TreVeyon Henderson found the end zone three times and the New England Patriots sailed to their eighth straight win, 27-14 over the New York Jets on Thursday night in Foxborough, Mass.
Henderson ran for a pair of 7-yard touchdowns during the second quarter and added a 6-yard scoring catch after halftime to put the Patriots (9-2) in firm control. Drake Maye completed 25 of 34 passes for 281 yards, and Henderson tallied 93 total yards (62 rushing, 31 receiving on five catches).
New England’s Stefon Diggs hauled in nine catches for 105 yards.
Justin Fields ran for a touchdown and threw for another for the Jets (2-8), who had a modest two-game winning streak ended. John Metchie III, in his second game as a Jet following a trade from the Philadelphia Eagles, had three receptions for 45 yards and a score.
The Patriots only led 21-14 entering the final quarter but soon tacked on two field goals by Andy Borregales (44, 26 yards). The latter kick was set up when Fields fumbled a low snap on the first play of a drive in the shadow of the Jets’ goalpost.
Fields took the Jets into the red zone on a late drive, but he was sacked by Elijah Ponder on third down and threw incomplete on fourth down. Fields connected on 15 of 26 passes for 116 yards and led the Jets with 67 rushing yards.
The Jets opened the game with a 14-play, 72-yard touchdown march, only for the Patriots to match it with a 13-play, 69-yard scoring drive.
New York converted four third downs on its opening drive before Fields hustled to the right corner of the end zone for a 5-yard touchdown. New England converted a fourth-and-2 with Maye’s 7-yard completion to DeMario Douglas before Henderson notched his first rushing score of the night in the first minute of the second quarter.
The Patriots forced three consecutive three-and-outs while adding Henderson’s second score to build a 14-7 halftime lead. Borregales missed a 45-yard field-goal attempt as time expired in the half.
Henderson plucked a pass out of the air in the back of the end zone to put the Patriots up 21-7 with 7:46 to go in the third quarter.
The Jets responded when Fields hit a wide-open Metchie for a 22-yard touchdown with 3:10 left in the third.
