NFL: Overtime thriller sees NY Jets beat New England Patriots

The New York Jets got the better of the New England Patriots in an overtime thriller that seen them take a 30-27 victory at Meadowlands.

Jets kicker Nick Folk missed a 56-yard field goal attempt but got the chance to make amends after the referees called an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on New England’s Chris Jones.

New England saw Stephen Gostkowski’s second field goal of the fourth quarter levelled the contest at 24-apiece, however, it was the home side who prevailed in overtime when Nick Folk settled the contest with a 42-yard attempt.

Jones was penalized for pushing a team mate forward to try to block the kick, breaking a new league rule that was introduced this year – at the request of NFL players – in an effort to make the game safer.

The rule states “Team B players cannot push team mates on the line of scrimmage into the offensive formation.”

Dean Blandino, the league’s vice president of officiating, told the NFL Network that referees had made the correct call, although he added that similar infractions this season had not been penalized.

Head coaches Rex Ryan (Jets) and Bill Belichick (Patriots) had different opinions about the ruling.

“I was fairly happy about it, was my reaction,” Ryan told chuckling reporters. “I was like, you know what, it’s about time we got a break.

“I think my reaction was just like our fans.”

Belichick saw it differently.

“You can’t push from the second level,” the Patriots coach said. “I didn’t think we did that.”

Jones was contrite about the infraction: “The mistake was mine. It was all my fault,” he said.

The Jets, riding high on the back of rookie quarterback Geno Smith, improved their season record to 4-3, second to the Patriots (5-2) in the AFC East.