The New England Patriots did not just win a rivalry game. They sent a message to the rest of the AFC. With a 42-10 rout of the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium, the Patriots climbed to 13-3, clinched the AFC East, and stayed perfect away from home at 8-0. Rookie quarterback Drake Maye delivered his most complete performance yet, tossing a career-high five touchdown passes as New England put the game away by halftime and never looked back.

Drake Maye’s five-TD masterpiece steers Patriots to the crown

From the first snap, Maye looked calm and sharp. He opened 9-for-9, reading the field cleanly and spreading the ball with veteran poise. The first strike came in the red zone, a 13-yard laser to tight end Hunter Henry, who again proved to be Maye’s trusted target near the goal line. Then came a touchdown to running back Rhamondre Stevenson, the kind of quick, high-percentage throw that rewards timing and trust.

The exclamation point of his day was a touchdown to Diggs, which doubled as a payday: that catch triggered a $500,000 contract incentive. It was Maye’s fourth TD of the afternoon, and he added a fifth before the Patriots eased off in the fourth quarter with the game fully in hand.

Maye’s stat line told the story, but so did the way he managed the game. He took what the Jets gave him, beat pressure with quick decisions, and capitalized on short fields created by complementary football. For a team that wanted a strong finish to secure the division, this was a quarterback delivering on the biggest stage of his young career.

“Is this the day Drake Maye took over the AFC East for good?”

Patriots offense goes for the jugular in the first half

New England didn’t just score; it piled on in waves. The quarter breakdown shows the surge: 14 points in the first quarter, 21 in the second, and 7 more in the third. The Jets managed only a field goal before halftime and trailed 35-3 heading into the fourth.

Stevenson was the hammer. He ripped double-digit gains and averaged roughly seven yards per carry, including a 24-yard burst that flipped field position and kept New England’s foot on the gas. The Patriots mixed personnel and tempo, and they kept the Jets’ defense guessing with runs that set up play-action shots and red zone precision.

For New York, there were flickers. Wideout Malachi Moore hauled in a 27-yard catch that finally gave the home crowd something to cheer. But those sparks came too late and too far apart to change the flow. The Patriots were crisp, decisive, and ruthless when it mattered most.

“That first half was a statement: play-calling, pace, execution — all elite.”

Breece Hall hits 1,000 yards with a 59-yard reminder of his burst

Amid a tough Jets season, Breece Hall gave the stadium a jolt. The running back busted a 59-yard touchdown run, showing the top-end speed and vision that made him one of the few bright spots on a 3-13 team. The sprint helped Hall eclipse 1,000 rushing yards for the first time in his NFL career, a milestone that speaks to his consistency even when game scripts go sideways.

Hall’s touchdown accounted for New York’s only trip to the end zone. It was a flash of what the Jets can build around, even if the rest of the evening belonged to New England’s defense and a clock-eating attack that quieted the building early.

“Breece Hall deserves better than this offense, period.”

AFC East standings: Patriots clinch, Jets sink to 3-13

The math is simple now. At 13-3 (.813), New England sits atop the AFC East and has outscored opponents 452-310. The Bills remain within sight at 11-5, while the Dolphins are 7-9. The Jets, now 3-13 (.188), have scored 292 points while allowing 468. The division race is over; the Patriots own it.

• Patriots: 13-3 (8-0 away), 452 PF / 310 PA
• Bills: 11-5
• Dolphins: 7-9
• Jets: 3-13 (2-7 home), 292 PF / 468 PA

That perfect road mark matters. Winning in January often comes down to handling noise, weather, and pressure. The Patriots have proved they can travel.

“8-0 on the road. That’s a playoff trait, not a coincidence.”

Inside the numbers: how New England pulled away

• Quarter by quarter: Patriots 14-21-7-0; Jets 0-3-0-7.
• Red zone trust: Henry’s 13-yard TD was another example of a well-timed route and ball placement.
• Multipurpose punch: Stevenson added a receiving TD and averaged about seven yards per carry, keeping the Jets on their heels.
• Early rhythm: Maye started 9-for-9, a clear sign of comfort and a smart script to open the game.
• Payday play: Diggs’ touchdown unlocked a $500,000 incentive, highlighting how often New England found mismatches.

New England’s coaching staff deserves credit for the plan. They attacked early downs, avoided third-and-long, and trusted Maye to make clean reads. By the time the fourth quarter started, the only drama left was the final score.

What it means

This was more than a blowout. It was a proof-of-concept win that showed the Patriots have an identity that works in big games. A balanced offense. A quarterback who can finish drives. A run game that travels. And a defense that forced the Jets into field goals and long fields until garbage time.

For the Jets, it’s about finding carryover from the few positives. Hall’s 1,000-yard season is real. Moore’s big catch was a nice snapshot. But the numbers don’t lie: 3-13, 2-7 at home, and too many long nights like this one. Resetting the offense and building around their playmakers will be the offseason priority.

For New England, the next step is simple: stay healthy, keep the edge, and lean on what’s worked. The AFC East is theirs again, and with a quarterback playing this clean and a team that hasn’t flinched on the road, the Patriots have positioned themselves for what comes next.