For the first time with a quarterback not named Tom Brady, the Patriots (9-2) have won eight straight games. And they seem to have another star quarterback -- and an emerging sidekick -- on their hands. Drake Maye played another strong game, TreVeyon Henderson scored three touchdowns, and New England cruised past the Jets, 27-14.
Maye completed 25 of 34 passes for 281 yards and a score, fittingly, to Henderson. After scoring just one touchdown in his first nine NFL games, Henderson has five touchdowns in his last two.
The Jets (2-8) got off to a good enough start, taking the opening kickoff and embarking on a 14-play, 72-yard drive that took over eight minutes. It was the Jets' first opening-possession touchdown this season and their first opening-drive touchdown at New England since 2012. The drive featured 11 runs, including a Justin Fields 4-yarder to find the end zone.
The Patriots came back with a similarly methodical -- though much more balanced -- drive: 13 plays and 69 yards over 7:40. Henderson powered in from 7 yards out.
The Patriots forced a three-and-out and went on another lengthy drive, culminating in Henderson again scoring from 7 yards out. The Patriots had a chance to add even more before halftime, but Andy Borregales missed a 45-yard field goal as the half expired.
The hosts extended their lead to 21-7 with Maye's first touchdown pass of the night -- a nice floater to Henderson -- but the Jets answered right back on a Fields 22-yard pass to John Metchie III.
Later, down 24-14, Fields mishandled a snap and, instead of just jumping on the ball, tried to pick it up and run. That failed, though, and Anfernee Jennings recovered. The Patriots tacked on another field goal.
Given one last chance to make it a game, the Jets drove deep into Patriots territory, but Elijah Ponder sacked Fields on third down, and Jeremy Ruckert couldn't hang onto Fields' fourth-down pass.
The Patriots will face the Bengals in Week 12; the Jets will take on the Ravens.
Here are our takeaways from the game:
Outside his 74% completion percentage, Maye's basic box score stats weren't overwhelming.
They also don't tell the full story. Not even close. On third and fourth down, Maye went 7 for 11 for 68 yards, with six of the seven completions going for first downs.
The offensive line did a good job in front of him, but Maye also showed tremendous poise, awareness and pocket movement when he was pressured.
That play immediately preceded this one:
Maye is putting it all together, balancing big-play ability and improvisational skill with an understanding of taking what's there. He only took one sack. He and Stefon Diggs (nine catches for 105 yards on 11 targets) have great chemistry, but Maye will happily spread the ball around to Mack Hollins, DeMario Douglas, Hunter Henry, Henderson and, when he returns, Kayshon Boutte.
Maye has matured as an all-around quarterback at an impressive rate.
Just four days after his breakout 150-yard, two-touchdown performance against the Buccaneers, Henderson posted 93 yards from scrimmage and three touchdowns on 24 touches. Entering Thursday night, his NFL career high was 18. Henderson didn't break off big runs like last week, but he was dependable between the tackles and as a receiver, and he showed the combination of power, elusiveness, speed and vision that the Patriots must have loved when they were scouting him.
Even when Rhamondre Stevenson returns, Henderson will have a significant role in this offense, making it all the more dangerous.
Vrabel is the current favorite (+115 at FanDuel) to win Coach of the Year, and he has very much earned it.
The Patriots of last year were undisciplined. This year's bunch is as professional as it gets. Credit Vrabel and also credit de-facto GM Eliot Wolf for bringing in the right veterans and supporting cast around Maye.
"He brings it everyday," Maye told the 'TNF' broadcast crew of Vrabel. "He brings it everyday, and he cares about us -- coaches hard but he cares about us. We love playing for him. I love playing for him. … He's coaching leadership, and he coaches me everyday. He says something to me almost after every drive. I appreciate what he's done for me, what he's done for this football team, and I think we're just looking ahead. There's just so much left out there."
The Jets were never going to have much room for error in their first year of a rebuild under new coach Aaron Glenn. Add in injuries and, more recently, a historic trade deadline sale that saw defensive cornerstones Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams depart, and that margin has shrunk even more.
So when the Jets make any mistake -- even a somewhat small one -- it ends up looming much larger.
The Jets have been around league average in terms of penalties, but Thursday, they had seven accepted penalties for 62 yards, most of them proving costly.
Metchie just reeled in an 18-yard gain on third down, taking a big hit in the process and holding on. There haven't been many bright moments for the Jets tonight, but Metchie (three catches on three targets, 45 yards, one touchdown) has been one.
Nice work from Micheal Clemons to tip Drake Maye's third-down pass. It's still a two-score game, but the Jets have to kick it into gear right now.
Justin Fields mishandled a low snap, trief to pick it up but couldn't, and now New England is already in the red zone.
Down 10 with under eight minutes left, the Jets desperately needed a stop, and Brandon Stephens delivered. The veteran cornerback got beat deep by Mack Hollins but stayed with the play and swiped through the ball perfectly just as it appeared Hollins would reel it in. Big play -- and a very good one -- by Stephens, who has had an up-and-down year.
It's 24-14 New England. Not the perfect response -- Jermaine Johnson sacking Drake Maye bogged down the drive -- but a pretty good one to restore the lead to two scores.
Great work from Fields and especially the offensive line on this one.
Impressive response from the Jets, who aren't exactly built to come from behind but are certainly trying their best.
This is Metchie's second career receiving touchdown.
That's three touchdowns for TreVeyon Henderson, this time through the air.
Excellent drive from Maye, who showed off pocket movement, mobility and improvisation on consecutive completions to Stefon Diggs before tossing the touchdown.
New York actually had a good drive going to start the second half, but then Justin Fields committed an intentional grounding, and that pretty much grounded things to a halt. The Jets went very conservative -- a run, a screen pass -- and committed another personal foul on top of that. Then a short punt.
These are the mistakes bad teams make. The Jets just can't get out of their own way.
Aaron Glenn told the broadcast coming out of halftime that his defense simply needed to get a stop, and then his defense went out and did just that: a three-and-out to start the second half.
The Jets already down several cornerbacks due to injury and the trade deadline, and this certainly doesn't help. Stiggers landed hard after helping break up a deep pass.
Drake Maye had Diggs open, but the veteran wide receiver couldn't quite stretch out to make the catch downfield. More worrisome for Patriots fans, Diggs appeared to be holding his hip/upper leg area as he was on the ground, and he took a while getting up and then getting off the field.
Well that certainly doesn't help. The Jets had hardly thrown the ball -- and hadn't thrown the ball downfield at all -- through two drives. Then Fields delivered a great ball to Mitchell, and he drops it.
Drops and mental mistakes were a big issue for Mitchell in Indianapolis. Not a great start to his New York tenure there.
Two drives, two TreVeyon Henderson touchdowns. The line opened up a hole, and he didn't miss it.
The Patriots' offensive line has done a good job so far, especially on a third-and-6 conversion from Maye to Hunter Henry. But on a second-and-11, Maye dealt with some pressure and it didn't matter: Maye stood strong, extended the play when there was some pressure, and found Mack Hollins for 19 yards.
Drake Maye with some under-center play action that pulls the linebackers up, and then Maye layers it over them for a 23-yard gain to Hunter Henry.
Prior to that, New England's longest play was nine yards.
Want to see the full TreVeyon Henderson package? Watch this run:
Make a guy miss in the backfield, sprint ahead, spin into a defender and keep the legs churning into the end zone. He's more than a speed guy. What a run!
It took a bit and required a Rhamondre Stevenson injury, but the former Ohio State star is starting to show what he can do in the NFL.
That was a fast-moving first quarter. The Jets went way down the field methodically and scored to cap a 14-play drive, and the Patriots have already run 11 plays on the ensuing drive, which is currently at the Jets' 10-yard line.
No big plays either way, but both offenses are staying on schedule.
14 plays. 72 yards. 8:04 time of possession.
What a start for the Jets, who get on the board via a Justin Fields touchdown run.
The drive featured 11 runs, but Fields also had two completions, including a nice slant route to Adonai Mitchell, who is making his debut with the team.
A little speed option from Justin Fields on third-and-1. He pitches it to Breece Hall for a gain of 11. Nice work by Tanner Engstrand using Fields' mobility to his advantage.
The Jets begin with the ball.
A different look for Drake Maye and friends, and I certainly don't hate it.
The Patriots' injury report had significantly more notable names on it this week, with Rhamondre Stevenson (toe), Kayshon Boutte (hamstring) and Austin Hooper (concussion) all ruled out previously this week. Same for Christian Elliss (hip). Backup defensive lineman Joshua Farmer (ankle) was questionable coming in but has been made inactive as well.
The Jets will be without Garrett Wilson (knee) but will have AD Mitchell for his team debut Thursday. Mitchell, acquired from the Colts as part of the Sauce Gardner blockbuster, could immediately see significant action. Braiden McGregor (shoulder) and Khalil Hebert (groin) were both questionable and will be out. Will McDonald, coming off a four-sack game, is in.
