The New England Patriots took on the New York Jets on Oct. 21, 2019, in Week 7 of the 2019 NFL season. Here are some highlights and takeaways from the game.
The New England Patriots took on the New York Jets in a primetime affair, a game that will be forgotten by poor Jets fans and cherished by the New England faithful. If you’re a Jets fan, expect to hear about this for years to come.
The Jets were supposed to put up a fight. The team was supposed to go to war for four quarters, and take pride in the end result, no matter the score. Instead, they laid flat on their back, letting anything and everything happen as if they were asleep at the wheel. Additionally, Jets quarterback Sam Darnold came into contact with the underworld mid-game. The former top draft pick told head coach Adam Gase on the sidelines, “I’m seeing ghosts”
His stat line made that a fairly logical statement. He was 11-for-32 for 85 total yards and five turnovers. The Patriots showed different defensive packages all game, using various coverages and sending an abundance of stunts on a struggling O-line. Darnold simply did not know how to react and was overwhelmed at every snap of the ball. Darnold threw four picks, and while none of them were returned for touchdowns, they sure did result in a few.
The Patriots dominated on their first scoring drive, punching in for six with a three-yard run by Sony Michael. Just three minutes later, Mike Nuget nailed a 34-yard field goal to extend their lead to 10. With just nine seconds left in the first quarter, Phillip Dorsett secured a 26-yard touchdown pass, putting the game to rest after less than one quarter of play. Going into the second quarter, the Patriots decided to calm things down. The Jets’ defense had gotten into the swing of things while Sam Darnold continued to turn the ball over. The score was 24-0 after another Sony Michael touchdown, a one-yard run.
The game was over and it was only halftime. In the third quarter, the Pats’ defense showed up again, forcing a safety and raising the score to 26-0. It was sad, as Met Life was a packed stadium on Monday night, the perfect setting for a prime-time NFL game. The stands had emptied after Sony Michael’s third touchdown run. It was a mere fever dream at that point. Time had no value, and as the fourth quarter dragged on, Bill Belicheck cracked a smile, and all was well in New England. The final score wrapped across a big screen, 33-0. By then a score had no value, and the only real question was if Jets superfan Fireman Ed would come back for the next home game. A real controversy.
Any realistic mind knew the Patriots would win this game. And only a dreamer like myself thought it would be close. This game exposes the innocence of the Jets team, mainly their offense. Names like LeVeon Bell and C.J. Mosley were quiet, and not to their fault. The Pats’ defense dominated, and their offense could not have been more well oiled. This game was overall a meaningless loss for the Jets, and one of the many more of the Patriots wins in 2019.
