SportsDirect Inc. staff
Dec 6, 2010
Tom Brady and the New England Patriots turned a division showdown into a humbling beat-down for the New York Jets.
Brady carved up the vaunted Jets' defense, throwing for 326 yards and four touchdowns as the host Patriots took sole possession of first place in the AFC East by demolishing New York 45-3 on Monday night.
Brady completed scoring passes to four different receivers and BenJarvus Green-Ellis rushed for a pair of touchdowns as New England (10-2) won its fourth straight game and avenged a 28-14 loss to the Jets (9-3) in Week 2.
It was the second consecutive four-touchdown performance for Brady, who has not been picked off in seven games and has thrown 13 scoring passes during the Patriots' winning streak.
New England, which scored 45 points for the second straight game, intercepted Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez three times in snapping New York's four-game winning streak and putting a halt to its franchise-record eight-game unbeaten streak on the road.
Sanchez, who had thrown a career-high three touchdown passes in the Week 2 victory, finished 17 of 33 for 164 yards and the three picks.
Brady, who has a league-high 27 scoring passes against just four interceptions, registered his 26th consecutive regular-season home win, surpassing Brett Favre for the NFL record.
Already leading 24-3 at the half, New England delivered a 1-2 punch on the two opening possessions of the third quarter that KO'd the Jets.
New York had its best sustained march of the game, driving inside the Patriots' 10-yard line before linebacker Brandon Spikes picked off Sanchez just in front of the goal line.
New England then went 93 yards on eight plays with Wes Welker taking a pass the final 18 yards for a 31-3 lead with 4:40 left in the quarter.
The Patriots scored on their first four possessions of the game. After a pass-interference call set up Green-Ellis' 1-yard plunge, Brady found Deion Branch on a 25-yard scoring pass on fourth-and-2 to make it 17-0 with 1:01 left in the opening quarter.
New York finally got on the board on Nick Folk's 39-yard field goal, but Brady responded by leading a 67-yard, seven-play driving, capping it with a 4-yard scoring pass to Brandon Tate with 8:15 left in the half.