Patriots Hold Off Jets to Extend Winning Streak to Three Games

The New England Patriots extended their winning streak to three games on Sunday, holding off a late challenge from the New York Jets to secure a 26-19 victory at Gillette Stadium.

Mike Vrabel’s team looked comfortable after building a 17-3 halftime lead, but the Jets fought their way back into contention and cut the deficit to four points late in the third quarter. Drake Maye responded early in the fourth, connecting with tight end Hunter Henry for his third touchdown pass of the afternoon before a late field goal helped the Patriots establish some breathing room.

New York added a field goal with just 32 seconds remaining to make it a seven-point game and give itself one final opportunity with an onside kick. The kick appeared to cause problems for New England when it went off wide receiver A.J. Brown’s hands, but Pop Douglas recovered the loose ball to secure the Patriots’ third consecutive win.

Maye finished 18-of-32 for 235 yards and three touchdown passes, although his performance could have been even more productive with better support from his receivers. Brown struggled with drops in his return from an ankle injury, raising questions about the Patriots’ decision to target him so frequently when other options were proving more reliable.

Henry made several important third-down receptions, while Douglas finished with seven catches, including a 40-yard gain. However, that big play ended with a costly fumble that helped the Jets remain in the contest. Running back Corey Kiner contributed 57 yards on 11 carries as New England looked to close out the game after TreVeyon Henderson was benched following a third-quarter fumble of his own.

Those turnovers prevented the Patriots from putting the game beyond reach, but New York failed to take full advantage. Geno Smith threw his first interception of the season in the fourth quarter, and the Jets were forced to settle for a field goal on their next possession, leaving them with too much to do in the closing stages.

One positive for New England was the protection provided to Maye. The Jets struggled to generate consistent pressure despite the Patriots losing right tackle Morgan Moses, right guard Ben Brown and left guard Alijah Vera-Tucker to injuries during the game. With a short turnaround before Thursday’s matchup against the Chicago Bears, the status of those offensive linemen will be a major storyline.

The Patriots will be pleased to have secured another win, but the narrow finish highlighted areas that need improvement. Turnovers, dropped passes and injuries made this a far more difficult afternoon than their halftime lead suggested. Nevertheless, New England did enough to get over the line and extend its winning streak to three games.