EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Thoughts on the New England Patriots' 17-16 win Sunday over the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium:
What it means: The Patriots had to grind this one out. It wasn't their best game, and the Jets deserve credit for that. The Patriots improve to 12-3 on the season, clinch a first-round playoff bye and still control their playoff seeding; if they win their regular-season finale against the Buffalo Bills, they will have home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs.
Game ball: Danny Amendola. The Patriots were without leading receiver Julian Edelman because of a concussion, and Amendola saw a notable increase in playing time on offense. He was charted on the field for 44 offensive snaps and finished with eight catches for 63 yards on 11 targets. He was also a key contributor in the return game.
Offensive line struggles: One reason the game was so close was protection struggles. This was not the finest day for the Patriots' offensive line, as the Jets made life challenging for them. One in-game adjustment of note was the benching of left guard Josh Kline at halftime. Kline was starting in place of injured Dan Connolly, but in the second half the Patriots inserted rookie Cameron Fleming at right guard and switched Ryan Wendell from right to left guard.
Wilfork gets piece of field goal: The Jets had a chance to go ahead 19-17 with five minutes remaining, but Nick Folk's 52-yard field goal attempt was short, as it appeared Vince Wilfork got his hand on the low attempt. The Patriots' field goal rush team has had big plays this year (three blocks), and this was another reminder of how the Patriots are getting key contributions in that phase of the game. Momentum had swung before that after a Tom Brady interception.
In-game X's and O's adjustments on offense: The Patriots were struggling on offense, but the key in-game adjustment came in the third quarter when they went to an up-tempo approach with two receivers (Brandon LaFell, Amendola), two tight ends (Rob Gronkowski, Tim Wright) and one running back (Shane Vereen). The Jets matched in their base defense initially, and that was the matchup the Patriots finally found success against, so they stuck with it. It took them a while to find it, but they did it in time.
Defense doing its part when it counts: Similar to the offense, this wasn't the best game for the Patriots' defense. But when they needed the stop, they came up with it. Wilfork and linebacker Jamie Collins were two players who stood out as top performers.
Injuries to monitor: No Patriots players left the game with injury.
What's next: The Patriots play their final regular-season game, hosting the Bills, on Sunday (currently scheduled for 1 p.m. ET).
