Patriots Cruise Past Jets 26-6, Lock up #1 Seed in AFC
Joe Calabro, GoLocalProv Sports Team
Patriots Cruise Past Jets 26-6, Lock up #1 Seed in AFC
.@DionLewisRB ➡ END ZONE. #GoPats pic.twitter.com/luxR4Pvn8z
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) December 31, 2017
The win gives the Patriots the number one seed in the AFC playoffs for the seventh time since 2003 and the third time in the last four years.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTNew England finishes the regular season with a record of 13-3.
Patriots Take Control in 2nd Quarter
Leading 7-3 in the second quarter, the Patriots took control of the game.
With4:14 left to play in the half, Tom Brady capped off a 10 play, 73-yard drive with a five-yard touchdown pass to Brandin Cooks to put the Patriots up 14-3 after a Stephen Gostkowski extra point was good.
After the Patriots defense came up with a stop on the Jets next possession, New England would get the ball back with two minutes left in the half.
Brady led the Patriots on a 9 play, 58-yard drive that ended with a five-yard touchdown pass to Dion Lewis to put the Patriots up 21-3 after a Gostkowski extra point.
The touchdown catch by Lewis was his second touchdown of the game after he had a rushing touchdown in the first quarter to give the Patriots a 7-0 lead.
He is the first Patriots player to score a rushing touchdown and a receiving touchdown in back-to-back games since Larry Garron in 1964.
Gostkowski would add a 21-yard field goal in the third quarter to put the Patriots up 24-3.
The Jets would add a field goal in the fourth quarter to make the score 24-6.
Patriots linebacker Eric Lee would sack Jets quarterback Bryce Petty in the end zone for a safety to put the Patriots up 26-6.
They would cruise to the win.
James Harrison Sees Action
In his first game with the Patriots after signing last Tuesday, James Harrison played 28 out of a possible 57 snaps and had two sacks and four tackles on the day.
Harrison played just 40 snaps in 14 games with Pittsburgh this season before being released.
Next up
The Patriots will have a bye in next week's wild-card round of the playoffs.
James Harrison recorded more sacks in his first game with Patriots (2) than he had all season with Steelers (1)pic.twitter.com/4FjSz0Izww
— NFL Retweet (@NFLRT) December 31, 2017
Tom Brady’s 2017 regular season numbers: 4,577 yards, 32 TD, 8 INT.
— Adam Kaufman (@AdamMKaufman) December 31, 2017
He’s 40. #MVP #Patriots ��
In the coldest regular-season game at NE since 1977, wind chill below zero, Tom Brady still has the Patriots up 21-3 at half. MVP. MVP. MVP.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) December 31, 2017
The 17 Patriots Players Who Knelt During National Anthem
Name: Devin McCourty
Position: Safety
College: Rutgers
Hometown: Nanuet, N.Y.
Salary: $47,500,000 Over 5 Years
Name: Malcolm Butler
Position: Cornerback
College: West Alabama
Hometown: Vicksburg, Mississippi
Salary: $3.91 Million for 2017 Season
Name: Stephon Gilmore
Position: Cornerback
College: South Carolina
Hometown: Rock Hill, South Carolina
Salary: $65,000,000 Over 5 Years
Name: Brandin Cooks
Position: Wide Receiver
College: Oregon State
Hometown: Stockton, California
Salary: $8,383,452 Over 4 Years
Name: Dont'a Hightower
Position: Linebacker
College: Alabama
Hometown: Lewisburg, Tennessee
Salary: $35,500,000 Over 4 Years
Name: Lawrence Guy
Position: Defensive Line
College: Arizona State
Hometown: Las Vegas, Nevada
Salary: $13,400,000 Over 4 Years
Name: Johnson Bademosi
Position: Cornerback
College: Stanford
Hometown: Washington, D.C.
Salary: $4,500,000 Over 2 Years
Name: Alan Branch
Position: Defensive Line
College: Michigan
Hometown: Albuquerque, New Mexico
Salary: $8,450,000 Over 2 Years
Name: Brandon King
Position: Safety
College: Auburn
Hometown: Alabaster, Alabama
Salary: $615,000 for 2017 Season
Name: Malcom Brown
Position: Defensive Line
College: Texas
Hometown: Brenham, Texas
Salary: $7,613,229 Over 4 Years
Name: Deatrich Wise
Position: Defensive End
College: Arkansas
Hometown: Suffolk, VA
Salary: $2,975,883 Over 4 Years
Name: Adam Butler
Position: Defensive Line
College: Vanderbilt
Hometown: Duncanville, Texas
Salary: $1,665,000 Over 3 Years
Name: Trey Flowers
Position: Defensive Line
College: Arkansas
Hometown: Huntsville, Alabama
Salary: $2,838,932 Over 4 Years
Name: Elandon Roberts
Position: Linebacker
College: Houston
Hometown: Port Arthur, Texas
Salary: $2,440,356 Over 4 Years
Name: James White
Position: Running Back
College: Wisconsin
Hometown: Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Salary: $12,000,000 Over 3 Years
Name: Duran Harmon
Position: Safety
College: Rutgers
Hometown: Magnolia, Delaware
Salary: $17,000,000 Over 4 years
Name: Jordan Richards
Position: Safety
College: Stanford
Hometown: Sacramento, CA
Salary: $3,711,548 Over 4 Years
