The New England Patriots made the New York Jets look like the month of March this season.  After the Patriots’ Week 2 loss to the Jets, New York was playing the role of the roaring lion coming on to the rest of the league.  Now with the Patriots handing the Jets their sixth loss in seven games, a 31-14 decision, the Jets are going out like lambs.  Not quite the St. Louis Rams, but the Patriots put the silencer on them Sunday, treating them much like they treated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers earlier this season.  Something shady had to have been going on behind the scenes.

Patriots CB Leigh Bodden caught as many passes from Jets QB Mark Sanchez as WR Jerricho Cotchery (3 receptions for 84 yards) and TE Dustin Keller (3 receptions for 38 yards)!  I know the Patriots defense was supposed to be upset with head coach Bill Belichick, but I didn’t know they went as far as trying to sign with division rivals during the week!  Seriously, Bodden was Sanchez’ favorite target in this one, hitting him early, often, and late.

After Sanchez completed two of his first four passes for first downs to Keller for five yards and WR Braylon Edwards for ten, Sanchez decided he needed to get Leigh Bodden involved.  On his fifth pass attempt of the game, it was 3rd and 8 with no score, and Sanchez had a choice between Cotchery and Bodden.  Cotchery wasn’t looking, so Sanchez threw to Bodden instead: 53 yard TD!

Sanchez threw three more incompletions and took a thrashing of a sack by Patriots OLB Tully Banta-Cain before he found himself in another 3rd and 8 situation, this time in the second quarter with the Patriots up 21-0.  This time, Sanchez had a choice between Bodden and Braylon Edwards.  Patriots FS Brandon McGowan came on a blitz after following Keller in motion before the snap, so Sanchez had to make a quick decision: a perfect pass to Bodden, just out of the reach of Edwards!  The second INT set up a Patriots FG (in the red zone).  At this point, the game was effectively over, because it became clear that the Jets would not be coming back from down 24-0 on the road with Sanchez completing two passes to Jets players and two passes to Leigh Bodden.  Not surprisingly, Sanchez did not throw another pass for the rest of the half.  They even let WR Brad Smith take the next 3rd down snap!

The Patriots special teams kept the Jets from being completely hopeless going into halftime, as P Chris Hanson had a punt blocked by Jets backup S Eric Smith and returned for a TD by Brad Smith.  Patriots K Stephen Gostkowski followed that up by missing his fourth FG of the season from 40 yards out, representing a -10 point swing for New England.  Sanchez came out on the opening possession of the second half and went away from Bodden for once (except on a deep pass intended for maybe Braylon Edwards), completing two passes to Keller for 31 yards and two first downs.  On the 11th play of the drive (which featured five Thomas Jones rushes for 21 yards and a 4th down conversion by Sanchez on a QB sneak), Sanchez threw deep to Cotchery for a 29 yard TD on Patriots CB Jonathan Wilhite.  The Patriots looked like they were ripe for another second half meltdown, and it appeared that Jets coaches reminded Sanchez at halftime that Leigh Bodden plays for the Patriots.

The Patriots offense spent much of the third quarter taking time off the clock but ultimately punting when RB Kevin Faulk couldn’t hold on to a deep pass on 3rd down.  Sanchez’ first play of that second 3rd quarter possession was again to Cotchery, this time for 22 yards and a 1st down.  At that point, Sanchez was 6/13 for 99 yards, 1 TD, and 2 INTs (4/5, 84 yards, 1 TD in the second half).  But it was all downhill from there.

Sanchez missed two throws and then the Jets and Patriots traded punts to end the third quarter.  It was about this time that Sanchez forgot about the Leigh Bodden deal.  On his first play of the 4th quarter, the Jets Sanchez had Edwards and Cotchery deep on the left side.  But, coming off of a play-action fake, he also had Leigh Bodden there just waiting.  And after being ignored all half, Bodden comes up with a diving catch at the Patriots 26 yard line!

After that, the Jets never threatened again.  Hanson would punt inside the Jets 10 yard line, and after a Thomas Jones rush, the Patriots forced Sanchez into what may have been his single worst play of his rookie season.  Down ten and inside the ten yard line with ten minutes left on 2nd and ten, the Patriots bought six on a blitz (rather than ten).  Banta-Cain forced Sanchez from the pocket, and he rolled left to meet ILB Gary Guyton, causing him to backpedal.  Instead of throwing the ball away though, Sanchez felt he had a receiver open - and it wasn’t Leigh Bodden, as he came on a nickel blitz and launched himself into Sanchez as he threw off his back foot.  No, this time Patriots SS Brandon Meriweather rescued Sanchez’ pass from being incompleted!

The Patriots would put the game away from there.  RB Laurence Maroney would make up for his 1st quarter lost fumble by ending the drive with his second red zone TD of the game, putting the Patriots up 31-14.  The Patriots would go 3/4 in the red zone on the day, showing that the team’s focus on finishing drives paid off.  QB Tom Brady completed 28/41 passes for 310 yards.  WR Randy Moss didn’t get his deep ball on Jets CB Darrelle Revis, but did get a 4 yard TD right in front of him.  WR Wes Welker missed the first game against the Jets, so he decided to double his already incredible production for this game, catching an NFL season high 15 passes for 192 yards.  And after being given a 17-point 4th quarter lead, the Patriots defense might have still been pissed at Bill Belichick.  So after allowing 31 rushing yards to Thomas Jones on the drive, the Patriots rushed five at Sanchez.  Banta-Cain beat Jets LT D’Brickashaw Ferguson to force Sanchez to fumble, and DE Derrick Burgess recovered.

So the Patriots still haven’t lost two straight games since 2006.  Tom Brady still hasn’t lost a start at home since losing those home games back-to-back in 2006 to the Colts and Jets.  The Patriots offense looks to be in good shape for the most part inside the red zone, in pass protection, and getting big plays down the field (Welker’s 43-yard 3rd down reception led to Maroney’s first TD).  And Bill Belichick isn’t worrying about 4th and 2 this week after his defense forced five turnovers for the second time this season, both coming the week after losses.  It would be nice if someone told Mark Sanchez who he is allowed to throw to though.

-1SKILLZ