For many years, the New York Jets were the little brother in their rivalry with the dynastic New England Patriots. Between 2016 and 2023, New York lost 15 straight games against New England.
Now, Tom Brady and Bill Belichick are gone, and Jets fans got to rejoice on Thursday night with their first home win over the Patriots in 3,190 days.
It’s been a while since the Jets have enjoyed this type of start on multiple levels, but you might be surprised at how long it’s been since Gang Green hit several statistical thresholds.
Last Time Beating Patriots by 21+ Points
The Jets’ 24-3 win on Thursday was their largest over the Patriots since the 1998 regular-season finale. In that game, Vinny Testaverde threw four TDs, leading the Jets to a 31-10 win over a Patriots team missing Drew Bledsoe.
G5 G5 G5 G5 G5 G5 G5 G5 G5 G5 G5 G5#NEvsNYJ on @NFLonPrime pic.twitter.com/yDB13TZbBQ
— New York Jets (@nyjets) September 20, 2024
The Jets would go on to make the AFC Championship Game that season before losing to the Broncos, the eventual Super Bowl champions.
Last Time Beating Patriots in Back-to-Back Games
The Jets also sent Belichick out the door with a win over the Patriots in his final game as New England head coach, winning 17-3 at Gillette Stadium in last year’s regular-season finale.
It’s the first time the Jets have won back-to-back games vs. the Patriots since the 2008 and 20009 seasons, the peak of the Rex Ryan-Mark Sanchez era.
New York will go for three in a row when it visits Foxboro in Week 8, which would be its longest win streak over New England since 1999-2001.
The final game in that win streak featured the infamous Mo Lewis hit on Drew Bledsoe, ushering in the Brady-led dynasty.
Last Time Out-Gaining Opponent By 261+ Yards
The Jets had 400 yards while allowing just 139, a difference of 261 yards. It was their largest yardage differential in a game since November 2009, when they out-gained the Dolphins by 274 yards, but actually lost thanks to special teams and defensive TDs from Miami.
Chuck Clark is the man.#NEvsNYJ on @NFLonPrime pic.twitter.com/fZgd41AVd5
— New York Jets (@nyjets) September 20, 2024
Overall, the Jets nearly doubled the Patriots up in yards per play, averaging 5.7 compared to 2.9 for New England.
Last Time With 3+ Sacks in First 3 Games
The Jets have had at least three sacks in every game this season. It’s the first time New York has recorded at least three sacks in each of the first three games since 1985, during the Mark Gastineau-led “New York Sack Exchange” era.
there goes that man @WILL_JUN1OR❕#NEvsNYJ on @NFLonPrime pic.twitter.com/i3chPhEM3E
— New York Jets (@nyjets) September 20, 2024
The Jets are up to 14 sacks this season after seven on Thursday. That’s even more impressive when considering that both projected starting edge rushers are out, with Haason Reddick continuing his holdout and Jermaine Johnson lost for the season with a torn Achilles.
Second-year pro Will McDonald IV had two sacks vs. the Patriots, giving him five over his last two games. The 2023 first-rounder had just three sacks over his first 16 career games combined.
Last Time With 3+ Offensive TD in First 3 Games
Three touchdowns from the offense may not seem like a high threshold to clear, but the Jets have not traditionally fielded the most high-powered units.
But the Aaron Rodgers-led offense has reached the end zone exactly three times in every game this season. It’s the first time the Jets’ offense has scored three TD in each of their first three games since 1989.
Inept offense has been the primary culprit for the Jets’ 13-season playoff drought. New York has not finished as a top-10 scoring offense since 2009, and it has been bottom-five in five consecutive seasons. That streak looks primed to end this season, and the playoff drought could follow.