Patriots down Jets in defensive battle

For three quarters this looked like a punt-fest. Then the Patriots' defense started reading the Jets quarterback's eyes — and the game changed in eight minutes of football.

New England entered Week 13 as five-point favorites, but the first half offered nothing to suggest the spread was justified. The Patriots punted on four straight possessions. Mac Jones threw two short of the sticks and one batted at the line. The Jets, behind 28-year-old Aaron Rodgers, controlled the clock with 18 carries from running back Breece Hall, and led 10-7 at the half.

Then came the third quarter — and a defensive coordinator clearly tired of watching the same play get called twice.

The first interception came on a corner route New England had already broken up twice. The second came on a screen pass that defensive back Christian Gonzalez baited Rodgers into throwing. The third — and most damaging — was a strip-sack with under three minutes left, returned 31 yards by linebacker Matt Judon to the Jets' 12.

Three forced turnovers in eight minutes. The Patriots scored 21 unanswered points off them, and a defensive battle became a comfortable double-digit win.

The Patriots move to 11-1 and remain atop the AFC. The Jets fall to 6-6 and now hold the ninth seed by tiebreaker — three games of must-win football to claim a wild card spot.