Patriots Hold On Despite Injuries

New England Patriot players are going down as quickly as the New York Jets’ season.

For the third straight game, the Patriots lost a key defender and the Jets lost a close game as New England won, 23-16, Sunday.

Tom Brady never missed a play after hurting his right elbow with 5:45 left in the second quarter. He ran for a one-yard touchdown late in the third quarter to break a 9-9 tie.

But in the first quarter, nose tackle Ted Washington fractured his leg and wide receiver David Patten hurt his right leg. Neither returned.

“We don’t ask, ‘Why us?’ ” linebacker Tedy Bruschi said. “We deal with what is happening, no matter who’s in there.”

Washington is expected to miss “a couple of weeks,” Coach Bill Belichick said.

It is not known how long Patten will be out.

The Patriots (2-1) already were without two starting linebackers -- Ted Johnson, who broke his left foot in the first game, and Rosevelt Colvin, who broke his left hip in the second and is expected to miss the season.

And they released safety Lawyer Milloy before the first game.

Cornerback Ty Law injured his ankle late in the first half but returned.

The Jets (0-3) lost to Washington, 16-13, on a field goal with five seconds left, then fell to Miami, 21-10, before Sunday’s seven-point loss.

“It’s a sickening feeling,” quarterback Vinny Testaverde said. “Losing like this is worse because you were in all three games.”

The Patriots broke a home losing streak against the Jets at five.

“We can put that little curse behind us,” Law said. “I’m sure the Jets will bounce back like they did last year.”

The Patriots won at the Meadowlands, 44-7, in the second game last year, then lost at home, 30-7, in the 15th game and missed the playoffs on the final weekend.