Jets Win on Other End of a Rally, Holding Off Grogan, Patriots, 31-24

This was one comeback the New York Jets didn’t need.

The Jets, who won their last two games with dramatic rallies, built a 24-0 halftime lead Sunday but had to hold off Steve Grogan and the New England Patriots for a 31-24 victory.

“We talked about not letting them rally in the third quarter, but they did anyway,” New York Coach Joe Walton said. “The key was we gathered ourselves in the fourth quarter and stemmed the tide.”

Grogan completed 23 of 42 passes for a career-high 401 yards, including 3 touchdown passes in the second half.

The Jets (5-1) held on for their fourth consecutive victory and took a two-game lead over the second-place Patriots (3-3) in the AFC East.

“We knew the first eight weeks would be tough,” Grogan said. “There’s no room for error now. We can’t continue to lose close games.”

New York’s Johnny Hector, who has been in the lineup since Freeman McNeil was injured a month ago, ran for a career-high 143 yards in 40 carries and scored 3 one-yard touchdowns.

Hector’s first two touchdowns, Pat Leahy’s 47-yard field goal and a one-yard scoring pass from Pat Ryan--playing for the injured Ken O’Brien--to Mickey Shuler gave New York its big halftime lead.

New York was in complete control in the first half, outgaining the Patriots, 242 yards to 62.

Despite finishing with just 17 rushing yards, New England battled back behind Grogan, who started in place of the injured Tony Eason. The Patriots scored on Grogan’s pass plays of 44 yards to Stanley Morgan, 69 yards to Irving Fryar and 18 yards to Cedric Jones.

Hector stopped the Patriots’ momentum by capping a 63-yard march with his third touchdown to make it 31-17 with 8:01 left, but Grogan’s scoring pass to Jones closed the gap again with 5:34 left.

The Patriots’ comeback fell short when Grogan threw an 18-yard completion to Fryar, who ran 10 yards before fumbling at the Jets’ 35-yard line. Harry Hamilton recovered for New York with 1:22 left.