Patriots survive to advance
Patriots 13 Jets 10
Foxborough, Mass. — Tom Brady threw a 39-yard touchdown pass to Aaron Dobson on the game’s first series before both offenses played as sloppily as the second-half weather, and the New England Patriots got by the New York Jets 13-10 on Thursday night.
Brady had trouble connecting with his rookie-filled receiving corps, while Jets rookie Geno Smith was repeatedly sacked when he took too much time to throw.
The Patriots ( 2- 0) managed just nine first downs and 234 yards after leading the NFL in points and yards last season.
After trailing by 10 points at halftime, when a torrential rain began to fall, Smith led New York (1-1) on a third-quarter touchdown drive.
Starting for the second straight week in place of injured Mark Sanchez, Smith ran for 16 yards to move the Jets into New England territory. He then brought them to the 3-yard line to set up Bilal Powell’s touchdown run that made it 13- 10 with 5:05 left in the third. But Smith threw three interceptions in the fourth
quarter, two to Aqib Talib and one to Alfonzo Dennard.
Smith completed 12 of 23 passes for 159 yards through three quarters, while Brady was 13 of 29 for 150 yards.
With longtime favorite receiver Wes Welker now in Denver and his replacement, Danny Amendola, out with a groin injury, Brady found Dobson alone in the defensive backfield on the opening drive and hit him in stride on his way to the end zone.
It was Brady’s 50th consecutive game with a touchdown pass, four short of Drew Brees’ NFL record. It was the first career catch for Dobson, a second- round draft pick who did not play in Week 1 because of a hamstring injury.
The teams traded threeand-outs, and on New York’s next possession Smith found Stephen Hill deep across the middle for a 33-yard gain. But as cornerback Aqib Talib was bringing Hill down, the receiver fumbled and McCourty scooped it up and took it all the way to the Jets’ 3- yardline.
Stephen Gostkowski’s field goal made it 10-0.