Well, Rex Ryan is justified.  His New York Jets just got a significant monkey off the back, an inspired 16-9 victory at home against New England.  This win marked the Jets first win at home against the Patriots since September 2000, and Mark Sanchez became the first rookie starting quarterback in 5 years to beat the Patriots.  Looking back at the 1SKILLZ Gameplan for NFL Week 2 (http://www.nfltouchdown.com/week-2-patriots-at-jets-the-1skillz-gameplan/), there were some expected events, and some unforeseen (but probably not entirely surprising) observations.

*The game was definitely on Tom Brady’s arm, and he wound up passing 47 times.  The question though, is why?  The Patriots never had a comfortable lead, but they had a lead nonetheless throughout the first half, and it was always a one possession game once the Jets scored the game’s only touchdown.  Like the last time Brady faced a Rex Ryan branded defense (2007, Patriots at Ravens), Brady completed less than 50% of his passes.  Unlike that Monday Night Football game however, he could not put together a game saving touchdown drive late in the fourth quarter (or at any other point in the game).  The Jets’ pass rush did not net any sacks, but the pressure was vital.  Brady was hit, harrassed, and restricted by the constant flurry of white jerseys in his grill: the two most glaring examples of the waves of rushers were on Brady’s only interception and his last pass of the game.  Jets CB Darrelle Revis intercepted a prematurely released floater intended for Patriots WR Randy Moss.  Moss did not catch a single pass over 9 yards; it was Revis’ ability to cover that allowed the Jets to blitz so frequently.  Brady’s final 4th down pass was intended for Joey Galloway, but Brady again had to release under siege before Galloway gained any separation.  Rookie WR Julian Edelman did a great job filling in for Wes Welker (8 catches, 98 yards), but Galloway, TEs Ben Watson and Chris Baker, and RB Kevin Faulk combined for 10 catches for only 80 yards.

*With Brady under duress and no clear advantage in the air, why was the Patriots pass to run ratio almost 2.5-1?  It says here that Fred Taylor, Laurence Maroney, and/or Sammy Morris need more than a combined 18 carries in a close game.  Yes, the Jets are a good run-stopping team, and there is a good chance that there will not be a feature back in New England all season.  However, Brady is not Matt Cassel.  His pocket presence results in relatively few sacks taken, but he does not have the mobility to keep him from being a sitting duck in the pocket either.  It would be helpful to Brady’s efficiency if the offense had more balance.  To pass 27 more times than you run in a close game, the passing game should be on point.  Brady missed his target 24 times, including one interception.  If the running game is never allowed to get into a rhythm, than the quarterback will risk never finding a rhythm in the face of a successful pass rush.  Currently, there is no threat of a run game in New England.

*It really is amazing how the Jets pass rush dictated the game.  No sacks allowed by the New England offensive line, but they might as well have allowed seven.

*Meanwhile, the Patriots got to Sanchez twice, but it is clear that they are missing a difference maker in the pass rush as of right now.

*Surprisingly, Jets RB Leon Washington did not run wild over the Patriots defense.  Other than a key 4th quarter 19 yard rush, Washington had 15 offensive touches for 57 yards and lost a fumble.  Jets RB Thomas Jones had 15 total offensive touches for 53 total yards.

*I mentioned that blown coverages and missed tackles doomed the Houston Texans when they lost to the Jets.  On Sunday, Patriots CB Jonathan Wilhite and SS Brandon Meriweather missed Jets WR Jerricho Cotchery on his 45 yard catch and run.  Considering that it set up Sanchez’s go-ahead 9 yard TD pass to TE Dustin Keller, the missed tackles were a devastating miscue.

The bottom line here is that the Jets are a solid football team with a head coach that instills confidence, a rookie quarterback who makes few mistakes, and a swarming, disruptive defense.  The New England Patriots did not lay a complete egg.  The offense only turned the ball over once and after giving up a touchdown, the defense did not let the game get out of reach.  But at the very least, they seem gutted defensively with all the lost personnel (injured LB Jerod Mayo included) and one-dimensional (and not particularly 2007 dangerous) offensively.  The Patriots can continue to be the Patriots; that is, go about games letting the media talk for them (RE: Rodney Harrison), making very few mistakes on both sides of the ball, and asking Tom Brady to win games early and sometimes late.  But the big plays on both sides of the ball are sorely lacking, and it might be a good idea to wake up and smell a running back.

-1SKILLZ