NFL

Patriots tried to rub it in Jets faces

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — It was rather clear for everyone to see that Tom Brady, Randy Moss and the Patriots were trying to grind the Jets’ noses in defeat late in yesterday’s game.

With the Patriots leading 31-14 with 30 seconds left, Brady tried to hit Moss with a deep pass that fell incomplete. If the Jets were angry about the Patriots’ attempt to pile it on, they didn’t let on afterward. They seemed to be far too humbled by the beating to muster up any energy to rip the Patriots.

“They can do whatever they want to do when they have the ball,” defensive end Shaun Ellis said.

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“We know the Patriots don’t quit,” cornerback Darrelle Revis, who was covering Moss all day, said diplomatically. “They want to keep going, adding points up on the board, and I knew it. It was just a play and I did my job on the play.”

Coach Rex Ryan didn’t address the play directly, but he made it clear to compliment Revis for the job he did on Moss (5-34, 1 TD), saying, “That’s one guy that won his battle.”

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The only real bright spot of the game for the Jets came on a special teams play made by a couple of Smiths.

Eric Smith blocked a Chris Hanson punt and Brad Smith recovered it and returned it four yards for a touchdown with 50 seconds remaining in the first half. It was the Jets’ first blocked punt since a David Bowens block in December of 2007 against the Patriots.

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In a remarkable show of toughness, safety Jim Leonhard was in the starting lineup yesterday just six days removed from having surgery to insert three screws into his broken right thumb.

Leonhard, who was injured in the first quarter of the Jets’ loss to the Jaguars last Sunday but finished the game, had the surgery on Monday and didn’t practice until Friday. He played with a protective cast on his right hand and wrist and played defense, but didn’t return punts. He had his hand examined after the game and was told he did no further damage.

Jerricho Cotchery replaced Leonhard on punt returns.

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Ellis had the Jets’ two sacks and forced a Tom Brady fumble on one of them. Ellis leads the Jets with 4.5 sacks. . . . DT Marques Douglas forced a Laurance Maroney fumble that was recovered by LB Bryan Thomas in the first half. . . . RB Thomas Jones eclipsed the 100-yard rushing mark for the fourth time in the last five weeks, rushing for 103 yards on 21 carries.

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CB Dwight Lowery, who started in place of Lito Sheppard and also returned kickoffs, injured his left ankle in the third quarter returning a kick and didn’t return. . . . Nickel CB Donald Strickland left the game in the second quarter after Patriots T Mark LeVoir creamed him on a block.

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Brady threw for 300-plus yards for the fifth consecutive game and sixth time this season. Mark Sanchez has yet to throw for 300 yards in a game. . . . For the second consecutive week, the Jets left KO returner Justin Miller on the inactive list. Also inactive was LB Vernon Gholston, who has missed the last two games with a hamstring injury.

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The Jets were looking to sweep the season series against the Patriots for the first time since 2000. . . . The Patriots are 21-1 in games following a regular-season loss, including 3-0 this season. The last time they lost back-to-back games was Nov. 5-12 of 2006.