The New England Patriots held on for a 27-25 win over the New York Jets on Thursday by blocking Nick Folk’s 58-yard field goal attempt on the last play.
The surprisingly competitive Jets suffered their sixth straight loss after taking a 19-17 lead late in the third quarter.
Stephen Gostkowski put the Patriots ahead to stay with a field goal with 4 minutes, 10 seconds to go in the third, and Tom Brady’s 19-yard touchdown pass to Danny Amendola gave the hosts an eight-point lead.
Photo: AFP
The Jets made it 27-25 on a 10-yard pass by Geno Smith to Jeff Cumberland, but Smith’s pass for the conversion was incomplete.
New York had one last chance, and there was a strong sense of deja vu as Folk prepared to take his long-distance shot.
Last season, Folk kicked wide on a 56-yard attempt in overtime, but New England’s Chris Jones was penalized under a new rule against players pushing a teammate into the opponent’s formation. Folk then connected from 42 yards, giving the Jets a 30-27 victory.
Jones was not going to make the same mistake again, and this time he not only avoided a penalty, but made the block that preserved the Patriots’ win.
“It’s good to feel that ball hitting my hand and it’s good to get the win,” Jones said. “I just played it legally and did all that I could.”
Folk’s longest field goal in his career traveled 56 yards, but he was successful with all 13 of his previous attempts this year, so the 58-yarder was makeable.
“It felt pretty good off my foot,” Folk said. “I did kick it low, in order to give it enough to get it there.”
When Jones batted it down, the Patriots (5-2) raced onto the field in celebration of a win that was much tougher than expected.
The Jets’ six-game skid is their longest in Rex Ryan’s six seasons as coach.
Quarterback Smith — last in the NFL in passer rating — had a solid game with 20 completions in 34 attempts for 226 yards and no interceptions, while Chris Ivory — whose touchdown gave the Jets the lead in the third — finished with 107 yards rushing.
“This is extremely frustrating,” Smith said. “I felt it was going to happen for us.”
Patriots quarterback Brady threw three touchdowns and was 20 for 37 for 261 yards and no interceptions.
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