It was over when ...
The Patriots ended an 11-play drive in the fourth quarter with a 27-yard Stephen Gostkowski field goal, giving New England a 19-10 lead with 5:22 remaining in the game. The Jets followed by going three-and-out, allowing the Patriots to run out the clock on their next possession.
Game ball
Matt Cassel did not post earth-shattering numbers (16-of-23, 165 yards), but he did just enough to help New England grind out a victory in his first NFL start. Cassel avoided turnovers and led the Patriots on five scoring drives.
Key stat
All 11 of LaMont Jordan's carries came in the second half. The formers Jet led five Patriots running backs with 62 yards, including some critical gains that allowed the team to control the time of possession battle (18:07 to 11:53) in the second half.
Noteworthy
The win was the eighth straight for New England at the Meadowlands. ... The last game the Patriots won in which Tom Brady did not start was a 27-24 victory over the Dolphins on Dec. 17, 2000. ... The Patriots failed to score a touchdown in the first half for the first time since Dec. 10, 2006, a 21-0 loss to the Dolphins. ... Favre threw his first interception as a Jet in the third quarter. The pick was also the first of DB Brandon Meriweather's career.