FOXBOROUGH, Massachusetts — Bill Belichick has experienced professional times in which he refused to even mention the Jets’ name. He has a long history with his old company, and he has taken everything personally while defeating every head coach the organization has dared to field.
Belichick appeared to be punishing Robert Saleh, a bad rookie, for Eric Mangini’s sin of revealing New England’s Spygate maneuvers in a previous life, as the Patriots crushed the Jets by 41 points last season. Belichick came to his special teams coach late in the game and asked, “We only punted once, right?”
But on Sunday, after Saleh’s club was subjected to a completely different type of anguish, Belichick began his postgame comments with a charm offensive.
He stated, “The Jets are difficult, as they always have been.” “We anticipated a game of this nature. They are the finest fourth-quarter team in football, so we knew it would be a fight to the very end.”
Belichick has defeated the Jets in 14 straight games. Is it conceivable that he felt a little sorry for them after a rookie, Marcus Jones, shattered their hearts in the dying seconds of their 10-3 triumph with an 84-yard punt return that will forever be a part of this rivalry, if the Patriots and Jets can be considered rivals?
Most likely not. In fact, before to last month’s home loss, the Jets publicly threatened to repay the Patriots for running up the score in their 54-13 disaster at Gillette Stadium. Saleh was angrier than he let on about the blowout and Belichick’s involvement in it, but it didn’t matter in the end. Zach Wilson threw the game away and, after a promising comeback against the Bills, was eager to redeem himself against the Patriots.
After the game, Bill Belichick, on the right, and Robert Saleh embrace.
Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
The youngster was so enthusiastic about it at the team’s facilities that he told reporters, “Nobody outside this building understands what they’re talking about.” Then, Wilson stepped outside and demonstrated that other individuals within his building are also ignorant. He completed 22 throws for a total of 77 yards, providing more proof that Belichick selected a superior quarterback with the 15th overall choice in 2021 than the Jets did with the second overall selection.
Mac Jones may have regressed from his rookie season, but he’s Tom Brady compared to Wilson, who said “No” when asked whether he’d let the defense down. Planet to Zach: When your offense gains two yards in the second half and your coach describes your performance as “dog s–t,” the answer to your inquiry is an emphatic “Yes.”
Belichick just found a different approach to finish Sunday’s game with more points than the Jets did. This game was an assault on the senses, prompting Patriots supporters to boo the home team repeatedly. The Jets sacked Jones six times and kept the Patriots out of the goal zone until punter Braden Mann blasted a 3-iron in the center of the fairway at the worst possible time.
Belichick explained that he picked Marcus Jones in the third round due to his explosiveness at Houston, where he once returned a kickoff 100 yards to defeat SMU. Donny Osmond, of all people, announced New England’s selection of Jones with the 85th overall choice. Robert Kraft called Jones and said, “I’ve heard you’re a tremendous punt returner in addition to being a solid inside cornerback.”
Kraft had no idea. Despite the chilly and windy weather, Jones caught the fly ball with ease, headed towards the right sideline, and then turned toward the sun. Special teams scored the first punt return touchdown in the NFL this season for the head coach who has traditionally placed the most emphasis on special teams.
Jones accomplished it with his parents in the grandstand for the first time, despite having hurt his ankle earlier in the game.
Bill Belichick reacts to the Patriots’ victory against the Jets.
Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post
Devin McCourty, a 13-year veteran, stated, “I’ve never been a part of something comparable.” Matthew Slater, a 15-year veteran, said, “I’ve never won a football game on that level.”
Belichick has spent nearly half a century in the NFL, and he stated that he could not recall a victory comparable to it “off the top of my head.” He gave credit to his current assistant and former player, Troy Brown, for performing miracles with Jones, who left Saleh looking like he had seen a ghost.
This time, though, the victorious coach desired to take it easy on the defeated.
Give credit to the Jets, added Belichick. “Coach Saleh, his staff, and his players have an excellent defense. We are all aware.”
The Jets were the only team that could not prevent the 70-year-old Patriots great from extending his lifetime record against them to 37-11. Belichick may coach until he is 85, if only to continue to torment the Jets for as long as possible.