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A big offensive first half sparked by quarterback Sam Darnold keyed the New York Jets to a 34-17 win over Washington on Sunday afternoon. A game that at times was ugly saw the Jets churn out a result against a hapless Washington team that is playing like it wants the season over. 

With the win, the Jets (2-7) have won consecutive games for the first time since Week 5 and Week 6 of 2018. Washington is now 1-9 and has lost four straight games. 

The Jets built on the momentum of last week’s 34-27 home win over the New York Giants, where the offense was quietly efficient and didn’t turn the ball over once. While the Jets had some sloppy moments in Washington, this win reflected another relatively strong performance on both sides of the ball. 

Three touchdowns in the first half by Sam Darnold sparked a Jets offense that wasn’t dominant but for a second straight week was efficient. Despite a second-quarter interception by Darnold, the Jets limited mistakes for the most part. 

Darnold finished with four touchdowns and the single interception on 19-of-30 passing for 293 yards. It was his first career game with four passing touchdowns in the NFL. 

The former first-round pick, who has had some struggles this year, showed fantastic mobility on the afternoon. On the game’s opening drive, he hit tight end Daniel Brown for a 20-yard touchdown pass, rolling out to his left and throwing across his body. The Jets' second touchdown pass came on a rollout to Darnold’s right, where the quarterback hit wide receiver Robby Anderson in the end zone. 

Throughout the afternoon, the Jets brought pressure on rookie quarterback Dwayne Haskins, who was sacked six times and constantly under pressure. Washington looked discombobulated and sloppy, with 10 penalties for 66 yards. 

The second-best run defense in the league had some tough moments corralling Washington running back Adrian Peterson but overall, the effort was good for a second straight week against one of the league’s elite rushers. In their last game, the Jets limited Giants running back Saquon Barkley to one yard on 13 rushing attempts. 

Against Washington, the Jets allowed only 54 rushing yards and just 2.7 yards per carry in helping to key the win. Washington quarterback Dwayne Haskins, a rookie, was hit 10 times and sacked three times by the Jets. 

The win in Washington improves the Jets to 3-1 on the year against the NFC East.