Pats v. Jets Live Blogging - SECOND QUARTER

All of a sudden, Jerricho Cotchery catches a slant over the middle of the seam and is gone. Seventy-seven yards later the Jets are up 10-7. Artrell Hawkins misses a tackle and poor Mike Vrabel is left to huff and puff after him while Sanders gets over too late inside the five yard line tackling Cotchery into the end zone. Somewhere there was a breakdown on defense, as Hawkins just did not keep him in front of him. It was just a bad defensive play. There was hope, as a flag was down, but it was off-sides on the defense so the touchdown counted.

A nice return by Maroney brought the Pats up to the forty and in a short third and one Corey Dillon made a nice eight yard run bouncing it outside. Brady went long to Gaffney, who despite being shoved in the back, could not hold onto it. A quick pass to Ben Watson covered by Matt Chatham led to third and six. In the shotgun, Brady somehow got away from a blitzing Vilma who went for the ball instead of trying to sack him, and Brady was able to get out with a blocker in front of him and get 12 yards.

The Jets are moving a lot before the snap, sort of like playing offense against Peyton Manning. Pump-faking and going long yet again, the Pats get a pass interference call and a first and goal at the three when Hank Poteat just manhandled Benjamin Watson. On first, a short swing pass to Dillon missed as he stepped out of bounds after breaking a tackle. On a second and goal, a rush left goes nowhere. I expected a play-action fake and pass here on third down and goal. Exactly the call, as Ben Watson was open over the middle but the low throw was dropped and Gostkowski had to come in to crank it through for the tie at 10-10.

After the kickoff into the end-zone was retuned by Justin Miller out to the 27, after a seven yard completion to Coles, Tully Banta-Cain, who had sacked Pennington on the first Jets offensive play of the game, did a nice job of knocking the pass down at the line. Nice to see Banta-Cain having a good game as he has been a valuable role player this season. After a time-out as the Pats got caught with too many on the field, it is yet another third and short, where the Jets killed the Pats in November, Cotchery makes the catch in front of Ray Mickens at the marker yet again, gaining six yards on third and four.

The Pats could really use a turnover here or at least a quick stop and punt and stop some momentum. Another draw only nets two, and in trying to get it to Coles, the pass pulls him out of bounds. Another third down conversion by Coles as the rush does not get to Pennington and Coles comes down with the throw. The defense is getting desperate here as the Jets are running the hurry-up and the defense looks slow and tired. Pennington overthrows Coles yet again, and then the defenseive line blows up a screen for minus five. Third and fifteen now, a third and long is what was needed: The Pats need to get off the field. Good pass coverage and a bit of a rush gets a short throw underneath for six. Seven minutes plus left as the Jets punt again and it bounces into the end-zone.

Maroney up the middle for six followed by Graham giving five of it back with a false start. Stupid penalties still!!! Brady goes shotgun and five wide and gets it to Watson for ten yards and a first down. For some reason, the Pats again hand it to Faulk who has been totally ineffective running the ball so far. He is at two rushes for minus two yards. A nice slant to Reche Caldwell gives the Pats the ball at mid-field. Going back to Caldwell on the sideline wide open this time, the pass leads him too far outside to fall incomplete. Faulk busts up the gut for seven this time, finally showing some hops. Third and three and the Pats go back to the well again, running the same play as Faulk burst up the middle again and again: seven, seven and then eight. Second and short and Maroney leans forward for the first down. Pats at the 25 yard line now and closing in on another score. Brady in the gun, a blitz by the Jets, and he throws a short-out to Gaffney. Erik Coleman misses the tackle for the Jets, and a four yard pass turns into a 13 yard game. Now onto the two-minute warning still tied at ten.

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