FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – Almost, Rex.
The Jets could not back up Rex Ryan’s belief that they would beat the Patriots after a wild affair at Gillette Stadium that New England somehow won 29-26 in overtime.
It all came to a sudden end after a back-and-forth second half that saw the game get tied twice in the final three minutes. The Patriots grabbed a 29-26 lead after kicking a field goal on the first series of overtime. The Jets were then driving, but quarterback Mark Sanchez was sacked and fumbled to end the game. Jermaine Cunningham and Rob Ninkovich combined on the sack with Ninkovich beating tackle Austin Howard and causing the fumble, which he recovered.
New England takes sole possession of first place in the AFC East and now has control of the division. The Jets put up an unbelievable fight, but it was not enough.
The Patriots opened the overtime period with the ball. They had to settle for a 48-yard field goal from kicker Stephen Gostkowski, making the score 29-26, but giving the Jets a possession under the new, modified overtime rules.
The game appeared to be heading to overtime initially after the Jets tied it 23-23 with a late field goal from Nick Folk. But Patriots kick returner Devin McCourty, who earlier returned one for a touchdown, fumbled the ensuing kickoff after getting hit by Lex Hilliard. Jets rookie Antonio Allen recovered at the Patriots 18, setting up the go-ahead, 43-yard field goal from Folk to make it 26-23 with 1:37 left in the game – a lead they could not hold onto.
Tom Brady took over the ball at the New England 21 and marched the Patriots into field goal territory with a stunningly easy five-play, 54-yard drive. Gostkowski sent it into overtime with his own 43-yard field goal to tie it at 26-26.
The Jets trailed for most of the game, but tied it up after getting the ball down 23-20 with 4:19 left after their defense forced a three-and-out from the Patriots. They sliced through the Patriots defense with the pass and run. The drive fizzled when rookie wide receiver Stephen Hill dropped a third down pass from Mark Sanchez and they had to settle for a game-tying, 43-yard field goal from Nick Folk.
The game took a major swing in the third quarter when the Jets opened up with an impressive drive. Trailing 16-10, they marched all the way down to the New England 3, but Sanchez threw an incompletion to wide receiver Chaz Schilens on third-and-2 and the Jets settled for a Nick Folk 21-yard field goal, making it 16-13.
The Patriots then put together a 15-play drive that included a controversial call. The ruling on the field was Aaron Hernandez fumbled on the Jets’ 1 and Antonio Cromartie recovered it in the end zone. But referees overturned the call after a review and the Patriots had it first-and-goal on the 1. Three plays later, Tom Brady hit tight end Rob Gronkowski for a touchdown to stretch the score to 23-13.
But the Jets were not dead. Sanchez went 9-of-10 and led a 14-play drive of his own that ended with him finding tight end Dustin Keller for a 7-yard touchdown that made the score 23-20 with 5:44 left in the game.
Nick Folk hit a 54-yard field goal with seven seconds left in the first half to cut the Patriots lead to 16-10 entering halftime.
The six-point deficit was shockingly small considering some of the self-inflicted wounds from the Jets in the first half. They had a safety off a fumble, an interception and a few crushing penalties. But the Patriots offense never really found its groove in the first half with Brady struggling on third down to move the Patriots down the field.
The Jets looked impressive on their first drive, marching down the field 76 yards on 11 plays capped by a Shonn Greene 1-yard touchdown to take a 7-0 lead. The drive was beautifully orchestrated by offensive coordinator Tony Sparano, who mixed the run and the pass as well as two plays from Tim Tebow.
The momentum the Jets gained on the drive was short-lived, though, as McCourty returned the ensuing kickoff 104 yards for a game-tying touchdown.
The Patriots took their first lead on their next drive, running their lightning quick no-huddle attack. Brady carved up the Jets and then hit tight end Rob Gronkowski with a 17-yard touchdown pass over Jets safety LaRon Landry.
Things looked like they might get out of hand on the Jets’ first drive of the second quarter. Taking over at their own 12, Sanchez and Greene had a botched handoff that resulted in a fumble into the end zone. Sanchez kicked it out of the back of the end zone to avoid a touchdown for the safety, making the score 16-7. Patriots defensive tackle Vince Wilfork deserved the credit for causing the fumble by blowing up Jets guard Matt Slauson on the play and pushing him into the backfield. Greene saw the surge coming at him and bobbled the handoff.
The Jets put together a nice drive the next time they got the ball, but Sanchez made an awful throw to end it. On second-and-8 from the Patriots’ 36, Jets wide receiver Stephen Hill was wide open down the sideline, heading for a sure touchdown. Sanchez threw way short and it was intercepted by Alfonzo Dennard.