Patriots’ Tom Brady turns in vintage effort for 200th career win

They shouldn’t need him to beat the Ravens the following Monday. Not that anyone will soon forget, but New England does have at its disposal a now-slightly experienced backup in Jimmy Garoppolo. He missed two days of practice with a balky knee and it showed, especially early on. The Patriots (9-2) are favourites to represent the AFC in Super Bowl LI.

First, the Jets had the ball on the Patriots 33-yard line on 3rd and 8 and were called for offensive holding.

Eli Manning threw two touchdown passes to Odell Beckham Jr., Jason Pierre-Paul returned a fumble for a TD, and the New York Giants extended their winning streak to six, holding off Cleveland 27-13 on Sunday to keep the Browns winless.

After the game, Revis admitted that he and Brady have mutual respect, but didn’t expect his former teammate to go after him as much as he did. That moved him into a tie with none other than Peyton Manning, who won exactly 200 games during his 17 seasons as a starter in the National Football League (186 in the regular season, 14 in the playoffs).

“We got contributions from a lot of players”, Belichick said. It was Thanksgiving week, kind of a different week in itself.

NOTES: Patriots TE Rob Gronkowski left in the first quarter with a back injury. “I’m really a fish out of water when I’m out there”. “It never gets old”. It is noteworthy that on the play he was injured, Gronkowski had gotten behind two Jets defensive backs, a testament to what an extraordinary weapon he is for Brady and a reminder of what the Patriots would lose if he is hobbled.

The Jets will have plenty of work to do this offseason with or without Revis in the fold and his play has made it increasingly hard to see him remaining on the team under his current deal. Their modesty, their focus lifts them all.

“That was what we needed to do”, Patriots’ coach Bill Belichick said, lauding a defense that reversed a troubling trend of recent weeks by forcing two turnovers from the Jets. On the second play of what would be the game-winning drive, Brady found Edelman on a slant route for 24 yards, beating Revis cleanly on a good release. Or total yards. Or catches of more than 25 yards.

Tyrod Taylor’s 16-yard touchdown pass to Justin Hunter with 10:46 remaining put the Bills ahead for good during a second half in which the teams traded the lead five times.

Tom Brady said he is on the mend.

The source said the initial indications were that the injury was not serious, and based on the current situation it appears that the tight end could play this Sunday against the Rams. “We’ve got to clean those things up and hope the game doesn’t come down to those close situational plays (when or if they can’t)”.

“I didn’t see them have success going after him at all”, Bowles said. This year we just can’t seem to put a complete game together on both sides of the ball and sometimes on special teams. “We all get hit and we all fall down and it hurts”. We ran it. We threw it. “I mean, you guys saw what happened when I get out in front of a running back”.

“What makes Tom Brady so great?” “The coaching staff did a good job”.

This message from Patriots cornerback Malcolm Butler when asked about Brady’s toughness was a gem: “It’s the NFL”. He was already questionable to play after sustaining a lung/chest injury (depending on who you believe) against Seattle. It is the type of modesty and focus the Jets need. The pass defense needs to improve and they need more pressure, but besides that the defense played well throughout the game.

“We knew we had to make plays”. Four plays later, kicker Stephen Gostkowski hit one from 28 yards out to make the score 10-3. The Jets get Miami and Buffalo at home in this final stretch. It finishes the regular season at Miami. “When you’re not doing your job, you’re not winning games, it’s going to be a rough year”. Yet they lost again. “It’s about our team trying to win ballgames”. If you don’t win any games, what are you saving it for? He gladly, fittingly answered. “He has won a lot”. “It’s discipline. It’s dependability”. “At the end, you expect to win these games”. And since it’s Brady we’re talking about, it’s entirely possible.

“It’s tough, man. We know each other”. You can sense the Patriots’ belief that this team has enough modesty and focus to do it.

It’s how championships are won.