Jets get crushed by Patriots as Zach Wilson leaves game with knee injury

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — The Jets got their teeth kicked in by the Patriots, losing 54-13, and Zach Wilson got hurt in the process.

The rookie suffered a knee injury in the second quarter of Gang Green’s matchup with the Patriots on Sunday. The Patriots were up 17-0 at the time.

Wilson ran a play action fake and rolled left before throwing a deep pass to Keelan Cole. Cole drew a 46-yard defensive pass interference on the play and got the Jets to the 2-yard line.

But Patriots outside linebacker Matthew Judon slammed Wilson to the ground and the No. 2 overall pick was laid out on the turf in pain.

A few Jet players hovered around Wilson and took a knee. After a few minutes passed by Wilson, got up gingerly and walked to the sideline.

Eventually, Wilson went into the blue medical tent then was escorted to the Jets locker room.

Wilson was ruled out. He was 6-for-10 with 51 yards and was sacked once before leaving the field.

Mike White replaced the No. 2 overall pick for White’s first career action. White came in and did a commendable job as he went 20-for-32 with 202 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions.

White’s first attempt was a three-yard touchdown pass to Corey Davis in the back of the endzone. That was White’s first career touchdown.

But by the time Wilson got hurt, the game was already heading towards an ugly result and the main reason was the defense’s no show.

There was a chance the Jets defense would struggle once C.J. Mosley was ruled out. But they produced their worst numbers all season and it came against an offense that was 26th in yards per game (322.3) and 23rd in points scored at 20.8.

The Patriots finished with 554 yards of total offense. Their running game gashed the Jets for 151 yards and four touchdowns.

It started early as the Patriots had 300 yards and 31 points at half.

Damien Harris ran for 12 yards and Quinnen Williams was called for a defensive hold (again) and were in the Jets territory after one play.

The Jets caught a break on the next play with an offensive hold by Patriots guard Shaq Mason. But on 2nd and 15, Mac Jones threw a screen pass to Jonnu Smith who broke for 28 yards.

On the next play the Patriots ran a trick play. Jones threw a backwards pass to Kendrick Bourne, who threw it to a streaking Nelson Agholor for a 25-yard touchdown.

That touchdown drive took five plays and the Patriots were off. They scored points on all five of their first half possessions with four touchdowns and one field goal as they led 31-7 at half.

That’s unacceptable.

Jones was shredding the Jets defense with short passes as 112 yards Jones were passes thrown behind the line of scrimmage. Running back Brandon Bolden led the Jets in receptions and yards as he had six catches for 79 yards and a touchdown, which came on a screenplay.

The offense was bad too as they finished with 299 yards of offense, but that was expected soon after Wilson went down.