The Patriots are sitting pretty with a 17-3 lead over the Jets at halftime at Gillette Stadium, but man, they are *earning* it! That 17-3 score only happened thanks to a last-minute scramble from Drake Maye right before the buzzer, extending what was already a solid lead.
Maye’s Late-Half Magic Keeps ‘Em Rolling
Talk about clutch! New England forced a punt with just over a minute left in that second quarter, then marched downfield like they owned the place. A big pass to Pop Douglas got them inside the Jets’ 9-yard line, not to mention a roughing the passer call on Jets rookie linebacker David Bailey that just kept the drive alive. After a couple of incompletions, it looked like they might settle, but Drake Maye pulled off some serious magic, scrambling long enough and eventually hitting Douglas for the touchdown. Boom! 17-3 going into the locker room.
The Injury Bug Is Hitting Hard, But Maye Is Unscathed
Here’s the wild part, though: it’s not all sunshine and rainbows for the Pats, especially with that offensive line getting absolutely hammered. Right tackle Morgan Moses is questionable to return with an ankle injury, and left guard Alijah Vera-Tucker has the same designation due to a hamstring injury. Yikes. And if that wasn’t enough, wide receiver Romeo Doubs, who caught Maye’s first touchdown of the day, is also questionable to return after hurting his shoulder. How Drake Maye has not been sacked even once despite losing two key offensive linemen to injury, I have no idea, but he’s clearly got some serious escapability right now.
Jets Just Can’t Convert
On the flip side, the Jets are struggling to find their rhythm, big time. They kicked off the game with a field goal, which felt like ages ago at 17-3. They actually moved the ball into Patriots territory twice more after that, but both drives completely crashed and burned on fourth down. That first failed attempt was a run out of the shotgun by Braelon Allen, which just went nowhere. You gotta wonder what they’re thinking with those calls, leaving points on the field.
So, what’s next? New England will get the ball to start the third quarter, which is huge for them to maintain momentum. Can Maye keep dodging defenders with his O-line in shambles? Can the Jets finally get something going and convert on fourth down? That second half is going to be wild, especially with all these injuries piling up. Get ready, because this one’s far from over!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pro Football Talk.
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