FOXBORO — Breece Hall found an opening down the left sideline and ran in easily to the end zone for a 50-yard touchdown, and when he got there, the celebration was on. He dropped the ball, then slid head-first through the snow. His Jets teammates joined him as he turned on his back to do some snow angels.
The Jets’ 17-3 victory over the Patriots had been clinched, but more importantly, eight years of misery were buried in the snow at Gillette Stadium on Sunday afternoon. At long last, the Jets beat their AFC East rivals. They snapped their 15-game losing streak to the Patriots, and potentially sent Bill Belichick out with a loss, too.
Inside the Jets locker room, there were smiles, and there was relief.
“I think it meant a lot for everybody,” tight end Tyler Conklin said. “That’s why I kind of said next year, we don’t have to go around hearing about that (expletive) because at the end of the day, it is going to weigh on you, right? You’re going to go up to the game, you’re going to hear about it again. Everybody asking about it, talking about it, and now we don’t have to do that. It feels really good.”
It was the first time the Jets had beaten the Patriots since Dec. 27, 2015, when Ryan Fitzpatrick threw for three touchdowns in a 26-20 overtime victory in the Meadowlands. The 15 consecutive losses that ensued marked the longest active losing streak against one team. It was tied for the fifth-longest such streak in NFL history.
None of the current Jets players were on the team for that entire streak. But they certainly cared about it. Before their first game against the Patriots earlier this year, Garrett Wilson described the streak as “unacceptable.” Before this week’s game, Quinnen Williams said breaking the streak was a motivating factor as the Jets tried to end their disappointing season on a high note.
“It feels great. True blessing,” Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner said. “Things like that, it’s the little things that matter. That’s a part of history, if you ask me. Snapping that 15-game losing streak on our end, that’s another blessing, so I wouldn’t want to do it with any other guys, any other coaches, so it’s just a blessing.”
There was added meaning behind the victory. There is widespread belief that Belichick’s time is now over after a legendary 24-year run as head coach of the Patriots. If it is, the Jets took joy in sending him out with a loss.
“Most definitely,” Gardner said. “Like I told NFL Network, I’d be lying if I said we ain’t talk about that in the locker room. That’s some more history. Something to talk about later down the line and on top of that, this is my first time playing in the snow. There were a lot of other guys’ first time playing in the snow, so that’s what makes it even more iconic.”
“The fact that it’s probably Bill’s final game, I guess makes it a little better,” Conklin added. “I’ve never beaten him. I’ve played him one time before… lost to him. It feels good to beat the Patriots.”
Jets quarterback Trevor Siemian has bounced around the league for his entire career. He spent 2019 with the Jets, and returned this season.
He echoed some similar sentiments throughout the Jets locker room: They’re just happy they don’t have to talk about the losing streak anymore.
“I hope it means a lot,” Siemian said. “I think there’s a lot to be said, winning the last game of the season. And just, in my eyes, just so you don’t have to talk about it anymore. I’m sure coach isn’t fired up when he gets questions about that kind of stuff. So, good to put it to bed but next year will be a new year, this team will die. But for the lack of a better word, just so you don’t have to talk about it anymore.”
Jets coach Robert Saleh tried to downplay the streak. After losing Aaron Rodgers to a season-ending Achilles injury in Week 1 – which crushed their high hopes for the season – Saleh was proud of how the Jets fought and finished the season well. He said his focus this week was starting 2024 strong.
“Credit to (the Patriots),” Saleh said. “You gotta do something pretty special to be able to have a winning streak like that. Again, like I said, starting 2024 was the most important thing for us, starting it strong, starting it with a win and it was a really good effort from the team today.”
But still, Saleh had to acknowledge the feeling of finally getting the best of Belichick after failing to do so in his first five attempts as the Jets’ head coach, and being on the other side throughout his coaching career.
“It feels good, just in regard of, we’ve played them throughout my career. I mean, he’s been around for a very long time,” Saleh said. “So I’ll give him credit. If you ain’t got no haters, you ain’t popping, and he’s been popping for a very, very long time. So whenever you can get a win on him, it’s always special.”