Patriots' Jacoby Brissett took a much-deserved victory lap after Sunday's comeback win
FOXBORO -- Jacoby Brissett took a much-deserved victory lap on Sunday after leading the New England Patriots to a last-minute comeback win over the New York Jets. Benched three weeks ago in favor of rookie quarterback Drake Maye, Brissett was ready when his number was called Sunday when Maye went down with a concussion.
Brissett led the Patriots to points on three of his five drives in the second half Sunday against the Jets, including the game-winning touchdown drive.
Jacoby Brissett leads Patriots on game-winning drive
The Patriots had a 22 percent chance of winning when Brissett and the offense got the ball with less than three minutes left after the Jets had taken a 22-17 lead. But New England embarked on a 12-play, 70-yard drive that saw Brissett, Hunter Henry, Kayshon Boutte, and Rhamondre Stevenson step up and make big play after big play.
Henry caught a 12-yard pass from Brissett on the second play of the drive. Brissett used his legs when the Pats faced a third-and-9 out of the two-minute warning and scrambled for 14 yards, looking a lot like the rookie that replaced him in the process. Facing another third-and-9 about a minute later, Brissett hit Boutte with a 34-yard deep ball. It was a little underthrown as Brissett took a big hit as he let the ball fly, but Boutte made a great adjustment to finish with a diving catch at the New York 9-yard line.
Brissett went back to Boutte a few plays later on third-and-goal, but the receiver's knee was down less than a yard short of the end zone. That set up Stevenson's dramatic fourth-down touchdown that lifted New England to a 25-22 victory.
It was a breath of fresh air for everyone involved. (Minus the Jets, of course.) The win snapped a six-game Patriots losing streak and was the team's first home win in over a year. It came a week after head coach Jerod Mayo called the team soft following their loss to the Jaguars in London.
And for Brissett, it proved that he could still play in the NFL after his rough five weeks as New England's starter. While Brissett didn't play particularly well over that stretch, there were some truly nasty things said about him and his ability to play quarterback.
No one questioned the Patriots making the move to Maye, but Brissett was obviously frustrated with the move. He still embraced his role as mentor for the rookie, and while he did everything he could to help Maye get used to life as an NFL starter, Brissett stayed ready and focused.
It paid off with the game-winning drive on Sunday, and a shot of confidence for both the Patriots and the veteran QB. Even the always-humble Brissett did a little bragging after the win, making sure his doubters saw that he can still make good things happen on the field.
Brissett takes a victory lap after comeback win
"I don't look at it as no redemption. I think this is a testament to me believing in myself and not y'all," Brissett said after the win. "I'm very aware of that. I was very fortunate to have this opportunity. To go out there and get a win with our guys, it was sweet. You can't put it into words. I'm not trying to, like, be arrogant or nothing, but I'm very proud of myself today."
And Brissett should be proud of himself. He was far from perfect and the Patriots had to scratch and claw for a win, but it's a testament to the veteran's poise and hard work that he was able to get the job done when it mattered most. He completed 15 of his 24 passes for 132 yards, numbers that could have been better if New England receivers hadn't been plagued with a case of the dropsies.
"I thought Jacoby was ready to go," Mayo said of his veteran quarterback. "Was it perfect? No. But at the same time, I thought the operation was good. I thought he made some good throws. We've just got to continue to build on that."
Brissett received a game ball in the Patriots locker room after the victory, which was New England's first since a Week 1 upset over the Bengals in Cincinnati. Technically, Drake Maye was credited with his first career win despite not playing in the final three quarters, but Sunday's win belongs to Brissett.
"Winning in the NFL is hard. I know y'all don't think that, but it's hard," he said. "The guys have worked hard throughout the season, going back to training camp. We've been in a lull. Things haven't been going our way. But today the ball bounced our way. To celebrate that, experience that with the guys, it's a great learning tool for young guys for one, but also for our team it's like if we stay the course, stick with the process, sometimes you get lucky enough and the ball bounces your way."
Those bounces led to a hard-earned, feel-good moment for everyone on the team. The Patriots overcame adversity after losing their quarterback, responded to some tough love from their coach, and essentially wrecked the season of their rival. Brissett got another crack at leading the team, and he came through.
"It was just believing in myself, sticking to what I know is right, that I can play in this league," said Brissett. "I don't look at it as anything else but that. Like I said, just believing in myself and going out there and doing what I know I can do on a day-in, day-out process, basis. These were the results."
Barring a speedy recovery by Maye, Brissett is likely getting another start next Sunday when the Patriots visit the 1-6 Tennessee Titans.
