Brief

Patriots beat Jets 26-19 as Drake Maye throws three TDs

Maye's three touchdown passes and a late interception helped New England hold off a Jets comeback at Gillette Stadium.

By Felo News Desk · Published Mon, 19 Oct 2026 04:20:24 GMT

Drake Maye threw three touchdown passes as the New England Patriots held off a late surge by the New York Jets to win 26-19 on Sunday, Oct. 18, 2026, AP reported.

What happened

New England built a 17-3 halftime lead, with Romeo Doubs catching a 42‑yard dive and Hunter Henry scoring on a 9‑yard reception. The Jets narrowed the gap to 17-10 in the third quarter after rookie Omar Cooper Jr. hauled in a 103‑yard performance. In the fourth quarter, Geno Smith threw his first interception of the season, picked off by Patriots safety Charles Woods, sealing the win. The Patriots added a 27‑yard field goal with 1:12 left to finish 26-19.

What the reports add

The Associated Press noted that the Patriots played the second half without three offensive linemen—right tackle Morgan Moses (ankle), left guard Alijah Vera‑Tucker (hamstring) and right guard Ben Brown (knee). Despite the injuries, Maye completed 18 of 32 passes for 235 yards, his third straight game with at least three TD passes. A.J. Brown returned from injured reserve, catching three passes for 27 yards but dropping three of his ten targets.

What was said

The AP did not include direct quotes, but it highlighted that Charles Woods’ interception ended Smith’s 166‑pass streak without a pick.

How it came about

New England entered the game 4‑2, having won four straight against the Jets and 19 of their last 21 meetings. The Patriots’ defense, bolstered by cornerback Christian Gonzalez returning from a shoulder injury, kept the Jets out of the red zone (0‑for‑3) and limited them to 3‑of‑10 on third down. The Jets, now 2‑4, struggled offensively, managing only a field goal in the third quarter and failing to convert key fourth‑down runs.

Key facts

Drake Maye threw three touchdown passes as New England beat New York 26-19. (winnipegfreepress.com)
Maye completed 18 of 32 passes for 235 yards, his third consecutive game with three TDs. (winnipegfreepress.com)
Geno Smith threw his first interception of the season, caught by Charles Woods. (winnipegfreepress.com)
Patriots played without right tackle Morgan Moses, left guard Alijah Vera‑Tucker and right guard Ben Brown due to injuries. (winnipegfreepress.com)
Patriots improved to 4‑2; Jets fell to 2‑4. (winnipegfreepress.com)