Just about everything was going right for the Patriots on Thursday night in the Meadowlands when they got the ball for their first possession of the second half.
That’s when things took a slight turn for the worse. Wide receiver Julian Edelman, who scored two of the five touchdowns the Patriots scored in the second quarter, took a huge shot from Jets safety LaRon Landry on a running play and dropped the ball as he dropped to the ground like he’d been shot. Eric Smith recovered for the Jets, cutting the Patriots’ edge in turnover ration to 4:1 for the night.
The Jets couldn’t cash in on the turnover when Shonn Greene was stoned at the goal line on fourth down a couple of plays after an apparent touchdown pass to Chaz Schilens was ruled incomplete. The Pats are calling his return questionable and we’d call it the same if New England decides to put Edelman back into a 35-5 game after the shot he took from Landry.
That’s right, it is 35-5. Patriots running back Stevan Ridley was called for a chop block in the end zone on the play after the Pats defense stopped Greene, resulting in a safety for a Jets team that’s building their comeback very slowly.
The Jets have also lost a receiver to a head injury. Clyde Gates took a nasty-looking shot from cornerback Kyle Arrington and has been ruled out for the rest of the night.