12/16 — The ball is still in Chad Pennington's court with Kellen Clemens still out from his first-quarter rib injury. That injury was administered by Richard Seymour, and the Patriots' DE hurts the Jets again, mentally, by swatting down Pennington's third-down pass for Jerricho Cotchery. Ben Graham's punt with the wind is a good one, with Wes Welker fair-catching at his 9.

Then comes another Jets break. They blitz Tom Brady, with Drew Coleman getting through to Super Tom. It's not a sack but it is an underthrown ball for Randy Moss, with Darrelle Revis making the interception (despite Moss' offensive interference) at the Pats 34.

This drive appears to be Brad Smith's. He's at QB and runs a slippery option keeper for 6 yards, then, with Thomas Jones and Leon Washington in the same backfield, hands off to TJ for 5 yards and a first down. After another Smith keeper and a Jones loss of a yard, Pennington's back in on third-and-7 — which becomes third-and-12 on a delay of game.

And then Pennington finds Chris Baker, and Baker is stripped of the ball by Adalius Thomas, with Eugene Wilson, the TD scorer in the first quarter, recovering. A very painful lost opportunity with the third quarter half over.

But the defense again hangs in, not sacking Brady but forcing him into another third-down misfire, this one incomplete. Leon Washington takes Chris Hanson's punt 14 yards to the Jets 36. The Green & White have a little more than four minutes to work with the wind.

The Jets need some big plays soon. They're 0-for-6 on third down, 0-for-1 on fourth. And on the first two plays of this possession, Washington doesn't have those plays as he is stopped for no gain on a run and a loss of 2 on a screen.

But the Jets get a big play from the back judge when Wilson is called for interfering with Justin McCareins. Fifteen-yard penalty, first down to midfield.

Now third-and-5. After a timeout and a lot of shifting, Pennington looks to his right, to his left, and can't find anyone. He has to throw it away. And Graham's drop punt can't be downed by Justin McCareins when returner Kevin Faulk blocks him from making the play. The Pats take over at their 20.

Maroney ends the quarter with three carries for 14 yards, giving him 92 yards on 22 carries. He and the Jets' inabilities to make key plays are the difference in this game. The Jets are 15 minutes away from the big upset they want. The Patriots are 15 minutes away from 14-0.