Aaron Rodgers gave Patriots fans flashbacks—just not the kind they wanted. In a Thursday Night Football rout, the Jets smashed New England, 24-3, at MetLife Stadium, handing the Patriots their first loss in the Meadowlands since 2015. Rodgers, looking like the Green Bay legend of old, carved up Bill Belichick’s defense, throwing for 281 yards and two touchdowns while the Jets’ defense suffocated the Patriots’ offense.
From the opening snap, it was clear the Jets were out to make a statement. Rodgers connected with Allen Lazard, a familiar face from his Green Bay days, for a touchdown, while the Jets pounded the Patriots on the ground with Breece Hall bulldozing into the end zone. By the time Garrett Wilson grabbed a 15-yard laser from Rodgers in the third quarter, the game was effectively over.
New England had no answers. Jacoby Brissett spent more time on his back than in the pocket, getting sacked five times and hit ten more. He barely scraped together 98 yards before getting pulled late in the fourth quarter for rookie Drake Maye. The much-hyped first-round pick didn’t fare much better, going 4-of-8 for 22 yards in his NFL debut—while getting sacked to end the game in a fitting exclamation point for the night.
“This one’s on all of us,” Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo admitted. “We missed tackles, we couldn’t block, and we couldn’t protect the quarterback. The Jets played a clean game, and we didn’t.”
The Jets dominated time of possession, holding the ball for over 40 minutes and racking up 400 yards of total offense—more than double New England’s paltry 139 yards. Rodgers looked spry, evading rushers, extending plays, and even sprinting for 18 yards—his longest in years.
For the Patriots, it was an offensive disaster. Rhamondre Stevenson was bottled up for just 23 rushing yards, while DeMario Douglas’ 69 receiving yards were the lone bright spot for New England. Otherwise, the Pats’ offense was nothing short of pathetic, with turnovers, penalties, and punts defining the night.
The Jets, now 2-1, look to continue their hot start when they host the Denver Broncos next week. Meanwhile, the 1-2 Patriots will face a daunting road trip to San Francisco to take on the 49ers in Week 4. For Belichick and company, the clock is ticking.
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