FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — The NFL went 10 weeks and a whole lot of kicks and not using a participant returning a punt for a landing. Marcus Jones made the primary of the season one to recollect.
The New England rookie returned a punt 84 yards for a landing with 5 seconds remaining and the Patriots outlasted the surprised New York Jets 10-3 on Sunday.
Jones’ rating was the lone TD of the sport and broke a stalemate on a day when each offenses struggled to maneuver the ball.
With solely 26 seconds exhibiting on the clock when the Jets lined as much as kick, Jones thought Braden Mann would possibly punt it out of bounds. As soon as he obtained it in his palms and made just a few gamers miss, all the pieces modified.
“Then I seen the punter and I used to be like, ‘If I make him miss, I ought to be capable of go the space.’”
He was proper.
It was the third straight win for the Patriots (6-4) and their 14th straight over New York. In addition they denied the Jets (6-4) an opportunity to maneuver into first place within the AFC East this late within the season for the primary time since 2010. As a substitute, New York dropped to final place.
“I’m in disbelief,” Jets cornerback D.J. Reed stated. “It’s a tricky loss.”
The Jets haven’t received in Foxborough for the reason that 2010 playoffs after they knocked out the Patriots within the divisional spherical.
The Patriots moved the ball effectively at instances, with Mac Jones finishing 23 of 27 passes for 246 yards. However they have been solely 4 of 15 on third down and had just one area purpose — with Nick People lacking two makes an attempt — regardless of getting contained in the Jets 30 thrice.
New York sacked Jones six instances, however managed solely 103 yards on offense and 6 first downs. Zach Wilson was simply 9 of twenty-two for 77 yards, and Mann punted 10 instances. Within the second half, the Jets had simply 2 yards on seven possessions.
Jets coach Robert Saleh stated he thought their protection was “excellent.” He likened the offense’s second-half effort to canine feces. However he stated it wasn’t simply on the second-year quarterback.
“We couldn’t run the ball. both, so there’s numerous issues that we obtained to take a look at to see if we will discover some effectivity within the offense,” Saleh stated. “It simply wasn’t adequate.”
Again-to-back performs involving New York huge receiver Denzel Mims and New England cornerback Jonathan Jones stored the Jets alive late within the fourth.
First, Jones dived in entrance of Mims and dropped a close to interception. Then, Jones was referred to as for defensive holding on Mims, negating what would have been a sack by Mack Wilson.
However New York couldn’t transfer the ball with their new set of downs and have been pressured to punt.
“Full domination. That’s type of what what we needed to do,” Patriots defensive lineman Deatrich Clever, Jr. stated. “We needed to cease the run and have an effect on the cross. And I believed we did that.”
SMALL COMPANY
This was the primary sport in not less than the final 40 seasons by which the primary TD scored was a defensive or particular groups TD within the remaining minute of the sport.
SACK MAN
Patriots linebacker Matt Judon mixed with Mack Wilson for a sack early within the third quarter and dropped Zach Wilson for a 9-yard sack on the primary play of the fourth quarter to set a profession excessive of 13 1/2 this season.
Just one participant in Patriots franchise historical past has had extra sacks in a season: Corridor of Famer Andre Tippett, who had 18 1/2 in 1984 and 16 1/2 in 1985.
EARLY ACTION
Area objectives by each groups offered all of the scoring till the profitable punt return.
The Patriots drove to the Jets 6 earlier than settling for a 24-yarder by People.
Zach Wilson accomplished a 34-yard cross to Mims to set the Jets up on the Patriots 25. It stalled there, resulting in a 45-yard area purpose by Greg Zuerlein.
The Patriots had an opportunity so as to add factors late within the second quarter after they drove to the Jets 7. However a holding penalty on Yodny Cajuste, adopted by a sack on Mac Jones pushed the ball again to the 26. The sequence ended with People’s miss from 44.
INJURIES
Jets: LB Quincy Williams limped off with an ankle damage within the first quarter after combing on a sort out. He returned within the second quarter. … CB Michael Carter II left with a chest damage within the fourth quarter, however returned late. … CB Brandin Echols was capable of stroll off on his personal energy after being shaken up on a play within the fourth.
Patriots: C David Andrews left late within the first quarter with a thigh damage and didn’t return. He was changed by James Ferentz. … LT Isaiah Wynn additionally left within the first and was dominated out with a foot damage. He was changed by Trent Brown.
UP NEXT
Jets: Host the Chicago Bears subsequent Sunday.
Patriots: On the Minnesota Vikings on Thanksgiving.
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