The New England Patriots (5-1 overall, 2-1 AFC East) used an efficient passing game and some help from an opportunistic defense to turn away the New York Jets (1-6 overall, 0-1 AFC East) 27-25 at home.
The Jets needed to win this game to give them a little breathing room as far as saving head coach Rex Ryan’s job and to also get them on the right track towards temporary respectability. A win over the Patriots on the road would have done so much for the Jets at this juncture in the season, but it wasn’t to be.
The Patriots jumped on the Jets super early in this game as far as scoring was concerned. 
Quarterback Tom Brady (20 of 37 for 261 yards, 3 touchdown passes and no interceptions) took the snap and with stout pass protection from his line, waggled to his right and then he let go of a pass that ended up in the hands of running back Shane Vereen(114 yards total offense and 2 touchdown receptions), who was all alone along the right sideline when he caught the pass. Vereen fell down at the 1 yard line but somehow his body and momentum enabled him to get into the end zone from where he fell down. Vereen’s second touchdown catch of the year gave the Patriots a 7-0 lead with 13:31 left in the first quarter.
Down 7-6, the Jets again saw another potential touchdown scoring drive wither away when running Bilal Powell couldn’t get a good grip on quarterback Geno Smith’s (20 of 34 for 226 yards, 1 touchdown and no interceptions) screen pass on 3rd and 6. Placekicker Nick Folk came in and booted a successful 46 yard field goal to give the Jets their first lead of the night at 9-7 with 7:52 left in the first half.
It was an ominous sign that the Patriots were on their way to snatching back momentum from the Jets when on the eight play of the drive, Brady took his sweet time to walk over and bellow out instructions to his receivers pre-snap.
Brady’s calm nature on this drive, enabled him to throttle the Jets intermediate defense and secondary to the tune of 5 completions for 66 yards and a touchdown. Speaking of touchdowns, Brady ended this drive with a 3 yard touchdown pass to Vereen which gave New England a 14-9 lead with 4:28 left in the first half.
On the ensuing drive, New England defensive tackle Casey Walker (2nd down-giving commendable help on run defense) and cornerback Logan Ryan (3rd down-in coverage versus Jets receiver David Nelson) made it their business to make sure the Jets sent in Folk for a field goal. Folk’s 4th successful field goal of the night cut the Patriots lead to 14-12 with 1:04 left in the first half.
The Jets jumped right back on top in the third quarter, when running back Chris Ivory (21 carries for 107 yards and 1 score) used a D’Brickashaw Ferguson block and his own leaping skills to score a 1 yard touchdown. The Jets now had a 19-17 lead with 8:58 left in the third quarter.
On the ensuing drive, the Patriots used 10 plays to enable kicker Stephen Gostkowski to put them back in the lead with his 36 yard field goal. With 4:10 left in the third quarter the Patriots were on top 20-19.
After all these drops (two to be exact), Julian Edelman (4 catches for 44 yards) came through for his team with a 14 yard reception to the NYJ 27 that he needed for his psyche and a reception Patriots needed to help them move ahead of the Jets on the scoreboard.
Like clockwork, Edelman’s reception set up fellow receiver Danny Amendola’s 19 yard touchdown reception versus cornerback Antonio Allen. The Patriots now had a 27-19 lead with 7:49 left in the contest.
On the ensuing drive, Smith kept this crucial possession alive with a 3rd and 3 run of 6 yards to the NE 46 that was aided by a key block from Ivory. That play set up a shallow crossing route touchdown reception by tight end Jeff Cumberland (3 catches for 50 yards and 1 score). With a failed 2-point conversion pass to rookie tight end Jace Amaro the Jets were down 27-25 with 2:31 left in the game.
The Jets started the last drive of the game for both teams at their own 12 yard line. Running back Chris Johnson and receivers Jeremy Kerley and Nelson were the main Jets who got them into field goal range at the NE 48. But Folk’s 58 yard game winning field goal was blocked by New England defensive end Chris Jones. Game over
