FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — The Jets returned to the glory days of Ground and Pound on Thursday night.
The running game was rolling, with Chris Ivory rushing for 107 yards on 21 carries and a touchdown. The Jets ran for 218 yards total, their best this season.
After two subpar games, the offensive line pushed the Patriots around in the 27-25 loss.
“It was something we have focused on for a few weeks now,” tackle Breno Giacomini said. “We are just trying to get better. We did that, but we didn’t do good enough because we couldn’t finish the game. That is something we have to do next time.”
Quarterback Geno Smith got back to running the ball, too, getting 37 yards on seven carries and converting several big third downs by running.
It looks like the Jets have tired of the lack of production from 2012 first-round pick Quinton Coples.
The outside linebacker was benched as the Jets went with Jason Babin instead. Coples barely played in the game and had no impact. He had some success early this season, but his production dropped offin recent weeks.
“There wasn’t nothing behind it,” Coples said. “They just told me to be ready.”
Last week against the Broncos, Babin played slightly more than Coples. Jets coach Rex Ryan downplayed that last week, but it’s clear there was more to it.
The Jets took Coples with the 16th pick in 2012. They drafted him over linebacker Chandler Jones, who was taken by the Patriots with the 21st pick and was extremely active Thursday night, with a big sack of Smith early in the fourth quarter.
The Jets must decide whether to pick up a fifth-year option on Coples next spring. Right now, that choice looks obvious.
Cornerback Kyle Wilson did not play much early, but replaced Phillip Adams on the final drive of the first half as the outside cornerback. Wilson usually plays in the slot, but the Jets tired of seeing Adams get beat and put Wilson outside.
Ryan’s coaching record with the Jets is now under .500 in the regular season at 43-44. He is 4-2 in the playoffs. …. Smith left the game for a play in the fourth quarter when Chris Jones hit him in the knee, but Smith said he is fine. … The Jets inactives were WR Chris Owusu, WR Greg Salas, CB Josh Thomas, LB Trevor Reilly, OL Dakota Dozier, OL Wesley Johnson and NT T.J. Barnes. LB Antwan Barnes was active for the first time this season. He came off the PUP list on Wednesday. Barnes played quite a bit in the game, considering his first practice was Tuesday. OL Ben Ijalana was active for the first time since the Jets picked him up before last season.