The big AFC East showdown in New England on Sunday was just the kind of hard-fought game everyone expected. But in the end the Patriots just had too much for the Jets.
The Patriots had too much offense, reaching the 30-point mark for the 13th consecutive game in their 30-21 victory. Wes Welker once again had a strong game, catching five passes for 124 yards and staying on pace to break the NFL records in both categories. New England also got two touchdowns from Benjarvus Green-Ellis and another 300-yard game from Tom Brady.
The Patriots’ defense also limited Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez to 166 yards and sacked him on the game’s final play, although the fact that Sanchez completed 16 of 26 passes and didn’t have any turnovers meant that it was a step forward for Sanchez, who was nothing short of dreadful in the Jets’ loss to the Ravens last week.
All in all, the Patriots, who improved to 4-1, just looked like a better team than the Jets, who fell to 2-3. And the big question now is whether the Jets will be able to turn things around in an AFC East where they’re two games behind not only the Patriots but also the Bills. New England definitely looks like a contender. New York looks like a team that’s going to hover around .500 all season.