For the first time with a quarterback not named Tom Brady, the Patriots (9-2) have won eight straight games. And they seem to have another star quarterback — and an emerging sidekick — on their hands. Drake Maye played another strong game, TreVeyon Henderson scored three touchdowns, and New England cruised past the Jets, 27-14.
Maye completed 25 of 34 passes for 281 yards and a score, fittingly, to Henderson. After scoring just one touchdown in his first nine NFL games, Henderson has five touchdowns in his last two.
The Jets (2-8) got off to a good enough start, taking the opening kickoff and embarking on a 14-play, 72-yard drive that took over eight minutes. It was the Jets’ first opening-possession touchdown this season and their first opening-drive touchdown at the Patriots since 2012. The drive featured 11 runs, including a Justin Fields 4-yarder to find the end zone.
The Patriots came back with a similarly methodical — though much more balanced — drive: 13 plays and 69 yards over 7:40. Henderson powered in from 7 yards out.
The Patriots forced a three-and-out and went on another lengthy drive, culminating in Henderson again scoring from 7 yards out. The Patriots had a chance to add even more before halftime, but Andy Borregales missed a 45-yard field goal as the half expired.
The hosts extended their lead to 21-7 with Maye’s first touchdown pass of the night — a nice floater to Henderson — but the Jets answered right back on a Fields 22-yard pass to John Metchie III.
Later, down 24-14, Fields mishandled a snap and, instead of jumping on the ball, tried to pick it up and run. That failed, though, and Anfernee Jennings recovered. The Patriots tacked on another field goal.
Given one last chance to make it a game, the Jets drove deep into Patriots territory, but Elijah Ponder sacked Fields on third down, and Jeremy Ruckert couldn’t hang onto Fields’ fourth-down pass.