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Pats March On, Improve To 14-0

By HOWARD ULMAN, The Associated Press

Published: December 17, 2007

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. - The Patriots found another way to stay unbeaten - with a running game. And their stone-faced coach showed a new way to greet his nemesis - with a smile.

Facing rain, wind and chilly gusts above 20 mph, New England relied on Laurence Maroney's rushing instead of Tom Brady's passing and beat the New York Jets 20-10 Sunday in the Spygate rematch to clinch homefield advantage throughout the AFC playoffs.

After the Patriots became the second team in NFL history to go 14-0, Bill Belichick broke into a broad grin at his sideline and kept it until he met Eric Mangini, his former protege and defensive coordinator. Mangini had angered Belichick when he left to become coach of the Jets last season.

"Great game, awesome," Belichick appeared to say as they shook hands. Then Belichick walked away, pumping his first twice over his head.

"He said, 'Good game or good luck,'" Mangini said. "I can't remember."

Most of their previous four midfield meetings were colder than Sunday's weather.

"Maybe they're friends again," Patriots linebacker Tedy Bruschi said with a laugh. "I don't know. We'll see."

Maroney ran for 104 yards, just the fourth time this season a New England rusher surpassed 100. The Jets entered the game having allowed the third-most yards rushing this season.

NY Jets	0	7	0	3	-	10
New England	7	10	0	3	-	20

First Quarter

NE-Wilson 5 interception return (Gostkowski kick), 9:33.

Second Quarter

NE-FG Gostkowski 26, 12:45.

NY-Bowens 26 blocked punt return (Nugent kick), 7:15.

NE-Moroney 1 run (Gostkowski kick), 1:05.

Fourth Quarter

NY-FG Nugent 33, 6:13.

NE-FG Gostkowski 34, 3:21.

A-68,756.

	NYJ	NE
First downs	13	16
Total Net Yards	236	265
Rushes-yards	17-90	35-131
Passing	146	134
Punt Returns	2-14	0-0
Kickoff Returns	5-130	3-59
Interceptions Ret.	1-0	1-5
Comp-Att-Int	25-40-1	14-27-1
Sacked-Yards Lost	5-40	1-6
Punts	4-31.8	6-35.7
Fumbles-Lost	4-1	0-0
Penalties-Yards	6-42	6-48
Time of Possession	26:23	33:37

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING-N.Y. Jets, Washington 4-57, T.Jones 9-19, B.Smith 3-10, Pennington 1-4. New England, Maroney 26-104, Faulk 4-20, T.Brady 4-9, Welker 1-(minus 2).

PASSING-N.Y. Jets, Pennington 25-38-0-186, Clemens 0-1-1-0, B.Smith 0-1-0-0. New England, T.Brady 14-27-1-140.

RECEIVING-N.Y. Jets, Baker 8-66, Cotchery 6-53, McCareins 5-40, Washington 3-9, T.Jones 2-13, Wright 1-5. New England, Moss 5-79, Welker 3-30, Faulk 3-19, Gaffney 2-8, Evans 1-4.

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