By Jim Scott
DNAinfo Senior Editor
MANHATTAN — Rex Ryan and the New York Jets traveled to New England Monday night looking to establish themselves as the team to beat in the NFL. Instead, they were badly beaten.
Quarterback Tom Brady threw four touchdown passes and Patriots outplayed New York in all phases of the game to beat the Jets 45-3 on Monday night.
"Obviously we got out coached, out played and got our butts kicked," Ryan said in a press conference after the game.
The game was hyped as a match up of the two best teams in football, but it was never close as the Patriots jumped out to a 17-0 lead and never looked back.
Brady was brilliant, orchestrating scoring drives on the Patriots (10-2) first three possessions and throwing two first half touchdown passes. The Pro-Bowl quarterback completed 72 percent of his passes and threw for 326 yards against a Jets defense that was missing starting safety Jim Leonhard.
New York quarterback Mark Sanchez never looked comfortable on a cold New England night in front of a hostile crowd. The Jets quarterback threw three interceptions, two of which ended potential scoring drives, completed 17-of-33 passes and finished with a 27.8 passer rating.
New York's vaunted defense looked like a shell of its former self, allowing 405 total yards and humbling the outspoken Jets coach in the process.
"It's the biggest butt-whuppin' I've ever taken as a coach in my career," Ryan said.
New England opened the scoring with a 41-yard field goal by Shane Graham on their opening drive of the game, but they were just warming up.
The Patriots next got the ball on their own 43-yard line after Jets kicker Nick Folk missed a 53-yard field goal attempt wide left on New York's first drive of the game.
New England wasted little time getting down the field from there. A 38-yard pass interference penalty by Jets safety Eric Smith on tight end Rob Gronkowski in the end zone gave New England a first down on the New York 1-yard line. BenJarvus Green-Ellis made the Jets pay for the mistake with a 1-yard touchdown run two plays later to make it 10-0.
The Patriots quickly got the ball back on the Jets 33-yard line after New York punter Steve Weatherford shanked a punt 13 yards. Four plays later Brady sent the Gillette Stadium crowd into a frenzy with a 25-yard touchdown pass to Deon Branch on a 4th and 1 play to give the Patriots a 17-0 lead in the first quarter.
New York got a 39-yard Folk field goal to cut the lead to 17-3 in the second quarter, but the Jets defense was immediately gashed again. Danny Woodhead's 35-yard catch and run brought New England down to New York's 33-yard line and Brandon Tate's 2-yard touchdown catch from Brady ended the scoring in the first half.
Woodhead, who was cut by the Jets in September, finished with 104 receiving yards on four catches against his former team.
Any chances of a Jets comeback were quickly squashed on their opening drive of the second half when Patriots linebacker Brandon Spikes intercepted Sanchez on the New England 2-yard line.
Eight plays later the Patriots completed a 93-yard scoring drive with an 18-yard touchdown catch by wide receiver Wes Welker to give Brady his third TD pass of the game.
After another Sanchez interception, New England rookie tight end Aaron Hernandez caught a 1-yard touchdown pass from Brady to cap a 94-yard drive on the first play of the fourth quarter.
Green-Ellis ended the scoring with a 45-3 with a 5-yard touchdown run with 9:05 left in the fourth quarter.
The win moved the Patriots moved into sole possession of first place in the AFC East.
The Jets, who lost for the first time in five games, hope to get back on track next Sunday when they host the Miami Dolphins (6-6) at the New Meadowlands on Sunday.
