Another Backside Debacle This Time at Patriots Expense

The latest bizarre episode in the long strange rivalry between the Jets and the Patriots made N.F.L. history. An ill timed two handed push by Patriots defensive lineman Chris Jones led to a penalty that had never been called since the league s founding in the 1920s.

And four plays after that unprecedented penalty the Jets had won in overtime 30 27.

The pivotal moment that shoved the Jets to victory in a game that will not soon be forgotten occurred about eight minutes into overtime as Jets place kicker Nick Folk was missing a 56 yard field goal try. Attempting the kick had been a risky decision by Coach Rex Ryan because a miss would have put the Patriots at their 46 roughly 25 yards from being in position to convert a makable game winning field goal attempt of their own.

As Folk s kick drifted wide New England quarterback Tom Brady reached for his helmet on the sideline.

Then I saw the flag Brady said later. I didn t know what they called. I m still not sure what the call was.

The penalty was for Rule 9 1 3 instituted this season. It prohibits defenders on a field goal attempt from pushing a teammate into the offensive formation. Jones lined up to the left of the Jets center shifted to his right just after the snap and using his hands pushed at the backside of his teammate Will Svitek as he charged forward attempting to block the kick.

The flag was thrown almost immediately and after a brief conference a 15 yard penalty was assessed. Given a second chance minutes later Folk made a 42 yard field goal to win the game.

On the same field where Mark Sanchez had collided with the rump of lineman Brandon Moore on Thanksgiving Day last year leading to a fumble that the Patriots Steve Gregory returned for a touchdown in a 49 19 New England rout the Jets had earned a stunning victory. On Sunday when it was over the Jets all but skipped off the field.

The Patriots retreated to their locker room wondering how things had gone so wrong so fast. They had been in a clearly advantageous position when Folk s first overtime field goal attempt did not end the game. One history making penalty and one shorter field goal attempt later the Jets were back in the race for the A.F.C. East title.

Afterward Patriots Coach Bill Belichick looked dumbfounded standing rigid at a lectern as he mumbled nearly incoherent responses to questions. While that might be his routine postgame demeanor win or lose Belichick seemed especially thunderstruck.

Asked if it was any harder or easier to lose because an official whistled the Patriots for a penalty that had never been called Belichick uttered a nearly inaudible but entirely believable I don t know.

He did dispute that the ruling was administered properly.

We weren t on the second level when we pushed him Belichick said.

Asked to elaborate on what he meant Belichick answered You can t push on the second level but I don t think we did that.

Later for a third time Belichick said again in a faint voice and without explaining what he meant that the new rule was about pushing on the second level.

The game s referee Jerome Boger issued a statement to a pool reporter without mentioning a first second or third level.

The call was that No. 94 on the defense pushed his teammate into the formation Boger said. That is a rule change for 2013 that a teammate cannot push a teammate.

Boger was asked to define what kind of push is prohibited. Two hands One hand

Look ma no hands

Any push Boger said.

Jones on whom the penalty was called said he pushed Svitek low for leverage in an attempt to get an extra push toward the middle toward the kick.

Jones who had a strong game with five tackles including two sacks was one of the few Patriots sitting at his locker when reporters were allowed into the New England locker room. Still dressed in his uniform pants Jones a 23 year old rookie out of Bowling Green said he felt compelled to concede his mistake.

I don t know if it was a gift to them but we were going to get the ball back in good field position Jones said. It s my mistake and I ve got to man up and accept it.

Jones said he did not know that pushing Svitek would be a penalty.

But I figured it out pretty quick when I saw the penalty flag he said.

When Brady emerged from the showers he tried to absolve Jones. That s just a guy trying to play hard Brady said. There are so many other things we could have done to win. I certainly need to play better.

Brady was asked if he had ever seen a game hinge so completely on a penalty new to the game.

He did not answer. He has seen a lot of Jets Patriots games. He knows by now as Sunday proved once again that anything can happen in these games.

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