Zach Wilson became turnover machine in Jets’ loss to Patriots

The Jets asked fans to arrive to MetLife Stadium early Sunday for their game against the Patriots. But they did not give them a reason to stay late.

Jets quarterback Zach Wilson threw three interceptions, John Frankin-Myers committed a critical penalty and Gang Green blew a halftime lead in a 22-17 loss to the Patriots. It was New England’s 13th straight win over the Jets and ended a four-game winning streak for the Jets.

Wilson started off strong but then became a turnover machine. Wilson had gone three consecutive games without a turnover but gave the Patriots three of them Sunday. In their first game without running back Breece Hall, the Jets struggled to move the ball.

Patriots quarterback Mac Jones was not much better than Wilson, but New England played ball control in the second half and erased a 10-3 Jets lead with 19 unanswered points. Jones completed 24 of 35 passes for 194 yards with a touchdown and one interception. Wilson completed 20 of 41 passes for 355 yards and two touchdowns, but also the three interceptions.

Former Jets kicker Nick Folk booted five field goals for the Pats.

The Jets fell to 5-3 and the Patriots moved to 4-4. The Jets have another big AFC East game next week against the Bills.

The momentum swung in this game just before halftime thanks to a penalty on Franklin-Myers.

The Jets appeared to take 17-3 lead late in the second quarter when Michael Carter II intercepted a Jones pass and returned it 84 yards for a touchdown, but the play was nullified when Franklin-Myers was called for roughing the passer. It appeared that the defensive end left the ground as he hit Jones late, drawing the penalty.

The penalty was a huge turning point. The Patriots then scored 19 unanswered points after the flag.

Folk kicked a field goal as time expired in the half to cut the Jets’ lead to 10-6.

The Patriots then took control in the third quarter. The second half started with a 35-yard run by Rhamondre Stevenson after Jets safeties Jordan Whitehead and Lamarcus Joyner both missed tackles.

The Patriots moved the ball 62 yards on six plays and the drive ended with Jones finding Jacoby Meyers for a 5-yard touchdown on fourth down. It was the Patriots’ only touchdown of the game and gave them their first lead at 13-10.

Greg Zuerlein then missed a 45-yard field goal for the Jets and the Patriots took the ball back and got into position for Folk to hit another field goal, this one from 49 yards for a 16-10 lead.

Folk nailed a 45-yard field goal, his fourth of the day, with 2:39 left in the third quarter to put New England up by two scores at 19-10.

Wilson then threw his second interception of the game, this one a brutal late pass along the sideline. Instead of throwing it away, Wilson threw it to Devin McCourty at the Jets’ 40. The Patriots did not convert the turnover into points, punting the ball away.

The Jets would not be so lucky on Wilson’s next interception. He floated one deep over all of his teammates into the arms of McCourty again. McCourty returned it 36 yards to the Jets’ 37 and it set up Folk’s fifth field goal of the game, a 52-yarder that gave the Pats a 22-10 lead.

The Jets scored with 1:51 left when Wilson hit Conklin for a 9-yard touchdown to cut the score to 22-17.

Wilson played well early and MetLife Stadium was rocking. The Jets jumped out to a 10-3 lead with 12:04 left in the second quarter after Wilson threw a beautiful 8-yard touchdown pass to Conklin.

Wilson made several nice throws in the first half before throwing his first interception of the game with 48 seconds left before the intermission. He threw off his back foot and floated one to linebacker Ja’Whuan Bentley. That gave the Patriots the ball at the Jets’ 40. Jones threw his interception that wasn’t two plays later to Carter, but Franklin-Myers’ penalty wiped out the touchdown and changed the game.

Jets’ rookie wide receiver Garrett Wilson had 115 receiving yards on six catches.