Patriots easily win Mac vs. Zach matchup
Mac Jones was smart and efficient, Damien Harris and James White had touchdown runs and the New England Patriots took advantage of a nightmarish outing by Zach Wilson in a 25-6 victory over the New York Jets on Sunday.
With the spotlight on the Mac vs. Zach matchup of rookie first-round quarterbacks, it was Jones who shined as Wilson was intercepted four times — twice by J.C. Jackson.
Jones, the No. 15 overall pick in the draft, went 22 of 30 for 186 yards for the Patriots (1-1) a week after going 29 for 39 for 281 yards and a touchdown in a loss to Miami. Sunday’s numbers were more than good enough for New England to beat New York for the 11th game in a row.
Especially with Wilson throwing the ball to the wrong team in the home opener for the Jets (0-2), who have lost 11 in a row in September. It got so bad early in the fourth quarter when the No. 2 overall draft pick overthrew a receiver, the crowd at MetLife Stadium — boisterous and excited early at their first game since Dec. 22, 2019, because of the pandemic — began booing the young QB.
Wilson (19 of 33 for 210 yards and the four INTs) struggled right away, and the troubles might have been expected. Bill Belichick improved to 22-6 against rookie quarterbacks since taking over as Patriots coach in 2000.
After Marcus Maye’s sack pushed the Patriots out of field goal position on their opening possession, the Jets got the ball at their 8. Wilson threw downfield to Corey Davis in traffic and Jackson tipped it into the air, Devin McCourty deflected it and the ball landed in Jackson’s hands.
The Patriots capitalized with Nick Folk’s 46-yard field goal.
Wilson’s second pass was also picked off, this time Adrian Phillips grabbing the ball after the high throw went off Davis’ hands.
New England got into the end zone, with White running it in up the middle for a 10-0 lead.
Wilson finally completed a pass to a teammate early in the second quarter, a 27-yard toss to a wide-open Elijah Moore. Despite the big gain, it should have been more — Wilson’s pass led Moore to the sideline rather than downfield, where he might have had a touchdown.