Conservative Patriots Get Crucial Win, Beat Jets Again

On a wet, ugly day at MetLife Stadium, the New England Patriots got their first win of the season by beating the New York Jets, 15-10, for the 15th consecutive time.

The New England played not to beat themselves Sunday at rainy MetLife Stadium. Because the past - and present - has proven that the New York Jets certainly can't beat them.

After two heartbreaking losses to playoff teams and the prospect of going 0-3 for the first time since 2000, the Patriots gutted out a careful, conservative and critical win over their ol' reliable fodder. They had no turnovers on offense and relied on a dominant - though injury-riddled - defense to smother Zach Wilson and the hapless Jets, 15-10.

Bill Belichick's team extended its winning streak over the Jets to 15, dating back to 2015.

It was a soggy Sunday dominated by two Top 10 defenses, punch-less offenses and tropical storm Ophelia, The Pats got their only touchdown on a pass from Mac Jones to third tight end Pharaoh Brown in the second quarter and then hung on for dear life.

Rookie Chad Ryland's 51-yard field goal pushed the lead to 13-3 on the Pats' opening second-half possession and they had a stranglehold on the game until late in the fourth quarter. With rookie cornerback Christian Gonzalez shutting down Jets' star receiver Garrett Wilson and with Josh Uche chasing down Zach Wilson on a third-down scramble, early in the fourth quarter New York had eight punts and only four first downs.

Things got interesting when the Jets went to a hurried tempo and drove 87 yards for their first touchdown. Nick Bawden's 1-yard plunge narrowed the score to 13-10 with 5:24 remaining. The Patriots drove to midfield, but JuJu Smith-Schuster fell down on a long third-down pass and New England was forced to punt with 2:44 left.

The Pats then reminded Jets fans that Zach Wilson is no Aaron Rodgers. Facing 3rd and 15 from inside their own 5, the Jets surrendered a game-clinching safety when Matthew Judon beat left tackle Mekhi Becton with a nifty spin move and tackled Wilson in the end zone for a safety and a 15-10 lead.

The Jets got the ball back at their own 45 with 1:56 remaining and needing a touchdown. But the Pats held, effectively ending the game when safety Kyle Dugger tackled New York tight end Tyler Conklin for a 2-yard gain and 4th and 10. The Jets had one last chance for a miracle, but Wilson's Hail Mary deflected off diving receiver Randall Cobb's hand at the goal line on the final play.

Unlike the first two weeks of the season, the Patriots avoided falling in early hole and actually took a 10-3 lead into halftime. After trailing the Philadelphia Eagles 16-0 and Miami Dolphins 17-3, they earned a 3-0 lead after the first quarter on Ryland's 48-yard field goal on the opening possession.

It was New England's first lead of the season.

The Pats dominated field position early and had a whopping yardage edge of 216-39 at halftime, but couldn't turn it into a significant lead. Running back Rhamondre Stevenson dropped a wide-open pass at New York's 40-yard line to stall one drive, and offensive lineman Cole Strange was called for a holding penalty to shut down another one.

Ryland also pushed a 48-yard field goal barely right to keep the lead at 3-0 early in the second quarter.

The Pats extended their lead to 10-0 on Jones' perfectly thrown 58-yard touchdown pass to a shockingly wide open Brown. On a three tight-end set, Jones froze the Jets with a nifty play-fake to Stevenson, then lofted his pass down the middle to Brown who eventually dove over the goal line with New England's biggest play of the season.

The Jets finally got on the scoreboard with Greg Zuerlein's 52-yard field goal 1:21 before halftime. The Patriots answered with a late drive, but Ryland's 57-yard field goal on the half's final play was woefully short and left.

Even with cornerbacks Jack, Jonathan and Marcus Jones sidelined with injuries - and the in-game departures of linemen Davon Godchaux and Daniel Ekuale - the Patriots' defense dominated the Jets. This was scheduled to pit Belichick's defense against Rodgers' Hall-of-Fame arm. Instead, Rodgers' season-ending injury and Belichick's guile again exposed Wilson.

Neither team ran a play in the opponents' Red Zone until six minutes remaining.

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