Jets move into playoff position, 26-20 in OT over Patriots

The New England Patriots missed out on an opportunity to clinch home field advantage for the AFC playoffs when they lost to the New York Jets 26-20 in overtime Sunday at MetLife Stadium.

The Jets are in a win-and-in situation next weekend at Buffalo.

The New York Jets beat the New England Patriots in overtime and they now control their own playoff destiny. This time, he closed the deal with a 6-yard touchdown pass to on the first possession of overtime – two minutes, 37 seconds after to kick off after winning the coin toss.

“I thought that was the best thing to do”, Belichick said about kicking off. “We knew we has to win a ballgame, regardless of who we were playing or which over team we were playing, we just had to win a ballgame, it just happened to be the Patriots”.

Even if we are two days removed since Christmas, fans of the New York Jets and New England Patriots hate each other.

On the Jets’ sideline, Brandon Marshall’s first reaction when he heard the Patriots win the toss, was “stop ’em”.

In overtime, here’s the game-winning TD.

Ryan Fitzpatrick connected with Brandon Marshall for two touchdown receptions in the first half. Patriots’ captain Matthew Slater, who was at midfield for the coin toss, seemed confused, asking, “Hey, we won, don’t we get to choose?” Belichick’s thinking might be understandable in the abstract.

Even if they don’t reach the playoffs, the Jets might already have done enough in 2015 to render this season a success under their two new leaders, general manager Mike Maccagnan and head coach Todd Bowles.

Each team recorded one first down on its first possession of the game before punting.

The Jets got an inexplicable gift from their longtime tormentors, New England.

Not surprisingly, it was the very first question asked during the press conference following the game. Now, thanks to a new, no-nonsense coach, a journeyman quarterback, and an aging receiver once considered a locker-room thorn, the Jets are on the brink of ending their half-decade postseason absence. If the Patriots and Bengals each finish 13-3, the Patriots would be the No. 1 seed by virtue of their 4-1 record in common games (against the Broncos, Buffalo Bills, Pittsburgh Steelers and Houston Texans).

The man of the hour was Eric Decker, although he only posted three catches, he posted the biggest one, capping an overtime drive that went 80 yards over five plays.

Fitzpatrick quickly put the Patriots away, hitting all three of his passes in overtime for 74 yards, and the Jets, after blowing a 17-3 third quarter lead, beat the Patriots, 26-20, for their fifth straight victory to get to 10-5.

After holding NE to one-of-10 on third down, the Jets now rank second in the National Football League in that category, limiting opponents to a 32.1% conversion rate.

It was another week and another big injury for the Patriots.

No NFL coach has more strategic currency than Belichick, and no coach has done more to earn it. Waddle was in the game because starting OT Sebastian Vollmer suffered a leg injury in the first quarter.

Brady is the ultimate team guy and will never criticize Belichick. Brady is the only Patriots starter on offense who has played the same position in every game this season, and while that stat is slightly skewed by the fact that New England has mixed up their offensive line combinations throughout the season, it’s indicative of a stretch in which Belichick and Brady have had to make more out of less than they usually have to.