Darrelle Revis struggles again in Jets loss

New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) reacts against the New York Jets during the fourth quarter at MetLife Stadium. Now, at 39, he seems to be playing some of his best football. He missed some throws on third down and the Jets receivers dropped some passes, but he had time to make the throws and they had space to catch them. That moved him into a tie with none other than Peyton Manning, who won exactly 200 games during his 17 seasons as a starter in the National Football League (186 in the regular season, 14 in the playoffs). Brett Favre is the closest, and he retired with 199 total victories (186 in the regular season, 13 in the playoffs). That’s what a quarterback’s job is, to win. A quarterback’s job is to win, he’s won a lot.

It drew a few chuckles – one from me – before mentioning there are other good players, who all work hard, yadda, yadda, yadda. The former Georgia receiver thought he blew his chance in the fourth quarter, when he got two hands on a deep ball in the end zone down the right sideline, but let it fall to the ground. He was hardly spectacular, going 30 of 50 for 286 yards and two TDs, but he was good as ever in the end.

The Jets jumped out to a 10-0 lead via a 51-yard field goal by Nick Folk and Ryan Fitzpatrick’s 1-yard touchdown pass to Brandon Marshall. Keeping Gronkowski available for the playoffs has become something of an annual tradition for the Patriots, and while the back injury that forced him from this game after he landed with a thud while reaching for an overthrown pass might not be serious, it might be painful enough to give the Patriots pause about running him out for every December game.

After a miracle catch by Quincy Enunwa for a 22-yard touchdown with Malcolm Butler in good coverage made it 17-13 Jets in the fourth quarter, Brady marched the Patriots from the 25 to the Jet 23 on four pass completions and a run.

One good half for the Jets defense and another that can be considered the difference in what would have been their highlight win of the season. Mitchell’s second touchdown of the game with 1:56 left, the second time he beat Revis, would be the difference.

Stephen Gostkowski’s 41-yard field goal with 7:02 left cut the Patriots’ deficit to 17-16.

“I know he’s not feeling great”, Brady said on WEEI’s Kirk & Callahan Show.

Trailing 17-16 with 5:04 left and the ball on the Patriots 17, Brady led an efficient drive by completing six passes to move New England down the field.

Especially against the Jets. (The outcome also helped illustrate why the Jets have been gasping for air for some time now.) With Gronkowski absent, Martellus Bennett also banged up and Jets lineman Leonard Williams disrupting most plays in his path late in the game, Brady turned to Malcolm Mitchell. And 10 of the victories were of the comeback variety, including five since 2012. You can see the play in full starting at the:24 second mark here.

Brandon Marshall’s first touchdown catch since October 9 against Pittsburgh gave NY a 10-0 lead 4 seconds into the second quarter. It’s a long season.

The victor followed a risky move by Broncos coach Gary Kubiak, who sent his kicker out for a 62-yard try with 1:01 left only to see Brandon McManus – who has hit from 70 yards in training camp – come up short.

“They made one more play than we did”, Jets coach Todd Bowles said. I’m happy we found a way to pull it out at the end. He had no catches on two targets. He received medical clearance to return to play two weeks later for the New York Jets game on November 27.

“That says a lot about him and what he’s been able to do for this franchise”, Patriots coach Bill Belichick said in his postgame news conference.

And no one is saying there aren’t pressing issues facing the Patriots – Gronkowski, Gostkowski, the defense, defensive lineman Alan Branch’s potential four-game suspension and more all warrant further discussion in due time.