The New England Patriots-New York Jets game was hyped as one of the premier matchups of Week 2 of the NFL season.
It didn't disappoint. And it sure didn't disappoint the New York Jets.
And in fact, the Jets' critical 28-14 victory was precisely what might have been expected -- a handful of big offensive plays in a game dominated by defense -- in this case, the Jets' defense.
Some quick hits from Patriots-Jets:
• This isn't a huge surprise, but the Jets' defense came up very, very big in this game. That was particularly true in the second half. The Patriots inched ahead, 14-10, in the first half, but the Jets seemed to control the game much of the second half and shut out the Patriots thereafter.
• If there was a key statistic, it was certainly turnover differential. The Patriots turned the ball over three times and the Jets had zero giveaways. Few teams are going to lose with that differential, particularly not a team such as the Jets built so heavily on defense.
• It's hard to overestimate the importance of this game for the Jets. Their confidence could have been shaken by a season-opening, 10-9 loss at Baltimore -- and that could have been compounded by slipping to 0-2 against a division rival at home. Instead, they dominated a potential playoff contender and longtime nemesis in the second half.
• Maybe LaDainian Tomlinson isn't done after all. Tomlimson, signed as a free agent after leaving San Diego in the offseason, may not be the game-breaking back he was in his prime, but he ran effectively for the Jets Sunday. He ran hard, breaking tackles throughout the second half, and finished with 76 important yards on 11 carries. He also went airborne on a late fourth-down conversion that helped secure the victory.
• By midway through the second half, it wasn't as much of a reach as might have been expected to say Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez out-played Patriots quarterback Tom Brady. Sanchez completed 21 of 30 passes for 220 yards and a career-high three touchdowns. Brady completed 20 of 36 passes for 248 yards and two touchdowns with two interceptions.
• The Jets got a big defensive stop early when they stalled a long, time-consuming drive on the Patriots' first possession. Stephen Gostkowski missed a 37-yard field goal and the score remained tied, 0-0.
• Jets tight end Dustin Keller played a huge role. Not only did he catch seven passes for 115 yards, he caught a critical late-game, red-zone touchdown to give the Jets a two-touchdown lead with 6:15 remaining.
