Spygate Bowl A Flop, Pats Win By Only 10

Laurence Maroney rushed for 104 yards and a touchdown on a career-best 26 carries and Eugene Wilson returned an interception for a score as the New England Patriots hung on to remain perfect with a 20-10 victory over the New York Jets in miserable conditions at Gillette Stadium. Both teams were slowed by a constant pounding rain mixed in with sleet and gusting winds throughout the afternoon -- which followed a major snowstorm which hit eastern New England earlier in the week. Tom Brady threw for just 140 yards and a pick on 14-of-27 passes for the Patriots (14-0), who locked up home field advantage throughout the playoffs. In addition, New England becomes just the second team in NFL history to be 14-0. The 1972 Miami Dolphins completed that seasons 14-game slate unbeaten en route to a legendary Super Bowl-winning campaign. The Patriots have not lost in the regular season since a 21-0 setback against the Dolphins in Miami on December 10, 2006, a span of 17 contests. New England looks to become the first team in league history to sport a 15-0 mark next Sunday at Miami, which won its first game of the season, a 22-16 overtime triumph over Baltimore. Chad Pennington was solid in defeat, completing 25-of-38 passes for 186 yards for the Jets (3-11), who have dropped three of four. Starter Kellen Clemens was knocked out after one play, an interception returned for a TD by Wilson. Chris Baker caught eight balls for 66 yards and Leon Washington gained 57 yards on four carries in defeat. "It is difficult but this is football," Pennington said. "When you are a little kid you dream about playing in games like this. You ask your mom and dad to play outside in the snow and rain so it is difficult but again its football." The contest was the much-anticipated rematch of a Week 1 game at the Meadowlands, a 38-14 Patriots win later dubbed "Spygate," when it was revealed that Jets head coach Eric Mangini turned in a member of the New England coaching staff caught videotaping the Jets at field level in an illegal manner. Patriots head coach Bill Belichick was fined $500,000 and the franchise was docked $250,000 along with a first-round draft pick next year for the transgression, but that has done little to slow the team which continues to march toward the record book. Pennington completed 10-of-12 passes on the Jets first series of the fourth, ending when Mike Nugent hit from 33 yards out. The 17-play, 70 yard drive consumed 7:40 and brought New York within 17-10 with 6:13 left in regulation. The Pats responded on the next possession, and Stephen Gostkowskis 34-yard attempt was perfect for a 20-10 game with 3:21 remaining. Washington returned the kick 49 yards, and with a 15-yard penalty tacked on for a horse-collar, the Jets got the ball on the New England 31. Three plays later, Justin McCareins looked like he got both feet down in the back of the end zone for a seven-yard TD catch, but replays determined his back foot was out-of-bounds. The Jets eventually came away with nothing as Nugent pulled a 35-yard attempt wide left. Though the Pats did not move the ball on their series, they forced the Jets to start from their own 33 with 1:42 on the clock. Junior Seau sacked Pennington on the final play and New England slipped by in another close game. "The kicking game turned out to be big obviously," Belichick said. "We were able to make enough plays that we needed to make to win. That was certainly one of our goals at the beginning of the year, to win in our division, and next week we have a chance to go 6-0 in the division." New England picked up the games first score on defense. On the Jets first possession, Clemens dropped back to pass on first down from his own three. As he was hit by Richard Seymour, the ball popped in the air right to Wilson, who took it back five yards for a 7-0 lead. "That was great, my first one ever," Wilson noted. Gostkowskis 26-yard field goal with 2:15 played in the second quarter boosted the Pats to a 10-0 lead, completing a 17-play, 75-yard drive which consumed nearly nine minutes. Pennington took over on the next series, but the Jets did not advance the ball. New Englands series stalled at its own 40, but New York made it a 10-7 game when Chris Hansons punt was blocked by David Bowens, who scooped up the ball and rumbled 26 yards for the score. Kelley Washington was untouched to block a punt by Ben Graham with 1:46 left in the half and the Pats set up on the Jets three-yard-line. Maroney plunged into the end zone two plays later for a 17-7 New England lead. Darrelle Revis picked off Brady on the Pats first series of the second half, and the Jets set up at the home teams 34 with Smith under center. However, on a 3rd-and-12 from the Pats 25, Baker fumbled after a catch and Wilson recovered at the 14. The Patriots did nothing on that ensuing drive, but their 10-point edge remained intact into the final quarter. "I talked to the guys about the opportunities today and the opportunities they created and we just werent able to capitalize on them," Mangini said. "(We were) in the red zone four times and couldnt get the points we needed to get." Game Notes New England has won nine of the last 10 meetings...The Patriots also registered 14-win seasons in 2003 and 2004, and won the Super Bowl both years...Brad Smith also took a couple snaps after Clemens injury and threw one incompletion, also rushing three times for 10 yards...Patriots tight end Ben Watson was inactive with a sore ankle...Jets wideout Laveranues Coles also did not play due to an ankle problem...The game was briefly halted late in the fourth quarter after multiple snow and ice balls were thrown onto the field...It was the first time Brady was held without a touchdown pass since that loss in Miami last season.