The Jets struck first against the Patriots and later rallied in the second half but missed out on several opportunities in their 26-19 loss in New England. The Jets dropped to 2-4, while the Patriots improved to 4-2.
"What it came down to is two things: our ability to finish and man, our detail when it comes to defensive football," HC Aaron Glenn said postgame.
Rookie WR Omar Cooper Jr. had his first career 100-yard game (6-103-1TD) and the defense recorded a pair of key takeaways in the loss. QB Geno Smith was 20-of-30 passing for 252 yards with 1 TD and 1 INT – a 48-yarder to Cooper in the third quarter.
The Jets trailed by 23-13 in the fourth quarter but cut it to a one score game with K Jason Sanders making a 40-yard field goal with 7:20 left in the game. The score came after LB Jamien Sherwood made a great hustle play, racing down field to punch out a ball from a WR DeMario 'Pop' Douglas and S Minkah Fitzpatrick recovered for the Jets. That followed Geno Smith's first INT in 166 attempts, an attempted throw away that didn't get out of bounds because he was nailed when he released the ball.
The Patriots got the ball back and were able to rely on their run game, spending over 6 minutes on a 13-play drive capped with a 27-yard field goal. The Jets answered with Sanders scoring a 36-yard field goal with 32 seconds left.
Trailing 17-3 at halftime, the Jets narrowed the deficit when Smith connected with Cooper for the 48-yard TD and then a 36-yard Sanders field goal after the defense forced a turnover.
"I thought our guys played with outstanding effort, had a chance to fight back and try to get ourselves in a good position to give ourselves a chance to win," Glenn said. "And we just came up short at the very end. That's something that we have to fix, being able to do that, especially against a good team."
Rookie edge David Bailey ripped the ball away from RB Trevyon Henderson and Sherwood pounced on it at the New England 36.
RB Braelon Allen had another strong performance while rushing for 78 yards on 17 carries (4.6 per) and added 26 yards on 2 receptions. Allen's 91 scrimmage yards in the first half were the most in any half by a Jet this season.
See the best photos from the Jets game against the Patriots in Week 6.
"It's all about playing as one, the five o-linemen and the tight ends, plus the wide receivers blocking," RT Armand Membou said about what it took to get the run game going.
It was Cooper's first game back after sustaining an ankle injury in Week 1 and being placed on injured reserve. The rookie wideout was the Jets' leading receiver with 103 yards. CB Brandon Stephens set up the Jets' second scoring drive, defending a pass intended for WR AJ Brown on fourth-and-5. Brown was QB Drake Maye's most targeted receiver but was held to 3 receptions on 10 targets for 27 yards.
"We have a lot of capable guys and I think as a unit, we have a lot of room for improvement," Smith said.
Up 17-3, the Patriots extended their lead to 23-13 on Maye's 7-yard scoring pass to TE Hunter Henry with 14:10 remaining. May, 18-of-32 for 235 yards, had 3 pass TDs.
The Jets had an impressive opening possession that ended with the first of Sanders' four field goals — 42-yards — when an apparent Smith to Cooper TD was nullified due to an offensive pass interference penalty on WR Tim Patrick. The Jets held the ball for 13:11 in the opening quarter but Maye's 42-yard score to WR Romeo Doubs gave the home club an early 7-3 advantage.
Then early on consecutive possessions in the third quarter, the Jets failed on fourth-and-2 from the New England 30 and fourth-and-1 from the New England 39.
"Whenever you don't finish in a game like this, you're always going to want plays back," Smith said. "Very confident in the guys, but obviously we want to do a lot better."
