An Eve of Destruction: Patriots hammer Jets

Brady tosses three TDs, sits out final quarter in blowout victory

FOXBOROUGH, MASS. » Tom Brady passed for 214 yards and three touchdowns, and the Patriots moved a step closer to securing home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs with a 41-3 win over the New York Jets on Saturday.

A loss or tie by the Raiders against the Colts later Saturday would officially give New England the AFC’s top seed.

Malcolm Butler added two interceptions and a fumble recovery, and LeGarrette Blount had a pair of 1-yard touchdown runs.

New England (13-2) took advantage of New York miscues all day, scoring on three of its first four possessions.

The Jets (4-11), who have lost six of seven, had four turnovers.

It all helped make for a short day of work for Brady, who sat out the entire fourth quarter.

The only really good piece of news for the Jets came before the game, when coach Todd Bowles rejoined the team and coached from the sideline a day after a medical scare sent him to the hospital.

Bowles did not travel on the team plane on Friday, but joined the Jets in New England on Saturday morning. The 53-year-old coach fell ill Friday afternoon and was taken

to a hospital in New Jersey with what the team called an “undisclosed illness.”

But injuries for New York continue to pile up.

For the second straight week, Jets quarterback Bryce Petty’s day ended early when he went to the sideline in the first quarter with a left shoulder injury.

He was replaced by backup Ryan Fitzpatrick, but it did little to improve New York’s fortunes on offense.

For the game, the Jets finished with 239 total yards and were 1 for 11 on third down. Petty was 0 for 3 passing before his injury with an interception. Fitzpatrick finished 8 for 21 for 136 yards and two interceptions. Receiver Brandon Marshall also left the game in the third quarter with a hip injury.

New England turned each of New York’s three first-half turnovers into points.

First, Butler picked off a pass from Petty to set up a 5-yard touchdown pass by Brady to Martellus Bennett that put the Patriots up 10-0.

A few series later, Butler was there again to pounce on Khiry Robinson’s fumble, which set up a 22-yard by Stephen Gostkowski.

Then, after Fitzpatrick had come on to replace Petty, his second drive started with a deep pass along the sideline intended for Marshall that was intercepted by Eric Rowe.

That was followed by an 18-yard touchdown pass from Brady to Matt Lengel, who made his first NFL reception.

CHARLES KRUPA — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Patriots tight end Matt Lengel, left, celebrates his touchdown catch with Julian Edelman, center, and Malcolm Mitchell in the first half.

CHARLES KRUPA — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Jets quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick looks at the scoreboard after failing to make a first down.