The New York Jets were robbed late by the league in a 24-17 loss to Tom Brady and the New England Patriots at MetLife Stadium.
- New York Jets 17 (3-3)
- New England Patriots 24 (4-2)
- NFL, AFC East, Final, Box Score
- MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
From the time of about 1:20 p.m. ET to 2:30, MetLife Stadium found itself in a frenzy. The stadium’s New York Jets had just crossed the goal line for their second touchdown of the game, a Jeremy Kerley special that put the home team up 14-0 over the mighty New England Patriots.
It was chaos. It was unexpected. It was ecstasy.
Then Tom Brady happened.
With the Jets up 14-7 and driving with under a minute to go in the first half, cornerback Malcolm Butler picked off a Josh McCown pass intended for Robby Anderson on the comeback route:
How the first half ended.
Act I: @mac_bz interception: pic.twitter.com/n1fcZJeN8k
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) October 15, 2017
With very little time left, Brady connected with Brandin Cooks on the nine-route that literally turned the entire game around:
How the first half ended.
Act II: @brandincooks catch ???: pic.twitter.com/YdakQDxg1x
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) October 15, 2017
Rob Gronkowski finished the drive as Jamal Adams couldn’t keep up after a Kony Ealy chip to the outside that helped Gronk’s momentum:
How the first half ended.
Act III: @RobGronkowski #GronkSpike: pic.twitter.com/MhKYlF1do4
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) October 15, 2017
At 14 apiece, the game had turned. Brady and Josh McDaniels then schooled the Jets with their smart, methodical offensive attack in the second half.
They passed early on first down and rushed the ball effectively. Conversely, John Morton‘s offense remained conservative and couldn’t muster a rushing attack. The free-passing game we witnessed early on was gone. New York could only muster 74 yards on the ground. Matt Forte and Elijah McGuire both led the way with 22 yards.
Early in the third quarter, Brady found Gronk for his second TD of the game, a 33-yarder that saw Adams get rubbed off the quick in-route.
A fourth-quarter field goal put the game at two possessions.
While this one’s a bitter pill to swallow initially — as they really should have further capitalized on the early passing freedom — these underdog Jets did some great things in the game. The highlights won’t be kind to the No. 6 overall pick in last spring’s NFL draft, but that doesn’t tell the entire story. Overall, he and Marcus Maye did a tremendous job in slowing down No. 12.
Offensively, it was all early, all McCown to Austin Seferian-Jenkins and Jeremy Kerley.
The set-up… pic.twitter.com/wl4aZ4nzQp
— New York Jets (@nyjets) October 15, 2017
…the points! #NEvsNYJ pic.twitter.com/9dldRKJL0U
— New York Jets (@nyjets) October 15, 2017
KERLEYYYYYYYYYYYY
TOUCHDOWN, #Jets! #NEvsNYJ pic.twitter.com/SYTL2MuMTr
— New York Jets (@nyjets) October 15, 2017
McCown finished with 354 yards on 31-of-47 passing along with two scores and two interceptions. Jermaine Kearse led the way with 79 yards on four snags. Both Austin Seferian-Jenkins and Matt Forte caught eight balls.
Brady finished his day with 257 yards, two scores and one interception on 20-of-38 passing. Gronkowski led the Pats with six grabs and two touchdowns.
Other than the finish of the first half, the other critical juncture of the contest came in early in the third quarter with the Jets down 21-14. On a 4th-and-1, the Jets attempted a play-action that was snuffed out by a corner blitz. McCown looked for tight end Eric Tomlinson in desperation and couldn’t get it done. It resulted in the Pats second interception of the day.
The top gripe of NFL Week 6 absolutely lies in the hands of the Jets organization and their fans. Not only were penalties drastically lopsided until the final quarter, but with eight-and-a-half minutes to go in regulation, ASJ scored a TD that was unexplainably called back.
How is this a damn fumble?! https://t.co/tl1fyKAdOt
— Max Wildstein (@MaxWildstein) October 15, 2017
Instead of a 24-21 game, the officials came back with a touchback call. The league ruled that ASJ had lost control of the ball and never regained possession prior to going out of bounds.
How is that possible? Yes, it’s clear he juggles the ball, but watch his left knee as it lands in bounds and we’re never able to see when he regains possession.
What happened to indisputable evidence to overturn a call on the field?
The Jets did stop the Pats on the following drive and drove themselves for a chip-shot field goal. But at that point, all realistic hope was lost after the horrible call.
As CBS’s Dan Fouts said on-air, “It’s one of the worst calls I’ve ever seen.”
The 3-3 Jets will look to get back in the win column next Sunday in Miami against the Dolphins.
OUR BALL!@BusterSkrine gets his 2nd takeaway of the day. #NEvsNYJ pic.twitter.com/KNCi6Dd1I8
— New York Jets (@nyjets) October 15, 2017
