The spread was big going into the Patriots/Jets game in Foxborough, but mother nature and Bill Belichick conspired to quash the big blow-out all the degenerate gamblers were apparently expecting.
The Patriots came out with a game-plan tailored to the windy, rainy conditions - a healthy dose of Lawrence Maroney with the wind in their face, and a few attempted deep balls to Randy Moss when they had the wind at their backs. Add in some big plays on defense and you have the recipe for a workmanlike 20-10 Patriots win.
The Jets may have felt early on that they had a chance - even despite the loss of starting QB Kellen Clemens, who was hit hard and knocked from the game on the team's second offensive play, one that resulted in a 5-yard Eugene Wilson INT return for touchdown. The weather was what gave the Jets their hope - that and a blocked-punt that resulted in a Jets TD, cutting the score at that point to 10-7. But, back-up Chad Pennington was never able to get anything going, nor did Eric Mangini's special option-play package for third QB Brad Smith (which resulted in some nifty runs but not a whole lot of points).
The Pats' defense shredded the Jets' line all day, notching 5 sacks and generally keeping Pennington on the run. The game was mostly sealed when, with the Jets driving, Adalius Thomas forced receiver Chris Baker to fumble, and the ball was scooped up by the busy Eugene Wilson.
The win moves the Patriots to 14-0 - 2 wins away from a historic 16-0 season. After the game, Pats coach Bill Belichick smilingly met adversary Eric Mangini for a quick two-handed shake. It looked normal enough to me, but the legion of Belichick body-language watchers will no doubt find something within the exchange to hold up as evidence that Belichick hates Mangini, that Mangini wants to murder Belichick, and that Lee Harvey Oswald didn't act alone.
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Tags: bill belichick, chad pennington, eric mangini, kellen clemens, lawrence maroney, new england patriots, new york jets, randy moss, tom brady
