Then, on their final three drives of the first half, they went three-and-out on each one with 21 total yards.
Fields has never been a great passer, but he has never been this bad either. In his NFL career, he has four starts in which he had 54 or fewer passing yards. All four of those games have come this season. In the first half Thursday, Fields had 23 passing yards. The 2025 Jets are not running an NFL level offense. It’s one of the worst passing offenses in the league this century.
The Jets actually got a passing highlight. It came late in the third quarter when nobody covered John Metchie III and Fields found him for a 22-yard touchdown. That ensured Fields would surpass 60 yards passing on the day and cut the Patriots’ lead to 21-14.
The score was relatively close at the end of the third quarter, but the Jets weren’t much of a threat to win.
Patriots collect another win
The biggest reason the Patriots’ future is so bright, and why they’re in good shape to win the AFC East, is the rapid improvement of Maye.
Maye threw just two incompletions in the first half Thursday night, none in the first 26 minutes, and one was a drop by Stefon Diggs on a nice pass over the middle. Henderson got the highlights, with two rushing touchdowns and another on a catch from Maye, but it was Maye who kept the offense moving all night. His ability to move in the pocket and find receivers downfield is rare for a second-year quarterback. His accuracy has been better than expected. He has been the whole package this season, and his development has been impressive.
The Patriots have talent around him, too. They did a great job upgrading their roster in free agency and the draft. Diggs was a good pickup. He had 105 yards receiving on nine catches against the Jets. Henderson is emerging as a real threat now that he has finally gotten a chance for an expanded role. New England's defense isn’t elite yet, but it’s getting better and Vrabel will continue to cultivate it.
The Patriots were the better team, but the Jets continued to battle. They held the Patriots to field goals in their own territory a couple of times to keep the score within striking distance. But the Jets aren’t good enough to take advantage, especially on offense.
It wasn’t long ago that the Jets and Patriots weren’t separated by much. It might be a while before that’s the case again.
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