New York Jets vs New England Patriots Match Player Stats On Jan 16, 2011

The New York Jets backed up all their pregame talk on Sunday.

Mark Sanchez threw three touchdown passes and Shonn Greene added a late score to seal a 28-21 road victory over the top-seeded New England Patriots, sending the sixth-seeded Jets into next week's AFC Championship game at the Pittsburgh Steelers.

If Tom Brady played in the postseason the way he did to close the regular season, it seemed the Patriots would be nearly unbeatable.

But that didn't happen.

David Harris picked off Brady's fifth pass of the game to halt a promising drive on New England's first possession, and it served as a sign of things to come. The Patriots' offense managed only 21 points - seven of which came in the final minute - their lowest output since a 34-14 loss to the Cleveland Browns in Week 9.

It was Brady's first interception since Week 6 against Baltimore. He entered the game with 335 consecutive pass attempts without an interception, and NFL record.

Sanchez, meanwhile, was nearly flawless.

He connected on second-quarter touchdown passes to LaDainian Tomlinson and Braylon Edwards for a 14-3 halftime lead. After the Patriots pulled within 14-11 with 13 seconds left in the third quarter, Sanchez answered with a 7-yard touchdown toss to Santonio Holmes.

Sanchez finished 16 of 25 for 194 yards. Brady was 29 for 45 for 299 yards with two touchdowns and the interception.

The Patriots pulled within 21-14 on Shayne Graham's second field goal of the game with 1:57 left, and their ensuing onside kick squirted free. But Antonio Cromartie scooped up the loose ball for the Jets and returned it to the New England 20-yard line, setting up Greene's 16-yard touchdown run.

New England (14-3) again pulled within a touchdown on Brady's 13-yard touchdown pass to Deion Branch, but the Jets covered another onside kick to seal it.

The loss halted New England's eight-game winning streak, which included a 45-3 blowout of the Jets in Week 13. The Patriots also suffered their first home loss in nine games this season.

The Jets (13-5) improved to 8-2 on the road this season, a mark that includes consecutive playoff wins at Indianapolis and New England.

Now they're one more road win away from reaching the Super Bowl for the first time since 1969, when Joe Namath led the Jets a 16-7 victory against the Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III.