Jets snap 15-game losing streak against Patriots in what might be Bill Belichick's final game in New England
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — On a day when Bill Belichick’s future was seemingly hanging in balance, another recent New England Patriots trend reversed.
For the first time in their last 16 meetings, the New York Jets beat the Patriots.
The Jets outlasted New England, 17-3, as the league’s lowest-scoring team hosted the fourth-lowest scoring team in a game even further hampered by a steady sheet of snow.
The last time the Jets beat the Patriots was Dec. 27, 2015.
"It feels good," Jets head coach Robert Saleh said. "He’s been around for a very long time, quality control, linebackers coach and a D-coordinator, so I’ll give him credit. If you ain’t got no haters you ain’t popping. And he’s been popping for a very, very long time.
"So whenever you can get a win on him, it’s always special."
An optimist might attribute Sunday's Jets-Patriots punt fest to defenses who have limited teams to the fifth- and sixth-fewest yards this season, respectively.
For more than 58 minutes neither team reached the end zone. But ultimately, Jets running back Breece Hall iced the streak-breaker with a 50-yard touchdown and 2-point conversion.
The Patriots fell to 4-13 while the Jets improved to 7-10.
New England’s 15-game winning streak in the series had tied a franchise record for most consecutive wins over an opponent in team history.
The Jets also beat the Buffalo Bills 15 straight times in a streak from Dec. 27, 2003 to Dec. 26, 2010. Eleven straight against the Bills in the 1980s, and 10 against the San Diego Chargers from 1973 to 2001, round out the Patriots’ most dominant stretches against a single team.
The game’s activity paled in comparison to the historic nature of the victory.
As snow blanketed the Gillette Stadium field, the Patriots punted on each of their first four possessions. The Jets struck first via a field goal with 2:04 to play in the first quarter.
The teams traded field goals in the second quarter, with Jets kicker Greg Zuerlein also missing a 49-yard attempt on a day when he connected from 21, 40 and 32 yards.
The Jets’ Trevor Siemian and the Patriots’ Bailey Zappe each completed fewer than 50% of pass attempts and threw for under 100 yards. Hall finished with 178 rushing yards, while Ezekiel Elliott pitched in 55 rushing yards for New England.
