Zach Wilson's 3 interceptions help Patriots top Jets in Jersey
BOSTON -- The New England Patriots are back at .500, with a major assist from Zach Wilson.
The Jets quarterback threw three interceptions against the visiting Patriots on Sunday at MetLife Stadium, as New England rode kicker Nick Folk to a 22-17 victory. The win puts the Patriots at 4-4 on the season. The Jets dropped to 5-3.
Mac Jones completed 24 of his 35 passes for 194 yards, with one touchdown pass to Jakobi Meyers and one interception. Rhamondre Stevenson rushed for 71 yards on 16 carries and also gained 72 yards on seven receptions.
Wilson was 20-for-41 for 355 yards, with two touchdowns and the three picks.
Both teams went three-and-out to start the game, before the Jets embarked on a long scoring drive.
Highlighted by a 54-yard connection from Wilson to Garrett Wilson ...
... the Jets drove deep into Patriots territory. But the Patriots' defense stopped the Jets there, forcing a field goal attempt. Greg Zuerlein hit the 28-yard chip shot to give New York a 3-0 lead.
The Patriots responded with a field goal drive of their own. On a drive that featured a third-and-10 and third-and-11 conversion (both on completions to Jakobi Meyers), Mac Jones converted another third down by rushing for nine yards on a third-and-5. Jones took a coverage sack on first-and-goal, though, and the Patriots settled for a field goal, with Nick Folk hitting a 31-yarder to tie the game at 3-3.
The Jets then buzzed right back down the field, marching 63 yards on six plays for a touchdown drive to go up 10-3. Garrett Wilson again had the big play of the drive, this time taking a quick shovel pass for 23 yards. Jabrill Peppers was then flagged for unnecessary roughness after a 17-yard pass to Michael Carter. The drive ended with an 8-yard touchdown pass to Tyler Conklin.
The Patriots' attempt to respond was stifled by the Jets' defense, as Bryce Huff hit Jones' arm mid-throw, leading to a floating pass flying into the secondary. Cornerback Michael Carter made the easy interception at the Jets' 24-yard line.
The Jets, though, ended up punting on the ensuing possession after an incompletion on a third-and-2.
The Patriots then drove 70 yards to get to the edge of the red zone, and they opted to go for it on a fourth-and-1 at the Jets' 21-yard line. Jones ran a play-fake but had nowhere to go with the ball, throwing incomplete toward Meyers for a turnover on downs.
That turnover on downs cost the Patriots a shot at three points, but they lessened the pain by picking off Wilson on the ensuing drive. Matthew Judon pressured Wilson, who lobbed a pass over the head of Ty Johnson and into the arms of Ja'Whaun Bentley.
Jones then gave the ball right back to the Jets, throwing a grisly pick-six to Carter. But that interception was negated by a roughing the passer penalty on John Franklin-Meyers, who shoved Jones after the bad pass had been thrown.
The Patriots ended up settling for a field goal, and the game headed to halftime with the Jets leading, 10-6.
New England made it a double-score, driving 62 yards for a touchdown coming out of halftime to take a 13-10 lead. That drive began with a short kick by Braden Mann, with Jonnu Smith picking up the spinning ball at the 22-yard line and returning it 16 yards. Stevenson then broke off a 35-yard run on some incredible individual effort.
The Patriots faced another fourth-and-1 and elected to go for it once again, with Jones this time hitting Meyers for a 5-yard touchdown.
The Jets tried to tie the game up on their next possession, but Zuerlein's 45-yard field goal attempt missed wide left.
The Patriots then threatened to take a double-digit lead, only for Jones to take a 10-yard sack on third down. Folk hit a 49-yard field goal to make it a 16-10 lead for New England late in the third quarter.
The Patriots then forced a Jets three-and-out and got a 32-yard punt return from rookie Marcus Jones to set up another Folk field goal -- this one a 45-yarder -- to stretch the Patriots' lead to 19-10.
Wilson threw another interception -- this one of the ugly variety, to Devin McCourty -- but the Patriots allowed a strip-sack on the following drive and ultimately had to punt.
But Wilson gave it right back, throwing another ugly interception to McCourty, with this one getting returned 36 yards to immediately put the Patriots on the cusp of field-goal range.
Folk would improve to 5-for-5 on the day when he drilled a 52-yard field goal to put the Patriots up 22-10.
The Jets finally put second-half points on the board coming out of the two-minute warning, when Wilson connected with Conklin for their second touchdown of the day. That score was made possible by a 63-yard connection from Wilson to Denzel Mims.
Trailing by five with 1:51 to play and no timeouts left, the Jets tried an onside kick, but Jabrill Peppers recovered it for New England.
The Patriots will be back at home next week to host the Indianapolis Colts in their final game before their bye week.
