With Maye out, 'soft' Patriots come back to send Rodgers and Jets to 5th straight loss

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Inches from the goal line with one last chance to punch in the game-winning score, the New England Patriots proved to be tough enough to beat Aaron Rodgers and the stumbling New York Jets.

Rhamondre Stevenson plunged through the line for his second touchdown with 22 seconds left on Sunday and the New England Patriots recovered after first-round draft pick Drake Maye left with a concussion early to beat Aaron Rodgers and the much-hyped New York Jets 25-22.

Starter-turned-backup Jacoby Brissett replaced the quarterback who replaced him and led the Patriots (2-6) on two fourth-quarter scoring drives, snapping a six-game losing streak and sending the Jets (2-6) to their fifth loss in a row.

“There's chaos going on, he never wavers. That's why he's a team captain," tight end Austin Hooper said of Brissett. “You’ve got two options: You can either fold or you can fight. Thank God Drake's going to be all right, but when you have a guy like Jacoby, who's won here, you don't really blink.”

Stevenson also caught the 2-point conversion pass that gave New England a three-point lead. Rodgers took over at his own 30 with no timeouts and missed one deep pass before connecting with Davante Adams for 16 yards, but far from the sideline.

As the final seconds ticked off the clock, the Patriots defense leapt for joy on the field. It was their first win at home in more than a year – since the seventh week of last season — a slump that led their own coach to call them “soft.”

“We got a challenge earlier this week. The guys came out and responded well,” Brissett said. “We pushed it in at the end to score the win. I think that encompassed a lot of things throughout the season. Just hoping this is a snowball effect, the start of something special.”

Instead of being alone in the AFC East cellar, the Patriots are now tied for last with the Jets, four games behind the division-leading Buffalo Bills. Interim Jets coach Jeff Ulbrich, who fell to 0-3 since taking over when Robert Saleh was fired, called the loss “a moment of darkness,” and Rodgers agreed.

“I’ve been in the darkness,” he said. “You’ve got to go in there, make peace with it.”

Brissett, who started the Patriots’ first five games, completed 15 of 24 passes for 132 yards; Maye was 3 of 6 for 23 yards and ran for 46 yards and a 17-yard touchdown run. He left after an unpenalized helmet-to-helmet hit from Jets linebacker Jamien Sherwood.

“I don’t look at it as redemption,” said Brissett, who has played with five teams over nine seasons and is in his second stint with New England. “I think this is a testament to me believing in myself. ... I was very fortunate to have this opportunity. To go out there and get a win with our guys, it was sweet. You can’t put it into words.”

Rodgers completed 17 of 28 passes for 233 yards and two touchdowns, hitting Garrett Wilson five times for 113 yards. Breece Hall ran for 80 yards on 16 carries, and Braelon Allen scored on a 2-yard run to give the Jets the lead with three minutes remaining.

Greg Zuerlein missed two kicks — badly shanking an extra point and also pulling a 44-yard field goal attempt to the left after New England took a 17-16 lead. Star edge rusher Haason Reddick made his Jets debut without registering a tackle or assist while playing mostly in third-down situations.

A year after losing Rodgers to a season-ending knee injury four snaps into his first game with the team, the Jets came into the season with massive expectations. But they haven't won since beating the Patriots on Sept. 19 — a week after beating one-win Tennessee for their only other victory.

“The NFL is hard. It’s hard to win" Rodgers said. “Harder when you make it difficult on yourself.”

Counting last year’s finale – Bill Belichick’s last game as New England coach – New York had beaten the Patriots twice in a row after losing to them the previous 15 times. But unlike in the Week 3 matchup that the Jets won 24-3 and allowed just 139 yards of offense, this time New England put up a fight.

Maye ran for a 17-yard TD in the first quarter, beating Jets linebacker Chazz Surratt to the corner to give the Patriots a 7-0 lead. The No. 3 overall draft pick went to the medical tent after scrambling for an 18-yard gain and getting hit as he slid.

In came Brissett, who had not played since Maye replaced him in Week 6, and had not won since the opener. He set up Joey Slye’s 23-yard field goal that gave the Patriots a 17-16 lead.

Rodgers connected on a 22-yard pass to Wilson and a 17-yarder to Adams to the New England 3 before Allen carried it in from there. The 2-point conversion failed, leaving the Jets up 22-17.

Brissett took over with 2:57 left, scrambled for 14 yards on a third and 9 and connected with Kayshon Boutte for 34 yards to the 9. Boutte caught a third-and-5 pass at the goal line, landing on his knees with the ball just short of the end zone.

On the next play, Stevenson barely broke the plane for the score.

"There comes a point in time where they know — everyone knows, the fans know — it’s a run play," Patriots coach Jerod Mayo said. “You've got to really just defeat the man across from you. Fortunately our guys got movement and we scored.”

Jets: LB C.J. Mosley did not start and was announced with a neck injury early in the game.

Patriots: Maye left in the second quarter and entered the concussion protocol.

Jets: host the Texans on Thursday night.

Patriots: visit the Titans next week.

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

New England Patriots quarterback Jacoby Brissett, right, passes to running back Rhamondre Stevenson, left, in the second half of an NFL football game against the New York Jets, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

Dallas Stars interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich, right, looks up toward the scoreboard in the second half of an NFL football game against the New England Patriots, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

New England Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson (38) celebrates after his touchdown in the second half of an NFL football game against the New York Jets, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

New England Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson (38) celebrates after his touchdown with center Ben Brown (77) in the second half of an NFL football game against the New York Jets, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

New England Patriots quarterback Jacoby Brissett (7) celebrates after Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson ran for a touchdown in the second half of an NFL football game against the New York Jets, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) runs for a touchdown in front of New York Jets linebacker Chazz Surratt (55) in the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) runs into the end zone for a touchdown in front of New York Jets linebacker Chazz Surratt (55) in the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye celebrates after running for a touchdown in the first half of an NFL football game against the New York Jets, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) looks for an opening to pass under pressure from New England Patriots defensive tackle Davon Godchaux (92) in the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) celebrates with teammates including tight end Tyler Conklin (83) after throwing a touchdown pass in the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

New England Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo shouts from the sidelines in the first half of an NFL football game against the New York Jets, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

New York Jets wide receiver Xavier Gipson (82) celebrates his touchdown in front of New England Patriots cornerback Marcus Jones in the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) connects helmet to helmet from behind with New York Jets linebacker Jamien Sherwood (44) in the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

New York Jets interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich shouts to his players from the sidelines in the first half of an NFL football game against the New England Patriots, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) passes under pressure from New England Patriots defensive end Keion White (99) in the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

New England Patriots quarterback Jacoby Brissett (7) passes in the second half of an NFL football game against the New York Jets, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Aleksei Kolosov became the first Belarusian-born goalie in NHL history Sunday night when he started for the Philadelphia Flyers against the Montreal Canadiens.

The 22-year-old Kolosov was recalled by the Flyers on Saturday night and immediately inserted into the lineup against Montreal.

The Flyers have gotten spotty goaltending so far from starter Samuel Ersson and backup Ivan Fedotov. When announcing Kolosov as his starter before the game, Flyers coach John Tortorella said the Flyers had not gotten the performances they needed from Fedotov so far this season.

“Ivan hasn’t played well enough,” Tortorella said. “We’re trying to solve, trying to look at the situation and see where it goes.”

Kolosov was a third round pick by the Flyers in 2021. He spent parts of four seasons in the KHL before coming over to North America for the first time at the end of last season, playing in two games with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, the Flyers’ AHL affiliate.

Kolosov and the Flyers had a tumultuous summer. First, the goalie chose not to take part in Philadelphia’s rookie camp in July and later didn’t report for the start of training camp, citing a desire to void playing in the AHL again.

Through his agent, he indicated to the Flyers that he wanted to play in the NHL or be loaned back to his Minsk team in the KHL. The Flyers wouldn’t comply with the loan and there was a short stalemate between the sides before Kolosov agreed to come over near the end of training camp. He played in one preseason game with the Flyers before being sent down to Lehigh Valley.

Part of the agreement to get him to report included the Flyers telling him he would be given an opportunity at the NHL level at some point this season.

That opportunity came in Philadelphia’s ninth game.

The Flyers feel Kolosov put the issues he experienced at the end of last season and in the summer behind him and that he’s in a better place now after just a few weeks in the AHL.

“As far as attitude and where Kolosov’s mind is right now, we have gotten good reports as far as how he has gone about his business down there,” Tortorella said.

Kolosov started four games with the Phantoms before being recalled. He had a 3.29 GAA and an 0.875 save percentage.

AP NHL: https://www.apnews.com/hub/NHL

Philadelphia Flyers' Aleksei Kolosov plays during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Montreal Canadiens, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Montreal Canadiens' Brendan Gallagher (11) scores against Philadelphia Flyers' Aleksei Kolosov (35) during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Philadelphia Flyers' Aleksei Kolosov, right, blocks a shot by Montreal Canadiens' Nick Suzuki during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Philadelphia Flyers' Aleksei Kolosov waits to warm up before an NHL hockey game against the Montreal Canadiens, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Philadelphia Flyers' Aleksei Kolosov waits to warm up before an NHL hockey game against the Montreal Canadiens, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Montreal Canadiens' Kirby Dach, left, tries to get a shot past Philadelphia Flyers' Aleksei Kolosov during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Philadelphia Flyers' Aleksei Kolosov stretches before an NHL hockey game against the Montreal Canadiens, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)