Win Over Jets Lifts Patriots’ Playoff Hopes : AFC: Punt on fake field- goal attempt plays key role in 24-13 victory.

Ricky Reynolds carried the ball--and New England’s playoff hopes--into the end zone on an 11-yard interception return.

The Patriots defeated the New York Jets, 24-13, Sunday after Reynolds gave them a 17-13 lead with 3:51 left in the third quarter. Afterward, New England Coach Bill Parcells ran off the field, his right index finger raised toward the adoring crowd.

It was an unlikely sight for a team that was sinking with a four-game losing streak just a month ago. Now the Patriots have won four in a row.

“I don’t pay attention to a lot of people,” Parcells said of doomsayers who emerged during the slide. “We have a pretty good edge right now in terms of a mental edge and I’d like to keep it.”

The Patriots (7-6) moved ahead of their AFC East rival Jets (6-7). There was little jubilation as the Jets trudged to their locker room after their third loss in four games.

“Now we’ll find out how much character we have,” Jet quarterback Boomer Esiason said. “It’ll be very tough. We’ll have to listen to doubters and we’ll have to get them back on the wagon. We’ll have to stay tight as a team.”

The Patriots aren’t worried about that.

“This is a young team with a lot of hungry guys,” New England running back Marion Butts said. “You have to have three factors in order to make it to the playoffs and win and we have all three, motivation, desire and courage.”

Art Monk tied Steve Largent’s NFL record of 177 consecutive games with at least one catch on a seven-yard reception with 3:25 left in the first quarter.

“It would have been much more satisfying if we had won,” Monk said.

The game turned on a fake field-goal try that became a punt and pinned the Jets at their one-yard line. After Richie Anderson ran twice for four yards, Esiason threw toward Ryan Yarborough on the left side.

Reynolds cut in front, caught the ball and cruised the rest of the way for the Patriots’ first defensive touchdown of the year and New York’s first turnover of the game.

Before the fake field-goal attempt, the Patriots had a fourth and seven at the New York 31. Punter Pat O’Neill, who also tries long field goals, lined up for a field goal. Instead, he placed a punt perfectly, and tackle Todd Rucci downed the ball at the one.

“The fake field goal was the big play of the game,” Jet Coach Pete Carroll said. “We couldn’t get the ball out of there.”