Turning The Tables: Patriots Defense Stifles Mark Sanchez

The once loud-mouthed Rex Ryan has found himself in quite the quandary over the past few weeks. A week after losing a 24-22 heartbreaker (literally?) to the Jaguars in the final seconds, the New York Jets were pounded by the Patriots in a 31-14 shellacking last night at Gillette Stadium.

The game was reminiscent of the last contest between these two teams, in that one team’s defense dominated the stat lines. This time, the game belonged to New England’s defense.

Unlike last week, where defensive lapses galore left the Patriots perplexed as Peyton Manning and the Colts repeatedly marched up the field in the fourth quarter of their 35-34 head-scratcher of a heartbreaker, the Patriots’ defense generated three of its five turnovers in the final quarter of Sunday’s match-up.

The tone was set much earlier on, though, when Leigh Bodden intercepted a first-quarter pass from Mark Sanchez and took it all the way back for a touchdown. That was just the first of three Bodden picks, and four thrown by Sanchez.

Sanchez summed up not only his day, but much of his season, when he said after the game, “I have to play smart. I tried to do a little much against a great defense.”

Although the Patriots generated only two sacks, it seemed that pressure was a problem for Sanchez all night. He didn’t have nearly the time he wanted to have in the pocket. He repeatedly hung onto the ball for far too long, stared down receivers, and made too many rookie mistakes to count.

The New York Jets, with a defense once lauded for their physical play, have given up just over 28 points per game in their past three contests (Miami, Jacksonville, and @ New England). Once a team heralded for their youth and swagger, the Jets are now a team that is “desperate” according to middle linebacker Bart Scott.

The Patriots, however, have revealed their true identity more and more over these past few weeks. They are a team that can win the games they should win, and in convincing fashion. The competitive games against tough teams still seem to be an issue for them, though.

They’ll get another chance to prove their mettle against the New Orleans Saints at the Superdome, in what should be one of the most entertaining games of the regular season.