EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - Rex Ryan sent a message to the fans. His New York
Jets delivered one of their own.
Rookie Mark Sanchez outplayed a Super Bowl champion quarterback and the
Jets backed up their big talk, shutting down Tom Brady and the New England
Patriots 16-9 on Sunday.
"We believe that we are the better team today," Ryan said. "We went out and
showed it. I think our fans are huge in this victory."
So huge, in fact, that Ryan said he was giving the fans a gameball that
would be placed in the team's trophy case.
"I thought they were the difference," Ryan said.
The victory was the first for the Jets (2-0) over Brady at home, and the
first over the Patriots (1-1) at the Meadowlands since 2000. And, it came
after a week during which Ryan reiterated his offseason comments that he
didn't come to "kiss Bill Belichick's rings" and sent a voicemail to season
ticket holders, urging them to be loud.
The fans clearly answered the call, causing a tough time for the Patriots'
offense all game. Brady was forced into consecutive delay of game penalties
in the third quarter.
"I've got to do a better job," Brady said. "They don't come up very often,
but when they do, they hurt. And they hurt us today."
Ryan also said the Patriots had the better coach and quarterback coming in.
Hold on, Rex. Don't sell yourself short.
"The big deal is, we're a football team that should be respected," Ryan said.
"Sometimes we talk a little bit, but only because we have confidence in our
football team."
Earlier in the week, Jets safety Kerry Rhodes said New York wanted to
"embarrass" New England.
"Kerry made a statement, we stood behind him and we had his back," defensive
end Shaun Ellis said.
Sanchez came out throwing in the second half after a quiet first two quarters
and connected with Dustin Keller on a go-ahead touchdown, and the Jets'
defense clamped down on the Patriots.
"It's a major win for us," Ellis said. "To close that out and put an end to
that, it's great."
Brady had a chance to tie it for the Patriots, getting the ball at the Patriots
10 with 1:48 left, but the Jets' defense stopped him as Dwight Lowery knocked
away a pass to Joey Galloway on fourth down.
"Honestly, I was thinking interception," Lowery said, "but the angle I was at,
I couldn't really get a pick. Knocking it down was the second thought and I
just got it out of there."
Brady was unable to engineer his 30th comeback victory as Sanchez took a knee
twice to seal it. Brady had beaten the Jets in 12 of the previous 14 games he
had faced them overall.
"We had a chance there," Brady said. "We just didn't execute in that 2-minute
possession. It's something we've been good at, but the Jets were better at it
today. It's frustrating. I think we had really high expectations for this game.
We just didn't put it together very well."
Sanchez finished 14 of 22 for 163 yards and the touchdown to Keller, while
Brady was 23 of 47 for 216 yards and an interception. He was without one of
his favorite targets as Wes Welker sat out with a knee injury, and Randy Moss
was held to four catches for 24 yards.
"We're not really firing on all cylinders right now," Brady said. "To not get
the ball in the end zone is unacceptable."
The Patriots got three field goals from Stephen Gostkowski a week after the
Jets' defense held the high-scoring Houston Texans without an offensive
touchdown in a 24-7 win.
"That's a statement not just to us," cornerback Darrelle Revis said, "but to
the league that every week we're going to come out here and try to get
a shutout."
Sanchez was 3 of 5 for 15 yards in the first half, but connected with Jerricho
Cotchery for a 45-yard gain to the Patriots 11 on the first play of the third
quarter. After a 2-yard run by Thomas Jones, Sanchez found Keller in the back
of the end zone to give the Jets a 10-9 lead 1:03 into the third quarter.
"We just needed to relax and find our game," Sanchez said. "As soon as we do,
we are going to get this thing started and rolling, and that's what we did."
Jay Feely added two field goals to make it 16-9 with 9:48 remaining.
"Give the Jets credit," Belichick said. "They just did a better job than we
did today and I don't think there's really a whole lot more to say about it."
Gostkowski's 29-yarder with 17 seconds left in the first half gave the Patriots
a 9-3 lead. It capped a 14-play, 79-yard drive that almost resulted in
a touchdown.
Brady's throw on third-and-3 from the 11 was tipped by Lowery and almost
grabbed in the back of the end zone by Moss, who couldn't bring in the ball
when was shoved in the back and out of bounds by Jim Leonhard.
Game notes
Jets CB Lito Sheppard left with a right quadriceps injury after breaking up
the throw to Galloway in the end zone, and didn't return. CB Donald Strickland
injured an ankle in the third quarter and also didn't return.
Rookie Julian Edelman had eight catches for 98 yards in place of Welker.
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