Neither Wind, Rain Nor Patriots Can Stop the Jets, 6-0

The New York Jets got their first shutout since 1982 in monsoon-like conditions that gave Boomer Esiason visions of Christopher Columbus.

“I felt like I was on the Santa Maria coming over to America, looking for a new world,” the Jet quarterback said after torrential rain and 68-m.p.h. winds swept through New York’s 6-0 victory over the New England Patriots. “They were on the trip for four months, weren’t they?”

The ordeal lasted for four quarters Sunday, leaving players muddy and waterlogged.

“I’ve seen wind that was definitely as bad as this, but never accompanied by the kind of torrential rain we were having,” Patriot Coach Bill Parcells said. “The elements were a tremendous factor.”

The Jets (7-4) got all their points in the first half on field goals of 33 and 23 yards by Cary Blanchard, then used defense and a couple of crucial New England mistakes to hang on for their fifth consecutive victory.

It was the first shutout for the Jets since Nov. 21, 1982, when they defeated the Baltimore Colts, 37-0.

The Patriots (1-10), who have lost their last six games, got inside the New York 20 twice in the fourth quarter, but a blocked field-goal attempt and a fumble kept them scoreless.

The fumble came at the Jet seven with 1:28 to play, when Michael Timpson was stripped of the ball after catching a pass. Lonnie Young stripped it and Brian Washington recovered, ending a New England drive that started at the Patriot 30 with 2:34 to play.

The other drive ended at the New York 11 with 5:25 remaining. Scott Sisson’s 28-yard field-goal attempt, which wobbled into the Jets’ line, sent mud flying.

The field was a muddy mess, with divots left by players’ cleats surrounded by dirty towels scattered across the field by quarterbacks and kickers.