A little rain wouldn’t keep Patriots head coach Bill Belichick from voicing his opinion in Thursday night’s yuck-fest in Foxboro. Credit: Getty Images
How the Patriots and Jets went down in real time Thursday night.
8:35-Not bad, 1st NFL catch for Aaron Dobson is an easy 39-yard TD. The Jets went on an all-out blitz, leaving him wide open. Nice first drive for the Pats, 7-0.
8:40-Jets 1st possession is a 3-and-out including two bad incompletions by Geno Smith to open teammates.He should fit in well with the Jets, that’s the type of awful quarterback play they’ve been used to.
8:45-Predictably, the Pats go three-and-out on their second possession. That’s what happens when Julian Edelman is your main target in the passing game.
8:47-Jets football! 33-yard catch by Stephen Hill but Aqib Talib kicks the ball out of his hands while they fell over. Devin McCourty scooped it up and returned it 44 yards to the Jets’ 8.
8:51-Pats settle for a 21-yard field goal after two incompletions, Brady was locked in on Edelman each time. Who else can he throw it to in the red zone with this preseason lineup? 10-0, New England.
8:56-Nice job by Smith to hang in there, gets crushed by Chandler Jones but still completes a 27-yard pass to Santonio Holmes. Jones was called for a 15-yard penalty after he led with his helmet.
9:06-The immortal Clyde Gates had a chance at a TD catch in the end zone but Jerod Mayo knocked it away. It was overturned on replay, New York settled for a 37-yard field goal after a false start by them. 10-3 Patriots.
9:15-Kyle Arrington tackles Hill for no gain, it looked like Hill might have stretched for the first down but I guess not. Big stop by Arrington on 3rd and 1. 10-3 Patriots after 1 quarter.
9:25-I know that they look similar, but Brad Nessler combined Danny Amendola and Julian Edelman into “Danny Edelman.” I wouldn’t put it past the Patriots to sign some jabroni with that name -just because.
9:29-As expected, without most of their weapons the Patriots’ offense is struggling.
9:43-Two drops in a row by Dobson, he’s gotta make at least one of those catches. Credit to Brady for going back to him but what should he do with this sorry group?
9:48-Three pressures in a row by the Pats D culminating in a sack by Michael Buchanan …wait are they allowed to do that? Can’t remember the last time they had a series like that in the last few years.
9:52-Pats sputter again in the red zone, ending with a pass at Dobson’s feet. Brady is fired up on the sideline. Good thing they didn’t re-sign Welker, he wouldn’t have helped this at all. 30-yard field goal by Gostkowski, 13-3 Patriots.
9:56-Speaking of not having a chance: Smith might get killed behind this awful offensive line. Another three-and-out for the Jets after a sack by Jones.
10:03-Second sack of the game for Jones, can’t overstate his value if he stays healthy.
10:13-For no apparent reason, Gostkowski completely shanks a 43-yard field goal attempt to end the half. That about sums up that first 30 minutes of football. Pats up 13-3.
10:35-Rob Ninkovich has to be one of the more underrated players in the NFL. All he does is make winning plays.
10:39-Dobson has dropped so many passes tonight, I’m going to guess that was an issue in college for him.
10:40-Four sacks for the Patriots, what happens when the Jets play a team with a great pass rush?
10:46-Best drive of the game for the Jets ends in a 3-yard TD run by Bilal Powell. Game on, Jets cut it to 13-10.
11:01-The Patriots did absolutely nothing in the third quarter (22 total yards), that’s why this is so close. 13-10 heading into the fourth quarter.
11:12-Dumb decision by Smith to throw a lob behind Holmes, Arrington tipped it up and Talib picked it off at New England’s own 11. That could be the play of the game if the Pats hang on.
11:18-Edelman has 10 catches but on third down, nobody can get open for the Patriots.
11:23-I’m not convinced either team wants to win this, calling it ugly doesn’t even do it justice.
11:27-Third-and-5, Josh McDaniels calls for a low-percentage deep ball to Dobson. What do you know? It didn’t work.
11:32-Another gift interception from Gino Claus, Alfonzo Dennard steps in front of Gates. Let’s see if the Pats can work the clock and get some first downs.
11:37-Clutch nine-yard catch by Edelman on third-and-5. He has a career-high 13 catches.
11:44-Patriots fans booing Jets defensive tackle Muhammed Wilkerson as he gets helped off the field. They thought he was faking an injury to stop the clock but it doesn’t seem like it.
11:47: That’ll do Geno, that’ll do. Another awful interception to Talib will clinch it. Nick Mangold went low for a cheap shot on Talib out of bounds which set off a huge scrum by football standards …Just end this mess.
Final: Patriots 13, Jets 10. New England has to be the worst 2-0 team in NFL history. Yeesh. Excuse me while I go chug a keg of bleach to forget about what I just watched.
Follow Metro Boston sports writer Rich Slate on Twitter: @RichSlate
