Plenty more on the Jets’ 16-9 win over the New England Patriots throughout the week - as I was at yesterday’s game - but for now here’s what you need to know:
First and foremost, the Jets backed up the talk. Rex Ryan, Kerry Rhodes, and Kris Jenkins had a lot to say before the game. They did their most important talking on the field.
- The Jets blitzed Tom Brady all day, and while they didn’t record a sack, they hurried him 15 times and knocked him to the ground five times. New York had Brady confused with their schemes, and the aggressive play – coming after him with six or seven at a time - was something he had not seen from them before. Brady finished 23-of-47 for 216 yards, completing less than 50 percent of his passes for just the second time in 22 games.
- The Jets secondary was superb. Darrelle Revis limited Randy Moss to four catches for 24
- Darrelle Revis, the Jets’ star cornerback
yards, one week after shutting down Andre Johnson. Wes Welker sat this one out with a knee injury, and that helped. Rookie Julian Edelman was Brady’s favorite target, catching eight passes for 98 yards.
- Revis made a spectacular interception on a deep pass by Brady in the first quarter. With Revis and Moss running step-for-step down the Patriots’ sideline, the cornerback out-jumped Moss for the INT. Later, in the second quarter, Lito Sheppard broke up what would have been a sure touchdown pass by swatting the ball away in the back of the endzone.
- New York held the Patriots to just 83 yards on the ground, and New England was forced into passing situations (low-percentage situations given the way the Jets’ defense was playing) as they trailed throughout the second half. New England did not score an offensive touchdown for the first time since 2006.
- The Jets trailed 9-6 at halftime but quickly took control of the game in the second half. Leon Washington’s 43-yard kickoff return set the Jets up with good field position to start the half. On the third play of the drive, Sanchez hit Dustin Keller in the back of the endzone for a nine-yard touchdown play. An early fourth-quarter field goal by Jay Feely, his third of the game, gave the Jets a 16-9 lead. From there, the defense secured the win.
- Jerricho Cotchery and Chanci Stuckey had four catches apiece. Washington led the Jets with 58 yards rushing, while Thomas Jones added 54. Sanchez threw for 148 yards in the second half, 163 (14-for-22) for the game.
- The crowd at the Meadowlands was as loud as I’ve ever heard it for a Jets’ home game. The crowd noise resulted in three delay-of-game penalties by New England. I guess Jets’ fans listened to Rex Ryan’s voice mail.
Again, plenty more on this one coming up.
