Jets wide receiver Jermaine Kearse talks about the news that GM Mike Maccagnan and coach Todd Bowles were given contract extensions on Friday, Dec. 29, 2017. Andy Vasquez/NorthJersey.com
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- The final game of the season hasn't contained much intrigue for the Jets.
The Jets are trailing 24-3 early in the fourth quarter. Bryce Petty has struggled mightily; the Jets have yet to convert on third down -- they're 0-for-9.
Fans were hoping to finally get a look at Christian Hackenberg, but he has remained on the bench. He has yet to take a snap as a pro, and it doesnt' look like it's going to happen today or this season.
The good news, however, is that the jets are not going to win this game, which will help their draft position.
Patriots 21, Jets 3 -- halftime
The Patriots are taking care of business against the Jets.
They lead 21-3 at halftime and seem poised for an easy victory. The only bit of drama remaining now is if we'll finally see Christian Hackenberg in the second half.
The Jets are down big and have nothing to play for. This seems like a perfect time to let Hackenberg make his NFL debut. And if that happens after halftime, Bryce Petty may already have taken his final snap with the Jets.
If the Jets pick up a quarterback in the offseason, as they're expected to, Petty would be the odd man out.
He finished the first half 5-of-10 for 97 yards.
Patriots 14, Jets 3 -- late first half
The most important thing for the Jets in this game was to emerge from it healthy.
That won't be the case.
Rookie safety Marcus Maye suffered an ankle injury late in the first half. He's been listed as questionable to return.
The injury happened when Maye was called for a pass interference in the second quarter. Brady found receiver Brandin Cooks deep down the right side, he had Maye beat, but Maye gave a little tug of the jersey. But as the play was ending, Maye collided with teammate Jamal Adams and seemed to tweak his ankle.
Maye received medical attention on the sideline. He was then taken directly back to the locker room. Maye was walking slowly, but putting pressure on both his legs.
The Patriots scored a touchdown a few plays later to take a 14-7 lead
Patriots 7, Jets 3 -- 2:21 left in the second quarter
A year ago, the Jets had to kick a field goal in the fourth quarter to avoid getting shut out at Gillette Stadium. They lost that game 41-3.
They won't have to worry about that this time.
The Jets strung together a nice drive, with Bryce Petty finding Jermaine Kearse and tight end Neal Sterling. That set up a 48-yard field goal for Chandler Catanzaro. He made it, with no issues, quite a formidable accomplishment in this weather, to get the Jets on the board.
On the next drive, a 35-yard pass to Neal Sterling helped set up another field goal. But this time, Catanzaro hooked it left from 40 yards with 12:29 left in the second quarter. An opportunity missed.
Meanwhile, the defense has actually looked pretty good the last two drives. They forced Tom Brady and the Patriots to punt. Perhaps the Jets are on the verge of stunning the football world? It's a little too early for that. But the Jets have obviously come to play.
Patriots 7, Jets 0 -- early first quarter
Well, it hasn't been an ideal start for the Jets.
They allowed the Patriots to march down the field on their initial possession. Running back Dion Lewis cashed in with a three-yard touchdown run.
Meanwhile, things did not go well for the Jets once they got the ball. JoJo Natson's kickoff return was for only two yards. The Jets' first snap from scrimmage was a false start. Predictably, the Jets went three-and-out.
This could be a long day for the Jets. But remember, a loss will only help their draft position.
Pregame
If this is the day that Jets' quarterback Christian Hackenberg makes his NFL debut, he'll do it with a few key pieces missing from the offense.
Starting tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins and starting right tackle Brandon Shell were both left off the active roster for Sunday's season finale against the Patriots.
Seferian-Jenkins is dealing with foot and rib injuries. He had been listed as doubtful to play. Shell has a concussion and was ruled out on Friday's injury report.
The Jets are also without starting right guard Brian Winters and running back Matt Forte. Both players were put on injured reserve this week.
Winters wrote on Twitter that he plans to undergo surgery after he "completely tore" his abdomen and abductor muscles in the Jets' Week 2 loss to the Raiders. Forte, 32, has been dealing with knee issues and could have played his final game with the Jets. The team would save $3 million by cutting him this offseason.
The Jets will also be without Muhammad Wilkerson, who is inactive yet again. You can read more about that situation here.
It's wickedly cold outside, with temperatures for Sunday's game forecasted to be no higher than 13 degrees. That didn't bother rookie Jamal Adams, who was warming up on the field shirtless. Teammate Marcus Maye, a Florida native, was bundled up nearby like just about everyone else at Gillette Stadium.
Sunday's game is absolutely meaningless for the Jets, who are eliminated from the playoffs and announced earlier this week that they'd be retaining coach Todd Bowles and general manager Mike Maccagnan.
The Patriots actually have a quite a bit on the line. With a win, they can clinch home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs.
Here's the full list of inactives for the Jets: DE Mo Wilkerson CB Rashard Robinson OLB Freddie Bishop RT Brandon Shell WR Lucky Whitehead TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins DT Deon Simon.
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