It’s Quite a Production for Lucas

The New England Patriots told Ray Lucas he couldn’t play in the NFL. The Patriots paid for it Monday night as Lucas led the New York Jets to a 24-17 victory over New England.

The inexperienced Lucas, a longtime project for Jet (and former Patriot) Coach Bill Parcells, threw for two first-half touchdowns, and Curtis Martin--also a former Patriot--rushed for more than 100 yards for the fourth consecutive game. Lucas and Martin accounted for two touchdowns in a 49-second span late in the first half that gave New York a 21-3 lead.

“This is probably one of the best moments ever, besides the Super Bowl [in 1996 with New England],” said Lucas, who played special teams for the Patriots, but was a quarterback at Rutgers. “You come back to beat the team and the guy [Patriot Coach Pete Carroll] who cut you, so you’ve got to feel pretty good.”

Martin, who signed a six-year, $36-million deal with the Jets last season, had 149 yards rushing in 31 carries, including a 36-yard touchdown run.

The Jets (3-6) had lost four games by blowing fourth-quarter leads and faced that possibility again. The out-of-sync Patriots (6-3), coming off an open date, scored two touchdowns in the fourth quarter and three times got the ball back when down by seven. But Drew Bledsoe completed only one of 11 passes and was sacked once in those possessions. He finished 15 for 36 for 170 yards with three interceptions.

It was another sweet victory for Parcells over his former team, which he left in a dispute with owner Robert Kraft in 1996. The Jets started a run from what appeared to be a lost season to the AFC championship game last year by beating the Patriots on a Monday night.

“Like I told the players, even though we are 3-6, it is too soon to quit,” Parcells said.

Martin’s touchdown run with 1:09 left in the first half made it 14-3. Then, three plays after Bledsoe threw an ill-advised long pass into the wind that was intercepted by Marcus Coleman, Lucas connected with Fred Baxter for an 11-yard touchdown play and a 21-3 halftime lead. Lucas, who was 18 for 31 for 153 yards with two interceptions, also had a one-yard touchdown pass to Keyshawn Johnson.

The Jets had a 19-play drive which carried over to the fourth quarter--taking 11 minutes 23 seconds--that resulted in John Hall’s 26-yard field goal which made it 24-3.

The Patriots scored two touchdowns in the next 5:31--a 13-yard play on a screen pass to Kevin Faulk and a 31-yard catch-and-run play by Troy Brown.