Belichick passes Halas, Patriots beat Jets 22-17 | WGN 720 Radio

Bill Belichick passed George Halas for second on the NFL’s career wins list as the New England Patriots continued their streak over the New York Jets with a 13th straight victory, 22-17 on Sunday.

Devin McCourty had two of Zach Wilson’s three interceptions for the Patriots, Nick Faulk made five field goals against his former team and Belichick’s group slowed the surprising Jets, who had won four straight.

Belichick missed a chance to break a tie with Halas on Monday night as New England (4-4) lost 33-14 to Chicago. But he hit No. 325, including the playoffs, against the Jets and now trails only Don Shula (347). The win also marked Belichick’s 100th regular season win against an AFC East opponent as the Patriots’ coach.

Mack Jones, benched against the Bears for rookie Bailey Zappé, went 24 of 35 for 194 yards with a touchdown to Jacoby Myers and an interception.

The Jets (5-3), who three weeks ago swept Miami on a 12-game winning streak against AFC East opponents, couldn’t change their fortunes against the Patriots — even as they debuted their alternate stealth black helmets.

After a promising start, Wilson made too many mistakes in the first 300-yard game of his career — he was 20 of 41 for 355 yards and two TDs to Tyler Conklin — and New England took advantage.

Many in the MetLife Stadium crowd, which was raucous early in the Jets’ best start since 2010, booed by the third quarter — and headed for the exits long before the game was over.

New York got closer on Wilson’s 9-yard touchdown pass to Conklin with 1:51 left, but New England recovered the onside kick and Jones needed three kneels to run out the clock.

Trailing 10-6 at halftime, the Patriots went down the field with an efficient drive, headlined by a 35-yard run by Ramondro Stevenson. On fourth-and-1 from the 5, Belichick went for it — and Jones found Myers in the end zone for the touchdown.

After Greg Zuerlein was wide left on a potential tying 45-yard field goal early in the third, Faulk, who spent seven seasons with the Jets, kicked field goals of 49, 45 and 52 yards to make it 22-10 early the fourth.

Thanks to an unnecessary roughness by Jabrill Peppers, the Jets quickly got into Patriots territory on their first possession of the second quarter. Wilson capped the drive with an 8-yard strike to Conklin for a 10-3 lead.

It was Wilson’s first TD pass in four games.

With the Patriots down seven times and facing a fourth-and-1 from the Jets 21 coming out of the 2-minute warning, Belichick decided to go for it. Jones’ throw to Myers was incomplete, and New York took possession.

But Wilson was intercepted for the first time in four games when his pass landed in Ja’Wuan Bentley’s hands, giving the Patriots the ball at the Jets 40.

Jones turned it right back to the Jets when Michael Carter II intercepted and returned the ball 84 yards for a touchdown, but it was wiped out by a roughing call on John Franklin-Myers’ sharp pass rush. The Patriots ended up scoring on the drive and cut the deficit to 10-6 on a 42-yard run by Faulk as time expired in the half.

J-ROB’S DEBUT

Running back James Robinson, acquired from Jacksonville this week, made his Jets debut. He finished with 17 yards on five carries.

THE BRICK IS HONORED

During the halftime ceremony, the Jets inducted former left tackle D’Brickshaw Ferguson into their Ring of Honor.

Ferguson was a first-round pick in 2006, made three Pro Bowls and never missed a practice or game in his 10-year NFL career.

INJURIES

Patriots WR DeVante Parker left in the first quarter with a knee injury.

FURTHER

Patriots: Return home next Sunday to face the Indianapolis Colts.

Jets: Back at home to face another AFC East opponent in the top-seeded Buffalo Bills next Sunday.

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