury to Devin McCourty could be the most concerning. He left with a shoulder injury in the first half and never returned. Julien Edelman was taking snaps at corner at the end of the game.
Final: Patriots 37-16
Third Quarter
The Highs:
- The Jets take over after a Pats three-and-out t0 start the quarter, and the Pats D forces their own three-and-out. On third down, Sanchez goes Burress' way, but Kyle Arrington is there with the good defense.
-After another three-and-out, special teams comes up with a big play. The Jets Joe McKnight muffs a punt, and when no other Jet can fall on the loose ball, Niko Koutouvides does. Sets up Tom Brady and Co. at the New York 13-yard line. They would only get a field goal out of it.
-Defense forces a turnover, kind of. A Mark Sanchez pass goes off Shonn Greene's hands, and right into Rob Ninkovich's.
-Pats go no-huddle after the turnover, and on third-and-three, Brady goes to Gronk for their second end zone connection of the game. Gronk with an emphatic spike in front of the Jets on the play, and he gets a flag for it. This is Gronkowski's fifth two-touchdown game of his career.
- After the Jets drive down the field to the red zone, Kyle Arrington makes a nice play to break up a potential TD to Plaxico in the Jets end zone. Antwaun Molden made a nice play to end the quarter, breaking up a first and goal pass to Santonio Holmes in the end zone.
The Lows:
- The Pats get the ball first, and do nothing with it. Brady tries to go to Gronk (with Revis covering) but the throw is a little behind. A quick three-and-out gives the Jets the ball.
- It appeared the Patriots had a touchdown off the fumble recovery. Tom Brady did some dancing and found Rob Gronkowski alone in the end zone. But Gronk stepped out of bounds, so the catch did not count. Brady stepped out of the pocket while buying time, so a Jets penalty did not count and the Pats were forced into a third and 16 (Brady went to Welker for 10 yards).
- Offensive lineman Sebastian Vollmer was hurt on Gronkowski's second touchdown. The lineman has been fighting a bad back all season.
- Safety James Ihedigbo went down during the Jets drive to end the quarter. His helmet hit LT's shoulder and he took some time to get up. Ross Ventrone took
Patriots lead 23-9 after three quarters
Second Quarter
The Highs:
- The Patriots defense is having a great night. Jets first possession of the quarter, and they force Mark Sanchez into an intentional grounding. Andre Carter was the Patriot with the pressure and then Mark Anderson finishes the drive with a sack of his own. Defense has three sacks so far in the game.
- Jets second possession and the Pats defense forces a punt. Big pressure on Mark Sanchez again. Mark Anderson gets his second sack of the evening.
- Pats finish the quarter with a score. Seven plays and 80 yards in 71 seconds. Brady caps off the drive with an 18-yard touchdown catch by Rob Gronkowksi, his 17th since coming into the league.
The Lows:
- Pats first possession of the quarter and they were just a little out of sync. Brady had to burn a timeout and after a promising first play, they go three-and-out. Brady could have been picked at least three times by now.
- Jets second possession of the quarter and Devin McCourty gets hurt. Injures his shoulder as Sterling Moore plows into him while trying to hit Plaxico Burress. McCourty's return is questionable.
- Pats second possession of the quarter and just a lot of mistakes. Brady unexpectedly gets a snap and fumbles. He recovers it but then on the same drive, he gets sacked in the end zone for a safety.
- Jets gets the ball after the safety and they score. Mark Sanchez taking advantage of the fact that McCourty is not on the field he hits his wide receivers. Took matters into his own hands when the Jets get to the redzone, running it in from three yards out for a touchdown.
13 to 9 Pats at the half
First Quarter
The Highs:
- Pats red zone defense gets a star. After the Jets get to the 9 on their first possession, they don't get in and New York then misses the field goal. Pats get the ball and the Jets have nothing to show for a solid drive.
- Pats on their first possession and they get on the board. Passes to Aaron Hernandez, Rob Gronkowski and Chad Ochocinco move the Pats into field goal range and Stephen Gostkowski nails a 50 yarder.
- Jets second possession and the Pats force a punt. Andre Carter with a sack on third down. Pats defense holds.
Read: Levan Reid's Patriots Blog
- Pats second possession and they get three more. Big passing play to Ocho for 53 yards and then the drive stalled. A 36-yarder by Gostkowski puts New England up 6-0.
- Pats defense ends the quarter on a sack of Mark Sanchez. Carter once again. Two for the game for him.
The Lows:
- Jets get the ball first and they waste no time in driving down the field. Passing plays of 16, 11, and 27. Pats secondary struggles out of the gate
- Pats first possession and guard Brian Waters gets hurt.
- Pats second possession and they have to settle for 3. Missing the opportunities in the red zone. They need to execute. Brady and Woodhead not on the same page on a touchdown pass.
Pats up 6-nothing after one
