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New York Jets: Turning Point In Loss vs. New England Patriots

By Kenneth Teape

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The New York Jets suffered a disappointing loss to the New England Patriots Sunday afternoon, as Todd Bowles got his first taste of the rivalry and the dominance of a Bill Belichick and Tom Brady led team. The Jets fell to the Patriots 30-23, as the Patriots pulled the game out in the fourth quarter. The Jets had a chance to pull this one out though, as they never looked in danger of losing control, but one played turned the tide of the game.

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After a fumble on the first possession, the Jets played a clean game offensively. With a hampered Chris Ivory, the Jets were still able to move the ball enough to score and keep control of the game. Ryan Fitzpatrick finished only 22-of-39 for 295 yards, but had a good 73.7 QBR and 97.7 quarterback rating. He finished with two touchdown passes, but could have easily had a third, which brings us to the turning point in the game.

The Jets went up 17-6 and held the Patriots to a quick drive that resulted in a punt after. The Jets had a golden chance to really take control of the game to go up eight points with a touchdown and extra point early in the fourth quarter. Now, that is not an insurmountable lead, but when you have a chance to start putting away a team as strong as the Patriots, you can not let it slip through your fingers. Unfortunately, that is exactly what the Jets let happen.

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On third down and seven from the Patriots 12 yard line, the Jets had a chance to continue running clock and increase their lead. Fitzpatrick dropped back and fired to Brandon Marshall in the front of the end zone. Marshall ran a great route, got open and the Jets looked like they were about to go up seven and eight pending the extra point. But, Marshall dropped the ball, and the Jets needed to settle for the field goal.

That ended up being the beginning of the end for the Patriots, as the Marshall drop proved to be the difference in the game. After kicking the field goal to go up 20-16, the Patriots went on a rampage after that. They would score touchdowns on their second two possessions, going 80 and 68 yards with relative ease, virtually all on the arm and legs of Brady.

On those two possessions, anyone not named Tom Brady ran for a combined negative five yards, meaning Brady’s arm or legs racked up 151 yards on those final two drives to put the Jets away. In a game the Patriots ran for only 16 yards, and Brady was the leading rusher with 15, the Jets gave one away.

The drop by Marshall can be pinpointed as the turning point in this game, as it gave the Patriots another live. That is something you cannot do when you are the underdog, as the favorite will seemingly always take advantage of a second chance. That is what the Jets gave the Patriots Sunday, and it came back to bite them. In between the two Patriots touchdown drives, the Jets gained 16 yards and had to punt.

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It was a disappointment for the Jets, who could have proven themselves to be real contenders this season, and pull into a tie for first place in the AFC East. Instead, the Patriots showed they still rule the division, as they lead the second place Jets by two games, with a head-to-head matchup already in hand giving them an even bigger advantage.

The Jets let one slip through their hands, literally, against the Patriots and will look to bounce back against the up-and-coming Oakland Raiders in the black hole in Week 8.

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