FINAL — Patriots 41, Jets 3: That’s your ballgame. The Patriots improve to 13-2 with a wire-to-wire demolition of the Jets, who now are 4-11.
Tom Brady completed 17 of 27 passes for 214 yards and three touchdowns in just three quarters of action, while LeGarrette Blount rushed for 50 yards and two TDs on 20 carries.
New England has won 13 games in a season for the first time since 2011.
Fourth quarter, 1:50, Patriots 41-3: The Jets won’t be scoring any more points, as Fitzpatrick’s fourth-down pass to Devin Smith falls incomplete. The Patriots take over on downs to run out the clock.
Fourth quarter, 4:10, Patriots 41-3: The Patriots went three-and-out, but Michael Floyd caught his first pass in a New England uniform. Floyd hauled in a Garoppolo pass on a slant route for a 6-yard gain.
Fourth quarter, 6:16, Patriots 41-3: There goes the shutout.
The Jets had fourth and goal from the Patriots’ 11-yard line but opted to take the points, as Nick Folk kicked a 29-yard field goal to put New York on the board.
Ryan Fitzpatrick converted on a 27-yard completion to wide receiver Charone Peak on fourth and 3 from New England’s 27-yard line to keep the drive alive. Jets wideout Devin Smith dropped a potential touchdown pass from Fitzpatrick on third and goal
Fourth quarter, 12:24, Patriots 41-0: Blount has his second rushing touchdown of the day and his 17th of the season, as the Patriots continue to pile on.
Blount plunged in for a 1-yard score to cap a nine-play, 22-yard drive that featured seven running plays.
The Jets gave New England another gift on the drive, having been called for a defensive holding penalty on Garoppolo’s incomplete pass to Michael Floyd on third down.
Third quarter, :23, Patriots 34-0: Malcolm Butler just picked off his second pass of the game. He also has a fumble recovery.
Jimmy Garoppolo is in at quarterback for the Patriots.
Third quarter, 3:22, Patriots 34-0: The Patriots now have a five-score lead over the Jets after a 1-yard touchdown run by LeGarrette Blount.
The Jets bailed out the Patriots with 12 men on the field and defensive holding (on Darrelle Revis) penalties.
Blount increased his franchise record for rushing touchdowns in a season with his 16th. He has 16 carries for 41 yards with the score.
Brady is 17 of 27 for 214 yards with three touchdowns.
Julian Edelman has five catches for 89 yards. He needs 45 yards for 1,000 on the season.
Third quarter, 11:02, Patriots 27-0: Surprise, surprise, the Patriots forced another three and out.
Third quarter, 12:00, Patriots 27-0: The Patriots picked up a first down then moved backwards on a penalty by center David Andrews.
James White almost picked up a first down on third and 20 but came up 6 yards short. The Jets have the ball on their 16-yard line.
Second quarter, :25, Patriots 27-0: This game is going exactly how everyone expected it to go.
Brady just hit White on a 25-yard touchdown catch. The Patriots benefitted from a 47-yard defensive pass interference penalty from Jets safety Doug Middleton on a deep attempt to rookie wide receiver Malcolm Mitchell.
Second quarter, 1:30, Patriots 20-0: This game is U-G-L-Y for the Jets. They picked up one first down before being forced to punt again. Jets quarterbacks have completed three passes to New York receivers and two to Patriots defenders.
It’s that kind of game.
Second quarter, 2:40, Patriots 20-0: Matt Lengel’s first career reception is … an 18-yard touchdown catch over the Jets from Tom Brady.
Brady now is 11 of 19 for 137 yards with two touchdowns. The biggest play of the drive came on a 35-yard hookup between Brady and Edelman on broken coverage.
Second quarter, 4:47, Patriots 13-0: First play of the drive: Eric Rowe picked off Fitz.
Second quarter, 4:53, Patriots 13-0: James White killed any chances of the Patriots driving down the field with a costly drop on a wheel route on third down. He had separation from the Jets defender in coverage too.
The Jets have the ball on their 23-yard line after the Ryan Allen punt.
Second quarter, 5:56, Patriots 13-0: The Jets whiffed on their first scoring chance of the game. Nick Folk missed his 34-yard field goal attempt.
The Patriots had trouble stopping the run on that drive. They’re allowing 4.5 yards per carry in the game so far but only 3.5 yards per play.
Second quarter, 11:16, Patriots 13-0: The Patriots had to settle for another field goal as they stalled at the goal line with a pass for no gain followed by two incompletions. Brady now is 8 of 14 for 79 yards with a touchdown.
Second quarter, 13:55, Patriots 10-0: Linebacker Elandon Roberts forced a fumble, which was scooped up by Butler. That’s Butler’s second takeaway this game.
Needless to say, he’s having a much better game than his last against the Jets.
Petty came off the field slowly after tackling Butler.
Second quarter, 14:01, Patriots 10-0: The Patriots went three and out. Lewis carried the ball twice for 6 yards, while Brady threw an incomplete pass down the sideline to Edelman, who was being interfered with on the play. No flag was thrown.
The Jets have the ball on their 34-yard line.
End first quarter, Patriots 10-0: Cameron Fleming is in for Nate Solder at left tackle. Solder isn’t currently on the sideline.
First quarter, :20, Patriots 10-0: Yikes. Bryce Petty is now 0 of 3 with an interception. The Jets gained one first down, their first of the game, before being forced to punt. The Patriots have the ball at their own 13.
First quarter, 3:02, Patriots 10-0: So, the Jets’ pass defense isn’t very good. Brady just went 3 of 4 again, this time for 32 yards with a 5-yard touchdown pass to Martellus Bennett. The Patriots also had more success running the ball, as Lewis had two carries for 12 yards.
First quarter, 7:19, Patriots 3-0: The Patriots’ defense already has two sacks and an interception. Yikes.
Jets quarterback Bryce Petty is not very good. He was picked off by cornerback Malcolm Butler on an ill-advised pass but solid double clutched pick.
First quarter, 8:12, Patriots 3-0: The Patriots’ offense got out to a hot start with the passing game before stalling in the red zone, settling for a 29-yard field goal.
Brady went 3 of 4 for 38 yards with completions to Malcolm Mitchell, Martellus Bennett and Julian Edelman.
Dion Lewis carried the ball once for 2 yards, while LeGarrette Blount had three carries for 2 yards. It could be tough sledding for the Patriots’ running game this afternoon.
First quarter, 12:47: The Patriots’ defense starts off the game continuing to dominate. Jets running back Bilal Powell carried the ball twice for 2 yards, and Chris Long sacked Bryce Petty on third down to force a punt.
The Patriots have the ball on their 47-yard line.
First quarter, 15:00: The Jets lost the coin toss, and the Patriots chose to defer. The Jets will receive to start the game. Let’s go.
12:30 p.m.: Here’s the starting defense in warmups. We’ll see if it sticks.
12:26 p.m.: Julian Edelman, Cyrus Jones and Patrick Chung warmed up as punt returners for the Patriots. We’ll see if the Cyrus experiment goes any better in the rain (doubtful).
Bill Belichick had some kind things to say about his safeties.
He also gave an update on Floyd.
11:35 a.m.: Here are the Patriots’ Week 16 inactives:
WR Danny Amendola
LB Dont’a Hightower
CB Justin Coleman
WR Matthew Slater
QB Jacoby Brissett
RB D.J. Foster
OT LaAdrian Waddle
Some notes:
— Michael Floyd and Cyrus Jones are active. Jones was a healthy scratch last week with his recent ball-security issues on special teams.
— Hightower is a bit of a surprise inactive. He didn’t practice Thursday because of a knee injury. Kyle Van Noy, Shea McClellin and Elandon Roberts will have to step up in his place. It’s important to for Hightower to be fully healthy for the postseason. He’s one of the Patriots’ most important defenders.
— Slater also is a bit of a surprise. Safety Jordan Richards is active, however, so the Patriots’ special teams welcomes one player back as they rest another.
10:45 a.m.: The Patriots control their own destiny to earn the No. 1 seed in the playoffs. They either need to win out or have the Oakland Raiders match them in losses. The Patriots have the Miami Dolphins on the road in Week 17. The Raiders play the Indianapolis Colts at home at 4 p.m. and the Denver Broncos on the road next week.
10:20 a.m. ET: The New England Patriots needed a go-ahead touchdown with two minutes remaining in their Week 12 matchup with the New York Jets to win at MetLife Stadium less than a month ago. There’s reason to believe Saturday’s season rematch won’t be as close.
Bryce Petty, who has a 64.6 passer rating and 1:2 touchdown-to-interception ratio on the season, has replaced Ryan Fitzpatrick at quarterback. Fitzpatrick was having a poor season. Petty’s has been even worse.
The Jets also have shown little to no effort in two losses over the last three weeks to the Indianapolis Colts in Week 13 and the Miami Dolphins in Week 15.
That’s why injuries making quarterback Tom Brady (thigh), linebacker Dont’a Hightower (knee), tight end Martellus Bennett (ankle/shoulder) and special teamers Matthew Slater (foot) and Jordan Richards (knee) officially questionable to play Christmas Eve afternoon shouldn’t affect the end result of the Week 16 tilt. Brady and Hightower both reportedly are expected to play against the Jets despite their injuries, and even if they’re not 100 percent, the Patriots should steamroll New York.
Only Patriots wide receiver Danny Amendola has been ruled out. Among injured players, Richards also could sit out, as he did in Week 15.
We should see the Patriots debut wide receiver Michael Floyd, who spoke to the media Thursday for the first time since his arrest on a DUI charge last week. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Floyd will be active. Cornerback Cyrus Jones, running back D.J. Foster and offensive tackle LaAdrian Waddle could be healthy scratches for the second straight week. Quarterback Jacoby Brissett, fresh off injured reserve, also likely will be inactive. If Floyd is active, that would leave one surprise inactive for the Patriots.
Stay here for updates and analysis prior to and throughout the Patriots’ Week 16 matchup with the Jets, and have a Merry Christmas Eve, Happy Hannukah and Happy Holidays.
Thumbnail photo via David Butler II/USA TODAY Sports Images