Pats Pulpit
One trip remained on the schedule for the NFL’s last unbeaten road team. It wouldn’t take long.
The New England Patriots throttled past the New York Jets for a 42-10 win at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, moving to a 13-3 record and within earshot of the AFC East title.
Here’s a glance back on the 1 p.m. ET kickoff before the calendar turns to January.
A week removed from throwing for a career-high 380 yards on the way to clinching a playoff berth, Drake Maye kept the pedal to the floor.
The Patriots quarterback completed 19-of-21 passes for 256 yards on Sunday afternoon. He did so while delivering a career-high five touchdowns against a Jets defense that will finish 2025 without an interception.
Taking the field in “22” personnel, the jumbo opening drive spanned seven snaps, 61 yards and play action on the way to finding Austin Hooper in the back of the end zone for the veteran tight end’s second touchdown of the year. With off-platform precision, a 21-0 New England lead it quickly became after another a seven-play, 67-yard drive was followed by a seven-play, 71-yard drive. And then? A fourth-and-goal quick screen was dialed up by offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels to make it 28-3.
No pass officially hit the turf until the 1:39 mark in the second quarter on a drop by rookie wide receiver Kyle Williams. A shallow cross to captain Hunter Henry arrived soon after to give the Patriots five touchdowns in five possessions. A 35-3 lead by halftime in East Rutherford, the surgical attack from Foxborough stood with 23 first downs and an NFL-high 334 yards. All the while, Maye stood 17-of-19 with a 156.5 passer rating and a fourth-and-3 rushing conversion.
There was more ahead. A fifth different target got in the end zone coming out of the break before the 23-year-old Pro Bowler’s day was done.
Maye now finds himself north of 4,000 yards through the air on the campaign. Backup quarterback Joshua Dobbs entered midway through the third quarter of a 42-3 game. A missed 41-yard field goal by rookie kicker Andy Borregales went in the books as New England’s first series not to end in six.
New England’s running back depth chart was back at capacity. After spending the week in concussion protocol, TreVeyon Henderson shed the red non-contact jersey, practiced in full and carried a questionable game status. The reigning NFL Offensive Rookie of the Month would be cleared on the eve of the December matinee.
He turned in 82 rushing yards across 19 attempts from there. Punishing longs of 16 and 17 yards were among them.
Starter Rhamondre Stevenson amassed 102 scrimmage yards through 13 chances. His outing included a season-long ground pickup of 24 yards on the first drive, a goal-line touchdown plunge behind fullback Jack Westover on the second drive, as well as a...
