NFL

Jets’ Pace seething over refs’ reversal

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — There was little question when yesterday’s 30-21 loss to the Patriots turned bad for the Jets.

It came in the devastating form of a three-punch knockout flurry that included a controversial ruling from the officials’ replay booth — which Jets linebacker Calvin Pace told The Post was just the capper on a day of questionable calls.

On the Patriots’ first offensive snap of the second half, Tom Brady connected with Wes Welker on a 73-yard catch-and-run play that stunned the Jets defense.

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Welker, who had been kept relatively quiet in the first half (three catches, 47 yards), split cornerback Darrelle Revis and safety Eric Smith, who were in a rare zone coverage, and rambled to the Jets’ 7-yard line.

That was the left hook that staggered the Jets.

The right cross that left them dazed came two plays later, when Brady scrambled away from rookie Muhammad Wilkerson and found Deion Branch inside the 5-yard line.

As Branch tried to regain his feet and get into the end zone, Pace poked the ball away and the apparent fumble was recovered by Jets defensive tackle Mike DeVito.

Bill Belichick challenged the play and it was overturned when the officials ruled that when Pace touched Branch he was down by contact at the Jets’ 3-yard line.

The ruling left Pace seething after the game.

“It was a fumble,” Pace told The Post. “And again, the referees missed another one. You know what they’re going to do? They’re going to write us a letter about how they missed another call and what does that do? Nothing.

“I guess it’s human error, so what can you do? We got a call that just ain’t right. If it wasn’t a fumble [Branch] wouldn’t have gotten up and tried to run.”

Pace then suggested that the Jets were playing against more than the Patriots’ prolific offense.

“It’s very disheartening, man,” Pace said. “Guys were playing their hearts out against a very talented team and when people [the referees] make mistakes it costs you. What can you do, man It’s terrible.

“Did that cost us the game? I don’t know. Probably not. But there was a lot of questionable stuff that I thought wasn’t right.”

Asked what else he considered questionable, Pace said, “Some of the so-called pass interference stuff,” referring to calls against Donald Strickland and Brodney Pool.

Branch conceded the Patriots caught a break on the reversal.

“It was one of those bang-bang plays,” Branch said. “The thing that saved is was the replay. If my knee wouldn’t have been down, it would have been a fumble.”

One play after the reversal, the Patriots went up 17-7, delivering the unofficial knockout blow when Brady threw a 3-yard scoring pass to Branch, who so badly twisted Antonio Cromartie with a wiggle move in the back of the end zone it’s surprising the cornerback still had his cleats on after the play.

mark.cannizzaro@nypost.com