FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Justin Fields broke 100 passing yards for just the second time in his last five starts, but the defense let the Patriots break free too often.
The Jets’ two-game winning streak was snapped Thursday night with their 27-14 loss to the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium. The Jets dropped to 2-8. Their next loss will clinch their 10th straight losing season.
The AFC East-leading Patriots improved to 9-2 with their eighth straight win.
Fields played better than last game when he threw for just 54 yards, but the Jets can’t win with this passing offense.
He led the Jets on an opening-drive touchdown for the first time all season. But the Jets only scored on one of their other eight series.
Fields finished 15-for-26 for 116 yards and one touchdown. He also led the Jets with 67 yards rushing and a touchdown.
Breece Hall, who had four touchdowns over the past two games, was held in check. He had 58 yards on 14 carries.
John Metchie caught three passes for 35 yards and his first touchdown as a Jet. Jeremy Ruckert had four catches for 30 yards. AD Mitchell, acquired from the Colts in the Sauce Gardner trade, had one reception for 10 yards in his Jets’ debut. But he also had two drops.
The Jets will need their receivers to step up with Garrett Wilson sidelined with a knee injury. The Jets put the star receiver on IR on Thursday, knocking him out for ast least four games.
Patriots second-year quarterback Drake Maye was 25-for-34 for 281 yards and a touchdown. The Jets got little pressure on Maye. They had one sack and let him complete six passes of at least 20 yards to four different receivers.
Rookie running back TreVeyon Henderson scored three touchdowns — two rushing and one receiving. Henderson finished with 95 scrimmage yards. Stefon Diggs caught nine passes for 105 yards.
Trailing 14-7 at the half, the Jets drove into New England territory on their first possession of the third. An intentional grounding penalty on Fields stalled the series, which ended with right guard Joe Tippman being flagged for unnecessary roughness, putting the ball back at the Jets’ 36.
The Patriots began the next series on their 31and needed just six plays to extend their lead to 21-7. Maye hit Henderson in the back of the end zone for a 6-yard touchdown.
On the following Jets’ possession, they made it a one-score game again. Fields connected with Metchie for a 22-yard touchdown on third down.
The Jets let New England drive into the red zone with sloppy defense. Jarvis Brownlee didn’t touch a receiver when he was down, allowing him to get 13 extra yards and was called for a defensive hold.
A Jermaine Johnson sack on second down from the 18 backed the Patriots up. They settled for a 44-yard Andy Borregales field goal and led 24-14 with 12:06 remaining.
Later in the fourth, the Jets coughed up the ball deep in their own territory. Josh Myers snapped it low and Fields had trouble picking it up. It was recovered by Anfernee Jennings at the Jets’ 11. It led to a Borregales 26-yard field goal that made it 27-14 with 6:36 left.
Al Iannazzone covers the Jets for Newsday after spending nearly two decades on the NBA beat with Knicks and Nets.
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