Sam Darnold
(AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

Sam Darnold and the New York Jets were thoroughly handled by the New England Patriots (and ghosts) on Monday Night Football, 33-0.

Geoff Magliocchetti

  • New York Jets 0 (1-5)
  • New England Patriots 33 (7-0)
  • NFL, Week 7, Final, Box Score
  • MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ—On the night the final trailer for Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker was released, the New York Jets created a massive disturbance in the Force.

Sam Darnold was forced into five turnovers, part of an offensive effort that tallied only 148 yards. Tom Brady and company took care of the rest, and the defending champion New England Patriots stifled New York football momentum with a 33-0 win on Monday night at MetLife Stadium.

The game started dubiously enough for the Jets (1-5). New England’s opening drive went 16 plays, four of which were third-down conversions. Appropriately, the last play of the drive was a three-yard rush on third down, one taken in by Sony Michel to give the Patriots the early lead.

A New York countereffort was shut down in a mere two plays. New England’s pressure forced Darnold into his first mistake of the night. With Jamie Collins approaching, Darnold’s desperation heave went to Devin McCourty rather than Jamison Crowder.

The Patriots (7-0) lost yardage and only earned a short field goal in the immediate aftermath, but firmly put the game away via a 26-yard touchdown hookup between Brady and Phillip Dorsett. New England led 17-0 after the first 15 minutes.

From there, the mistakes only mounted. Following Le’Veon Bell‘s longest run of the year (19 yards), pressure from John Simon swatted the ball from Darnold’s grip. Kyle Van Noy recovered and originally took it back for a touchdown, though a review called it back.

Another Michel punch-in from a yard out, prompted by a Jets penalty that provided a new set of downs, made it 24-0. Assisted by New England penalties, the Jets drove to the New England 19, but Darnold was intercepted by Duron Harmon.

A halftime celebration of newly minted Hall-of-Famer Kevin Mawae did little to lift the Jets’ spirits. Another Darnold turnover in New England territory led to a punt, but the Jake Bailey boot set the Jets up in the shadow of their own goal line.

A poor snap from Ryan Kalil launched it over Darnold’s head, forcing him to take a penalty and bat the ball in the end zone. The safety nonetheless counted.

The Jets finally found a silver lining, as pressure from Leonard Williams forced Brady into an interception, earned by Trumaine Johnson. But the Jets gave it right back, as another would-be Darnold touchdown was intercepted in the end zone, this one by former teammate Terrence Brooks.

Michel would later open the fourth with his third touchdown of the game.

The Jets will look to recover next Sunday afternoon on the road, as they visit the Jacksonville Jaguars (1 p.m. ET, CBS).