Thursday’s 13-10 win over the New York Jets has to be one of the most unattractive wins of Bill Belichick’s career. Miscommunication between Tom Brady and his young receivers, a stagnant running game, and rainy weather in the second half didn’t do the Patriots any favors. But they still won the game and their record sits at 2-0 which is good for first place in the AFC West.
Photo by Ed Runyon
Brady went a deplorable 19 for 39 which equals a 48.3 completion percentage, and only threw for 185 yards and 1 scoring pass. But when one of the best tight ends of the 21st century in Rob Gronkowksi and talented No.2 receiver Danny Amendola are missing from one’s offensive lineup, it can be hard for even a first-ballot Hall of Famer like Brady to be the best he can be.
Kicker Stephen Gostkowski used his two field goals–a 21 yarder in the 1st quarter and a 30 yarder in the 2nd quarter—to help the Pats subdue a hungry but not all the way there Jets team that is still trying to find its identity on offense.
The first drive of the game took place at the Patriots own 19 yard line. Seven plays after the drive started, Brady play-action faked to running back Stevan Ridley (16 carries for 40 yards and no score) and then quickly threw a sneaky pass to rookie receiver Aaron Dobson (3 catches for 56 yards and 1 score) who was all alone, and who proceeded to rumble 39 yards down the right sideline for the Patriots biggest highlight of the night. That would be the last pass that Dobson would catch until the :46 second mark of the second quarter.
New York after the kickoff took over on their own 20. But this drive withered away due to a 3rd and 5 dropped near the sideline pass from quarterback Geno Smith (15 of 35 for 214 yards, no touchdown and 3 interceptions) to running back Bilal Powell, who had clearly beaten outside linebacker Dont’a Hightower.
With just under 10:30 left in the first quarter, Smith zoomed a pass to receiver Stephen Hill near the 50, but he fumbled the ball with Aqib Talib’s (1 tackle and 2 interceptions) help—particularly Talib’s left foot—and safety Devin McCourty recovered the fumble and sped down near the left sideline all the way to the NYJ 8 yard line where he was thrown out of bounds by a host of Jets. McCourty’s fumble recovery led to a Gostkowksi successful field goal and a 10-0 Patriots lead.
After a Michael Buchanan sack ended a Jets drive with just under 7 minutes left in the first half, on the ensuing drive and from the NE 45, Brady shot a high pass down the field to receiver Kenbrell Thompkins (2 catches for 47 yards) who caught the pass and went out of bounds at the NYJ 17. That completion led to another Gostkowski field goal that was good from 30 yards and a 13-3 Patriots lead with 5:05 left in the first half.
On the first drive of the second half, Jets receiver Clyde Gates showed good concentration and made a great catch between Pats defenders Alfonzo Dennard and McCourty for a 34 yard gain along the left sideline. But this promising drive ended because of a Rob Ninkovich 4 yard tackle for loss of Powell who valiantly tried to make a spin move out of Ninkovich”s grasp.
Finally with 5:05 left in the 3rd quarter, Powell burrowed near the middle of the Jets offensive line and followed blocks by D’Brickashaw Ferguson and Vladimir Ducasse into the end zone from 3 yards out for an eventual 13-10 score.
With around 12:20 left in the game, Hill atoned for his fumble with a big 37 yard catch down to the NE 32 yard line where he was run out of bounds by Dennard and McCourty. But Talib intercepted a Smith pass at the NE 11 and was knocked back to the NE 10 yard line for a 1 yard loss. Talib’s theft “led” to an eventual 3 and out by the Pats and a Ryan Allen punt that traveled 49 yards to the NYJ 18 yard line with 8:29 left in game.
Near the end of the game or the :40 second mark of the 4th quarter, Talib played the Grinch as he stole another Smith pass and returned it 14 yards to the NYJ 32 yard line. Due to center Nick Mangold going after Talib’s knees after the latter’s theft, a big fight broke out between assorted Pats and Jets players.
