A Blowout And A Shutout: Patriots Remain Undefeated By Steamrolling Jets, 33-0
BOSTON (CBS) -- The New England Patriots remained undefeated on Monday night, and they did so with authority.
The Patriots dominated on defense, they dominated on offense, and they even dominated on special teams, absolutely rolling over the Jets by a final score of 33-0.
Jets quarterback Sam Darnold had a nightmare of an evening, completing just 11 of his 32 passes for 86 yards and four interceptions. He also lost a fumble, and he did not throw a touchdown. He posted a passer rating of 3.6.
Tom Brady completed 31 of his 45 passes for 249 yards with one touchdown and one interception, which came after his throwing arm was hit during the delivery of a pass.
Sony Michel ran for three touchdowns, all of which came from inside the 3-yard line.
The Patriots got out to an early 7-0 lead with a 16-play, 78-yard touchdown drive to start the game. Brady completed eight of his nine passes for 55 yards, with the only incompletion coming on a pass that hit Ben Watson in the facemask. Sony Michel ran in a touchdown on a third-and-2 from the 3-yard line to cap off the drive.
Devin McCourty then intercepted Sam Darnold's first pass of the night, giving the Patriots possession at the Jets' 12-yard line.
After getting a field goal out of that drive, the Patriots' defense forced the Jets into a three-and-out. On the ensuing possession, Brady dropped a picture-perfect pass from the 26-yard line to Phillip Dorsett in the back of the end zone for a touchdown.
The defense forced yet another turnover on the Jets' next drive, with John Simon breaking into the backfield untouched and getting a strip sack on Darnold. Kyle Van Noy recovered, and the Patriots turned it into a 38-yard touchdown drive to stretch their lead to 24-0.
The Jets then drove down the field -- aided by three penalties on New England -- only for Darnold to throw up an interception to Duron Harmon at the goal line.
Stephon Gilmore intercepted a Darnold pass to start the second half, and former Jets safety Terrence More picked him off again in the end zone later in the third quarter. That gave the Patriots four picks for the night and 18 interceptions, most in the NFL. The next-highest team total for interceptions is nine, from the Carolina Panthers.
The Jets gifted the Patriots a pair of points when a shotgun snap sailed over Darnold's head and into the end zone in the third quarter for a safety.
Michel scored his third touchdown of the night early in the fourth quarter, running behind linebacker Elandon Roberts, who stepped in at fullback in place of the injured James Develin and Jakob Johnson. That touchdown plunge from the 1-yard line made the score 33-0.
A muffed punt by Braxton Berrios in the fourth quarter made it six turnovers for the Patriots.
The Patriots won't have much time to soak in the victory, as they'll be on a short week when they host the Browns (2-4) on Sunday afternoon. The Browns will be well-rested, as they will be coming off their bye week.