Week 10 Game Recap: New York Jets 17, New England Patriots 14

What you need to know

New York Jets

The Jets played a very aggressive game. They just seemed to want the game more than the Patriots. Pennington played well, allowing the Jets to control the ball and limit mistakes and the receivers came up with extra yards after the catch to pick up key first downs. The defense blitzed very effectively, at times throwing off Brady’s timing and grabbing an interception. A second interception was negated by a roughing the passer penalty.

Chad Pennington completed 66% of his passes for 168 yards and one touchdown. While Pennington didn’t throw for many yards, he was able to keep the chains moving with short passes. He led the Jets on three drives of ten or more plays.

Kevan Barlow ran the ball well; gaining 75 yards on 17 carries. Barlow had a second quarter touchdown run that gave the Jets a 7-3 lead. He was the workhorse of the drive, carrying nine times for 42 yards and the touchdown. Leon Washington also added 35 yards.

Jerricho Cotchery led the Jets with six catches for 70 yards and a touchdown. He made a great play on a Pennington pass in the end zone. He caught it right along the side of the end zone out jumping a Patriots’ defender.

New England Patriots

New England was outplayed by the Jets in this game. The Patriots scored a late touchdown to make it close and did get a final possession with a chance to tie it with a field goal. That drive ended with the Jets’ defense coming up big with a sack of Brady and caused a fumble.

Tom Brady was 25 of 37 for 255 yards. He threw one touchdown late in the game but was also picked off once and fumbled to end the game. He threw a second interception but that was called back when he was driven into the turf by the Jets’ defender. Brady spread the ball around to nine different receivers.

Corey Dillon led the Patriots with 98 yards rushing, including a 50 yard run. Maroney added 37 yards on the ground and Heath Evans carried a couple of times, picking up first downs on both carries. Even with Dillon’s 50 yard run, the Patriots were only able to get a field goal on the drive.

Reche Caldwell had a career day, catching nine balls for 90 yards and a touchdown. His touchdown came on a tipped ball that he was able to bring in and then break a couple of tackles. Eight other players caught passes from Brady but none had more than three catches. Doug Gabriel had two catches for 30 yards but he had a big fumble on a catch and run of 22 yards. At the end of the run he had the ball knocked loose and recovered by the Jets. The fumble came with the Patriots leading 3-0. The Jets took the ball and drove the field for a touchdown and never looked back.

Rodney Harrison was out with a broken shoulder blade and the Patriots could have used him. They just didn’t seem to have the usual intensity that they bring to the game on defense. The Jets just seemed to want this one and wouldn’t be stopped. The loss gives the Patriots consecutive losses for the first time in 57 games. San Francisco holds the record with 60 games from 1995-1999.

What you ought to know

QB Chad Pennington, Pass: 22 - 33 - 168 - 1 TD / 1 INT, Rush: 2 - 4 - 0

Pennington managed the game very well on a day when the weather was nasty and the field was even worse. Pennington was 22 of 33 for just 168 yards. He completed a lot of short passes and was able to move the Jets down the field on a couple of long scoring drives. He led them on a 16 play touchdown drive and a 15 play drive for a field goal. He also hit Cotchery in the end zone in the fourth quarter. It was a slightly ill advised pass but Cotchery went up and made a great play on the ball and managed to keep his feet in bounds on the side of the end zone.

RB Kevan Barlow, Rush: 17 - 75 - 1, Rec: 1 - 7 - 0 (1 targets)

Barlow ran hard and picked up 75 yards and a touchdown. He carried nine times on the drive he scored the touchdown. He also picked up three fourth quarter first downs on the ground to extend the three New York drives. It allowed the Jets to chew up a lot of time in the fourth quarter. His only catch came in the fourth quarter. He picked up seven yards and then got the first down on the next play with a four yard run. Jets leaned on him to extend drives and keep the Jets’ defense off the field.

RB Leon Washington, Rush: 9 - 35 - 0, Rec: 2 - 1 - 0 (3 targets)

Washington carried nine times for 35 yards. He also caught a couple of very short passes that gained one total yard. Most of his carries came in the second half when the Jets switched up the running style from Barlow’s tough running to Washington finesse runs.

RB B.J. Askew, Rec: 2 - 9 - 0 (2 targets)

Askew was thrown to a couple of times, picking up nine yards. He was used as a change of pace. He did pick up a first down on his first catch. That drive led to a field goal.

WR Jerricho Cotchery, Rush: 1 - 3 - 0, Rec: 6 - 70 - 1 (8 targets)

Cotchery caught six passes for 70 and a touchdown. The TD was the catch of the game for the Jets. With the Jets up just 10-6, Cotchery made a great play on the pass and got both feet down in the end zone. It put the Jets up 17-6 and was the deciding score of the game. Including the touchdown, six of Cotchery’s receptions went for a first down.

WR Laveranues Coles, Rec: 5 - 29 - 0 (11 targets)

Coles made five catches for 29 yards. Pennington looked his way most often and tried hitting him deep on a few passes but to no avail. All of Coles’ completions came on short passes and he was able to pick up a couple of first downs on two of the New York scoring drives.

WR Justin McCareins, Rec: 3 - 31 - 0 (3 targets)

McCareins caught all three passes thrown his way. He made a nice play on a 23 yard catch in the first quarter. He caught a short pass and added extra yardage after the catch. The drive ended in a punt though.

WR Tim Dwight, Rec: 2 - 14 - 0 (3 targets)

Dwight was used sparingly on the offensive side of the ball. He was thrown to three times, catching two passes for 14 yards.

TE Chris Baker, Rec: 1 - 7 - 0 (3 targets)

Baker caught just one pass for seven yards. His catch came in the first quarter. Pennington went right back to him on the next play for an incomplete pass. He didn’t get another look until the final New York drive of the game. That was incomplete too.

PK Mike Nugent 1 - 1 FG, 2 - 2 XP, 5 points

Nugent made his only field goal try of the game from 34 yards. He also made both extra points. With the sloppy field, neither team was quick to trot out the kicker, instead going for it on fourth down or punting.

NYJ Rush Defense

The Jets gave up a 50 yard run to Dillon in the first quarter. After that they were solid, giving up just 58 yards in the final three quarters. They gave up a short run on fourth and one. It extended the drive for the Patriots and led to field goal. With the field being muddy and the ball wet, being able to control the ground game was a key factor in the Jets winning the game.

NYJ Pass Defense

The Jets’ pass defense bent but rarely broke. They gave up yardage to Brady but they forced a couple of big turnovers and recorded four sacks. They blitzed effectively and forced Brady into some errant throws. With the Patriots up 3-0 and driving, the Jets stripped the ball from Gabriel after a 22 yard pass play down to the Jets 15 yard line. It was the turning point of the game because the Jets drove the field for the go ahead touchdown right after the fumble. They got an easy interception on a poorly thrown ball over the middle. They had a second interception against Brady but it was nullified due to a rougher the passer penalty. The defense made up for it on the final play of the game with the Patriots trying to drive down the field. The Jets got to Brady and forced a fumble with time running out.

QB Tom Brady, Pass: 25 - 37 - 255 - 1 TD / 1 INT

On a day when the field was sloppy, Brady was forced to throw 37 times. He completed 25 passes for 255 yards. He threw a touchdown and an interception. His touchdown throw was tipped at the line and Reche Caldwell made a nice catch and broke a couple of tackles to get to the end zone. Brady’s interception was not a good pass, thrown behind his receiver over the middle. He was also picked off again but was given a reprieve after Victor Hobson drove him into the turf and got flagged for a penalty. Brady took advantage and led the Patriots to a field goal on that drive. Brady tried to lead the Patriots to a game tying field goal with time running out. He ended up getting sacked and fumbled the ball. The Patriots recovered but time had expired.

RB Corey Dillon, Rush: 11 - 98 - 0, Rec: 1 - 5 - 0 (1 targets)

Dillon carried 11 times for 98 yards. He had a 50 yard run in the first quarter. It was the first 50 yard run of the Bill Belichick era in New England. Also, it was Dillon’s longest run since 2002 when he was with the Bengals. The Corey Dillon of old would have likely scored but the 2006 version ran out of gas and was caught by the defense. Dillon picked up five first downs. The Patriots brought Maroney in when they got into the red zone so Dillon never really got close to scoring.

RB Laurence Maroney, Rush: 12 - 37 - 0 (1 targets)

Maroney carried 12 times for 37 yards. The Patriots like to use him as they get into the red zone, taking away scoring chances from Dillon. He had a carry from the Jets’ four yard line but lost a yard. On the next play Brady got sacked. The only pass thrown to him was picked off by the Jets in the fourth quarter. It was a poor pass by Brady with Maroney never really having a chance to catch it.

RB Kevin Faulk, Rec: 3 - 23 - 0 (3 targets)

Faulk was only used in the passing game. He caught all three passes thrown his way for 23 yards. He made a really nice one handed grab by the sideline but came up just short of a first down.

RB Heath Evans, Rush: 2 - 8 - 0

Evans had a couple of carries, both resulting in first downs. One of the carries was a fourth and one try. The drive continued and resulted in a field goal.

WR Reche Caldwell, Rec: 9 - 90 - 1 (13 targets)

It was a career day for Caldwell. He caught nine passes for 90 yards and a touchdown. He came back for the ball after it was tipped at the line. He made a nice move to avoid a couple of New York defenders and sprinted to the end zone. His touchdown put the Patriots right back in the game. He then caught a pass to convert the two point conversion, leaving the Patriots just three points behind with 4:22 to go in the fourth quarter.

WR Jabar Gaffney, Rec: 3 - 65 - 0 (5 targets)

Gaffney made three catches for 65 yards. His big catch came with the Patriots down 17-6 in the fourth quarter. Gaffney got behind the defense and pulled in the long pass for 33 yards. Three plays later the Patriots got the touchdown from Caldwell and used only 31 seconds on the drive.

WR Troy Brown, Rec: 2 - 15 - 0 (5 targets)

Brown caught two passes for 15 yards. Brady tried hitting him deep a couple of times. One was incomplete and one was intercepted. He had a 13 yard catch on the Patriots’ quick scoring drive in the fourth quarter

WR Doug Gabriel, Rec: 2 - 30 - 0 (2 targets)

Gabriel caught two passes for 30 yards. He made a nice catch and run but was caught from behind and fumbled the ball by the side line. The Jets recovered at their own 15 yard line. He didn’t see another pass after the fumble early in the second quarter.

WR Chad Jackson, Rec: 2 - 5 - 0 (2 targets)

Jackson caught just two short passes for five yards. He really wasn’t a factor in this game.

TE Ben Watson, Rec: 2 - 16 - 0 (5 targets)

Watson caught two passes for 16 yards. Brady looked his way five times including on a fourth and three in the fourth quarter. It went for six yards. The drive eventually ended in a punt. All five of his looks came in the second half, with four of them in the fourth quarter.

TE Daniel Graham, Rec: 1 - 6 - 0 (3 targets)

Graham had just one catch for six yards. Brady threw to him deep late in the third quarter but it was incomplete.

PK Stephen Gostkowski 2 - 2 FG, 0 - 0 XP, 6 points

He made both field goals with a long of 31 yards. The Patriots went for a two point conversion in the fourth quarter so he had no extra point attempts.

NE Rush Defense

The Patriots’ rush defense gave up 110 yards to the Jets’ rushing tandem of Barlow and Washington. They allowed a rushing touchdown to Barlow in the second quarter. On the Barlow touchdown drive, the Patriots gave up a fourth down conversion for the first time this year. Pennington picked up three yards on fourth and one from the Patriots 23 yard line. New England just didn’t seem to be their usual aggressive, attacking defense.

NE Pass Defense

New England’s pass defense only sacked Pennington once and intercepted him once. Pennington picked them apart with short range passes. The New England defense gave up scoring drives of 15 and 16 plays. The Patriots didn’t play aggressive enough in this game. Too many times the Jets receivers caught passes and were able to gain yards after the catch to pick up the first down. The Jets picked up 11 first downs via the pass, five of those on third down.