PRO FOOTBALL : Esiason Dominates the Patriots : Interconference: Jets’ quarterback completes first 13 passes in 45-7 rout of New England.

Boomer Esiason of the New York Jets completed his first 13 passes Sunday night and led his team to a 45-7 rout of the New England Patriots.

Esiason, who completed 17 of 21 passes for 215 yards, set a team record with 18 completions in a row over two games. He tied the third-longest streak in NFL history. Joe Montana set the record of 22 consecutive completions when he played for San Francisco. Ken Anderson had 20 for the Bengals.

The victory puts the Jets (2-1) in a tie with Miami, Buffalo and Indianapolis atop the AFC East.

“I think the fear of losing and not looking good maybe motivated our guys,” Esiason said. “It was under our nose everywhere we turned . . . how the Jets have not played well against a team they should beat.”

The Jets ruined New England Coach Bill Parcell’s return to Giants Stadium. Parcells, who led the New York Giants to two Super Bowls and was 50-21 at the Meadowlands, watched the Patriots give a shoddy performance.

The Patriots (0-4) fell behind 14-0 after one quarter and 35-0 at halftime.

“We were completely outclassed in every way,” Parcells said. “That wasn’t even a good scrimmage.”

Asked about returning to Giants Stadium, Parcells snapped, “What kind of a question is that?”

Patriot rookie Drew Bledsoe completed 19 of 42 passes for 195 yards. He was harried by a strong pass rush, but even when he had time, Bledsoe threw poor passes or his receivers dropped the ball.

“It is demoralizing,” said Bledsoe, the No. 1 pick in last April’s draft. “You feel like you got beat in every aspect of the game. It’s an attack on your pride.”

Brad Baxter scored on runs of one and four yards, Johnny Johnson had a six-yard touchdown run, Terance Mathis scored on a 17-yard reverse and James Thornton’s first catch as a Jet completed a 13-yard touchdown pass play.

All that came in the first half, when the Jets outgained the Patriots 233 yards to 41. New York had 16 first downs to four for New England, forced Bledsoe to fumble once and got an interception by defensive end Jeff Lageman.

The Jets scored touchdowns on all five of their first-half possessions.

Baxter ended a 73-yard drive with his dive from the one, then Johnson scored to make it 14-0. Lageman’s interception led to Baxter’s four-yard touchdown. Ronnie Lott’s blitz forced Bledsoe to fumble and Bobby Houston fell on the ball at the New England 26. Thornton scored four plays later.

Mathis capped the big half by running for a touchdown around left end.

Cary Blanchard added a 42-yard field goal in the fourth quarter, and Adrian Murrell ran 37 yards for the final touchdown.

A five-yard run by Leonard Russell with 2:47 left kept the Jets from their first shutout in 11 years.

“The great thing about football is when the offense plays defense for you, it keeps you fresh,” Lott said. “When it keeps drives alive and has all those pass completions, we get to rest.”

The Jets outgained the Patriots, 388 yards to 211.