Jets choke on Patriots to keep Trevor Lawrence dream alive



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The chariot lives.

It looked like the Jets could do the unthinkable and win a game on Monday night, but they ruined it, falling 30-27 to the Patriots at MetLife Stadium.

Former Jets kicker Nick Folk netted a 51-yard field goal as time ticked to give the Patriots the victory and a heart-wrenching loss to the Jets. The kick was created by a 20-yard pass from Patriots quarterback Cam Newton to receiver Jakobi Meyers, who had 12 catches for 169 yards.

“It hurts,” Jets coach Adam Gase said. “I thought guys, they fought. They gave it their all. We just had a few mistakes that really cost us, cost us the game.

The Jets took a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter thanks to an interception from Joe Flacco, a defense that couldn’t stop the late Patriots when needed and the three-way offense and one out when he got the ball with less than two minutes remaining.

“It was a tough loss there,” said wide receiver Jamison Crowder. “It was a game we should have won.”

The Jets fell to 0-9 for the first time in franchise history. This is the first time the Jets have a nine-game losing streak in a season. It’s the second longest losing streak in the team’s history. The Jets have lost 12 straight games in the 1995 and 1996 seasons. The Jets’ losing streak to the Patriots is now nine games.

The loss is good news for Jets fans who dream of Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence in next spring’s draft and in favor of Tanking for Trevor. For a while, it looked like the Jets were going to win and fall to tie with the Jaguars at one win. Then they returned to form.

The Patriots (3-5) dominated the second half, playing 47 games against 15 of the Jets. The Jets only played four games in the fourth quarter.

Jets
Joe Flacco is sacked by the Patriots.Getty Images

The Jets held an unlikely 27-17 lead at the start of the fourth quarter. The Patriots started munching on a 17-game practice that started in the third quarter. The Jets showed signs of fading when after Patriots quarterback Newton fell third and 1 for a field goal attempt, the Jets were penalized for having 12 men on the field. But the defense held on and stopped a Newton run on third down and held the Patriots to a 29-yard basket that reduced the lead to 27-20.

In the first game of the next practice, Flacco threw a deep shot at rookie Denzel Mims who was intercepted by Patriots cornerback JC Jackson at Patriots 28 with 5:50 left. Flacco had success most of the night with deep passes, but this one burned him out.

“I shook it in my head,” Flacco said. “I don’t think I would have made a different decision at the moment, but obviously I would have liked to have found her.

It looked like the Jets had stopped New England after Newton failed on the third down, but a waiting penalty on cornerback Bless Austin gave the Patriots a first down and new life. Newton threw a 19-yard pass to Meyers, who killed the Jets all night, in third and 20, then converted fourth and 1 with a thunderbolt to keep the player going.

It was another stealth from Newton from the 1-yard line that tied the game at 27-27 with 1:57 left in the fourth quarter. The touchdown was set up by a 31-yard reception by Damiere Byrd, after which he crossed the field to the 4-yard line.

The Jets recovered the ball but made three and came out for the first time in the game, giving Newton the ball with 47 seconds remaining.

The Jets stalled it a bit, but Newton then found Meyers for a 20-yard pass to 33 against a soft defense. That was all Folk needed to kick off the game winner.

It was a brutal end to the Jets’ best-played game of the season. The Jets couldn’t have asked for a better first half. They moved the ball better on offense than they’ve done all year and got critical saves on defense. The Jets had 244 yards at halftime, more than the total in each of their last two games.

“They played their ass,” Gase said. “We can’t find a way to win.”

Flacco was almost flawless for three quarters. He had 12 of 17 passes for 194 yards and two touchdowns in the half. He was 18 of 25 for 262 yards and three touchdowns and an interception in the game.

He hit Perriman for a 50-yard touchdown for his first touchdown that gave the Jets a 10-7 lead. Throwing long is something the Jets have struggled with this year, but Perriman’s return has helped.

The Jets defense played well in the first half against Newton and the Pats. Defensive tackle Foley Fatukasi made a key save in the fourth and 1.

Flacco delivered a nice 20-yard touchdown to Crowder with 29 seconds left in the half. He was initially ruled incomplete with Crowder’s feet out of bounds, but the replay review showed Crowder dragged his feet and the touchdown put the Jets at 20-10 at halftime.

Perriman hit the end zone again in the third quarter on a 15-yard touchdown pass from Flacco that gave the Jets their 27-17 lead going into the fourth quarter.

“I think the attack, I think we felt really good about the way we played all night,” Flacco said. “Part of the disappointment is how well we played and still haven’t won.

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