Instant analysis from Patriots’ 42-10 win over Jets

One trip remained on the schedule for the NFL’s last unbeaten road team. It wouldn’t take long.

The New England Patriots throttled past the New York Jets for a 42-10 win at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, moving to a 13-3 record and within earshot of the AFC East title.

Here’s a glance back on the 1 p.m. ET kickoff before the calendar turns to January.

In six drives, Maye throws career-high five touchdowns

A week removed from throwing for a career-high 380 yards on the way to clinching a playoff berth, Drake Maye kept the pedal to the floor.

The Patriots quarterback completed 19-of-21 passes for 256 yards on Sunday afternoon. He did so while delivering a career-high five touchdowns against a Jets defense that will finish 2025 without an interception.

Taking the field in “22” personnel, the jumbo opening drive spanned seven snaps, 61 yards and play action on the way to finding Austin Hooper in the back of the end zone for the veteran tight end’s second touchdown of the year. With off-platform precision, a 21-0 New England lead it quickly became after another a seven-play, 67-yard drive was followed by a seven-play, 71-yard drive. And then? A fourth-and-goal quick screen was dialed up by offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels to make it 28-3.

No pass officially hit the turf until the 1:39 mark in the second quarter on a drop by rookie wide receiver Kyle Williams. A shallow cross to captain Hunter Henry arrived soon after to give the Patriots five touchdowns in five possessions. A 35-3 lead by halftime in East Rutherford, the surgical attack from Foxborough stood with 23 first downs and an NFL-high 334 yards. All the while, Maye stood 17-of-19 with a 156.5 passer rating and a fourth-and-3 rushing conversion.

There was more ahead. A fifth different target got in the end zone coming out of the break before the 23-year-old Pro Bowler’s day was done.

Maye now finds himself north of 4,000 yards through the air on the campaign. Backup quarterback Joshua Dobbs entered midway through the third quarter of a 42-3 game. A missed 41-yard field goal by rookie kicker Andy Borregales went in the books as New England’s first series not to end in six.

Stevenson scores by ground and air as backfield returns to full strength

New England’s running back depth chart was back at capacity. After spending the week in concussion protocol, TreVeyon Henderson shed the red non-contact jersey, practiced in full and carried a questionable game status. The reigning NFL Offensive Rookie of the Month would be cleared on the eve of the December matinee.

He turned in 82 rushing yards across 19 attempts from there. Punishing longs of 16 and 17 yards were among them.

Starter Rhamondre Stevenson amassed 102 scrimmage yards through 13 chances. His outing included a season-long ground pickup of 24 yards on the first drive, a goal-line touchdown plunge behind fullback Jack Westover on the second drive, as well as a 22-yard touchdown catch over the shoulder from shotgun on the third drive.

Providing insurance on the ground late, D’Ernest Johnson began Sunday with a 32-yard kickoff return.

Diggs hits the century mark for lean receiver room

No Patriots wide receiver stood with more offensive snaps this season than Mack Hollins. The veteran starter was sent to injured reserve due to an abdomen injury on Saturday, however, leaving behind a 67.8 percent share of the workload as well as 46 catches, 550 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

The lean wideout room that faced the Jets also did not include Kayshon Boutte due to a concussion. But it did include Stefon Diggs.

The elder statesman picked up six catches for 101 yards and a screening fourth-and-goal touchdown. That $500,000 moment was preceded by an out-and-up, toe-tapping pickup of 31 yards on a scramble drill. He was an explosive play after an explosive play en route to hitting the century mark by intermission.

Undrafted rookie Efton Chism III was among New England’s four active receivers. The Eastern Washington product stayed on his feet to turn his first NFL catch into a gain of 30 yards. Another first followed on a sliding grab for a touchdown from 10 yards out after halftime.

A starting six reports for duty

New England’s blindside would be without its rookies. Yet with No. 4 overall pick Will Campbell still on injured reserve and No. 95 overall pick Jared Wilson still in concussion protocol, the offensive line would be in good hands.

Vederian Lowe made his fourth consecutive start at left tackle for the Patriots. And fresh off signing a contract extension through 2027, Ben Brown got the call at left guard. The seasoned backups were joined by former ironman Garrett Bradbury at center, Mike Onwenu at right guard, Morgan Moses at right tackle and Thayer Munford Jr. reporting as eligible.

The sixth man, brought back off the practice squad of the Cleveland Browns in November, was a constant.

“You saw a different Thayer, I think, than the one that left here,” head coach Mike Vrabel said earlier in the week. “And again, having spent time with another team, came here, and I think it was okay. And then getting claimed by Cleveland, coming back, I think we all, including Thayer, saw a different version of him. One that was much more prepared, ready to go physically and has done that role before. He’s helped us, hopefully, and whether he plays tackle or both spots on the offensive line.”

The Jets managed one sack for a loss of one yard before the quarterback change was made. A new combination was unlocked in the fourth quarter as Caedan Wallace and Brenden Jaimes checked in along the interior line.

Cook picked by Hawkins in first meeting with Patriots

Jets quarterback Brady Cook completed 19-of-33 passes for 152 yards on Sunday. His third career start brought no touchdowns and one interception.

The afternoon got underway with a three-and-out. It continued with a pick by instinctive Patriots centerfielder Jaylinn Hawkins on a go route down the left sideline.

A week removed from being sacked eight times, the undrafted rookie under center for New York endured one via safety Dell Pettus. That was the case against a defense missing sack leader Harold Landry III and tackle leader Robert Spillane. In the absence of the injured captains, the starting front featured Christian Barmore and Cory Durden on the defensive line, K’Lavon Chaisson and Anfernee Jennings off the edges, as well as Jack Gibbens and Christian Elliss off the ball.

Star defensive tackle Milton Williams was not activated from injured reserve for the final game of December. New England’s defensive line also went without the all-purpose Khyiris Tonga. That gave way to Jeremiah Pharms taking a spot on the 53-man roster after twice serving as a standard elevation from the practice squad.

Hall the lone answer for Jets

Before the fourth quarter kicked off, Breece Hall broke off a 59-yard touchdown run to cut the deficit back to 32 points. New York’s running back accounted for 111 rushing yards over the course of 14 carries on Sunday.

But that would be the lone bright spot for the home offense. A dozen different Jets drew targets in the passing game, led by wideout John Metchie III’s 41 receiving yards.

Pro Bowler Christian Gonzalez, captain Marcus Jones and veteran Carlton Davis started at cornerback for the Patriots in the nickel secondary. Defensive snap leader Craig Woodson as well as Hawkins, who now stands with a career-high three interceptions, joined them at safety before mass substitutions were made.

The Jets went 0-2 in the red zone, 5-16 on third down and 2-6 on fourth down with the help of a successful fake punt from Austin McNamara.