By James Paleologopoulos
Boston University News Service
BOSTON – Without throwing a touchdown, but passing for 186 yards, rookie quarterback Mac Jones secured his first NFL win as New England beat the New York Jets 25-6 Sunday at MetLife Stadium.
Getting his second start, following last week’s 17-16 loss to the Miami Dolphins, Jones completed 22 of his 30 passes, while running backs Damien Harris and James White rushed for New England’s two touchdowns.
While Jones only has one touchdown to his name after last week’s loss to Miami, the former Alabama quarterback came ready to bolster his own offensive line, offering up highlights such as a timely block for Kendrick Bourne in the third quarter. #10 was also front and center as the Pats paved the way for Harris’s rushing touchdown that same quarter.
“We wanted to score and everybody was down there pushing and my job is to make sure that nothing bad happens and try and be by the ball but maybe I should just stay back,” Jones said during the postgame press conference, adding a laugh. “But at the end of the day… the offensive line created the holes and Damien made a guy miss and I kind of carried out my fake…”
“He (kind of) shot out the back door and I was like ‘Alright, here we go!'”
The real point-getter on Sunday was kicker Nick Folk, who sent home four field goals, including a 49-yarder in the second quarter to make it 13-3. With his 32-yard kick in the third quarter, Folk set a franchise record by completing 32 straight field goals. He added to the record in the final quarter, when he made it 25-3 on a 4th and goal kick.
On the defensive side of things, the Patriots nabbed four interceptions, with defensive back J.C. Jackson collecting two of them. In addition to being picked four times, Jets quarterback Zach Wilson found himself being sacked four times as well, with linebacker Josh Uche bringing him down twice, making for a rough home debut for New York’s own rookie QB.
The Patriots improved to 1-1 as they continued their overall win-streak versus the Jets, who have not beat New England since Dec. 27, 2015.
The team will be back on home turf next week to face the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, Sept. 26.
[…] As it played out, the Jacksonville Jaguars, picking first overall, selected Clemson’s QB Trevor Lawrence, a quarterback with an impeccable college resume, including a national championship as a freshman. And sure enough, the rival New York Jets, picking second, went with BYU’s Zach Wilson, who threw four interceptions against the Patriots last Sunday. […]