Patriots embarrass Jets during Thanksgiving tilt
With families across the country watching with full stomachs from their Thanksgiving feasts, what started out as a close game turned into a laugher as the New England Patriots defeated the New York Jets 49-19 in New Jersey on Thursday.
After a scoreless first quarter, the Patriots scored 35 points to the Jets three in the second, allowing New England to make NFL history as it tied for fourth-most points scored in a quarter.
“I was unfortunately on the other side of that in a Pro Bowl where they scored on a fumble, then an interception,” said Patriots coach Bill Belichick. “It doesn’t take a lot to score like that, defensive touchdowns, special teams, they can add up in a hurry. Nothing surprises me in the NFL.”
Before the second quarter even came to an end, Jets fans at MetLife Stadium began chanting for back-up quarterback Tim Tebow, who revealed after the game that he could not play because of a few broken ribs. The fans also booed the team as it left the field for halftime.
“Shoot, I don’t blame them for booing,” said Jets coach Rex Ryan.
The game featured four touchdowns in approximately six minutes, including a startling three touchdowns in a 52-second span of time. With the win, Belichick became just the eight coach in NFL history to accumulate 200 career wins, including playoff victories.
“It all happened so fast,” said New England linebacker Jerod Mayo. “I’ve never been part of anything like that, but I’m glad that we were on the right side of it.”
With the win, the Patriots also improved their second-half record. Since the 2010 season, New England has gone 19-0 in the second half, going 8-0 in 2010 and 2011, and going 3-0 thus far this season.
While New England managed to accomplish several positive tasks in the win, the Jets found more than a few negatives as they allowed their most points since their 1995 season opener against the Miami Dolphins where they gave up 52.
“Discouraged? Of course,” Ryan said. “I’ll put it to you this way: We’re about as wounded as you possibly can be, but we’re not dead.”
The Patriots began scoring in the second after Steven Gregory intercepted a pass from Mark Sanchez to Jeremy Kerley at the end of the first quarter. From there, Patriots quarterback Tom Brady helped the Pats to a 15-play, 84-yard drive that ended with wide receiver Wes Welker’s 3-yard touchdown. After another mistake by the Jets on their next possession, Brady threw a pass to running back Shane Vereen, who made the 83-yard touchdown with ease, giving New England a 14-0 lead with 9:43 remaining in the half.
After Sanchez fumbled the ball on a second down a few moments later, Gregory ran the ball 32 yards to give New England another 7 points. A fumble on a kickoff and a 56-yard pass later led to the first half score of 35-3
“That was crazy,” Sanchez said. “I’ve never seen anything like that. This is a team you can’t turn the ball over against because they make you pay. That was a great display of that today.”
The Jets would narrow the score down to 35-12 late in the third quarter and get a 1-yard scoring toss from Sanchez with just two minutes left in the game. Nonetheless, a 1-yard run by Brady in the beginning of the fourth and a 9-yard run by running back Stevan Ridley less than a minute later accounted for the final score.
Brady would finish the game 18-of-28 for 323 yards, and reached 3,000 yards passing for the 10th time, which made him one of six players to accomplish that feat.
Elsewhere on Thursday:
The Washington Redskins defeated the Dallas Cowboys 38-31, after the Redskins had a 28-point second quarter. The loss served as the first time Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo suffered a defeat on Thanksgiving Day. Redskins rookie quarterback Robert Griffin III finished the game with 311 yards and had four touchdown passes.
