Sanchez throws for 3 TDs as Jets rally past Patriots

Detractors were lining up all week to take their crack at the Jets' young quarterback. Most made the point that the Jets put the shackles on Mark Sanchez, talking about how he wasn't good enough to lead a championship team.

Jerricho Cotchery said he just knew yesterday's AFC East game was going to be a bounce-back for Sanchez, though, and that he wasn't the least bit worried what would transpire against the Patriots. Not after what he witnessed from the 23-year-old at practice some 48 hours prior.

"I saw it, I saw it right before my eyes," Cotchery said. "And it was a good thing to see because he was on point Friday. He ended up throwing the ball the same way today. When you see him throwing it like that, it's like, 'There it is, fellas. There it is. Let's go now.' I was so confident coming into this game, knowing that he was going to play very well today. And he ended up proving me right."

Sanchez's performance was off the charts. The second-year quarterback connected on 21 of 30 attempts for 220 yards and three touchdowns - his first three-TD game since the 2009 Rose Bowl for USC. Sanchez ignited an offense that rattled off 21 unanswered points, helping turn the tide in an impressive 28-14 win over the Patriots at New Meadowlands Stadium, a game in which the Jets shook off a few nicks and bruises to pull things out.

"He did respond," Rex Ryan said, "there's no doubt about it."

Sanchez engineered three second-half scoring drives, erasing a 14-10 halftime deficit. The Jets, coming off that poor, 176-yard showing in Monday's opener against the Ravens, stockpiled 336 yards and 23 first downs.

The Jets (1-1) also rushed for 136 yards and didn't have those drive-killing penalties that were so prevalent six days earlier.

"We played smarter," Sanchez said. "We knew if we took away some of those penalties from the week before, we'd be happy after last week's game, too, with a win. So this is just the beginning. It's a long season and it's tough when you lose that first game. It feels like you are 0-10.

"So it was nice that it was a short week and we got to play as soon as possible. This game couldn't come soon enough."

Neither could the second quarter, because that's when things got rolling for the Jets' offense.

The Patriots dominated the first quarter, holding the ball for nearly 14 of the 15 minutes. They took a 7-0 lead on a 6-yard pass from Tom Brady to Wes Welker. (Brady was held in check in the second half, when he threw for only 69 yards.)

Sanchez finally found someplace the Jets had been desperately seeking - the end zone - midway through the second quarter, putting together a 12-play, 77-yard drive. Braylon Edwards' 10-yard grab on a fade route capped things off, tying it at 7 with 6:22 left in the half and giving the Jets their first touchdown of the season.

"We were moving the ball pretty well even before that," tight end Dustin Keller said. "But when we got that first touchdown, it was like, 'OK. Now is the time.' "

New England stormed back on Brady's 34-yard touchdown toss to Randy Moss, the play on which cornerback Darrelle Revis came up gimpy with more tightness in his left hamstring. But the Jets responded, with Nick Folk's 49-yard field goal trimming the halftime deficit to 14-10.

The Jets took the lead on a gorgeous six-play, 70-yard drive, with backup center Rob Turner in after Nick Mangold was sidelined for a series with a shoulder injury. On second-and-goal from the 2, Sanchez found Cotchery for the TD just after he beat rookie cornerback Devin McCourty. The Jets led 21-14 after Sanchez hooked up with Edwards for a two-point conversion.

The Jets finished off the Patriots (1-1) with a TD toss from Sanchez to Keller. The tight end reeled in a 1-yard pass to conclude an eight-play, 63-yard drive and produce a 14-point bulge with 6:16 to play.

"At the end of the day, we knew we were capable of doing this," Edwards said. "All we did was go out there and do what we know we could do. We're going to enjoy the win, but at the same time, we knew we could win against a good team. So we are not going to go out and celebrate and pop bottles or anything like that because it's a good win for us.

"But if we play good, this is what should happen. So we are going to put this one behind us, tomorrow get this film done and get to working on the next opponent. That's the NFL."