After a health scare on Friday, Jets coach Todd Bowles was feeling well enough to join the team in New England for Saturday’s game against the Patriots.
Nothing he’s seen is likely to make him feel any better about his football team, though. The Jets have moved to -22 in turnover differential by turning the ball over three times in the first half and the Patriots are cruising 27-0 after the first two quarters.
The thigh injury that led Tom Brady to be listed as questionable hasn’t stopped him from throwing three touchdowns. The first two went to his tight ends. Martellus Bennett nabbed the first and Matt Lengel got a nice Christmas present as his first NFL catch went for an 18-yard score. Both scores followed interceptions, the first by Bryce Petty and the second by Ryan Fitzpatrick.
Fitzpatrick replaced Petty in the second quarter after Petty injured his left shoulder while trying to make a tackle after Khiry Robinson lost a fumble. Fitzpatrick led the Jets on their best two drives of the day, but Nick Folk missed a field goal to keep the Jets scoreless on the afternoon.
Brady’s final score came when he hit James White for 25 yards just before halftime. It looked like the Patriots were going to let the clock run out on the half, but the Jets called a timeout and New England shifted gears. A long pass interference penalty on a throw to Malcolm Mitchell set up the White touchdown.
That fumble led to a field goal and the Patriots seem content to let the Jets stumble all over themselves before doing whatever’s necessary to keep building the lead they took on their opening drive. Brady is 13-of-21 for 171 yards and it’s not unthinkable that he’ll get some extra time to rest given the way things have played out thus far.