FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) - Jets coach Todd Bowles arrived in New England a day later than planned, saying gallstones and kidney stones kept him from taking the team flight.
When he got there, he didn’t like what he saw .
The Patriots took advantage of four New York turnovers to stomp the Jets 41-3 on Saturday and send them to their sixth loss in seven games. Bowles was on the sideline, having flown up the morning of the game after spending time in the hospital.
“There was a sense of relief seeing him in the locker room before the game, just making sure he was OK,” quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick said. “It’s a scary thing.”
Bowles, 53, told reporters after the game the problem was “kidney stones, gallstones, gallbladder” and that he wasn’t certain he would be able to make the game at all.
“Gallstones got stuck in the pipe. A lot of pain, and (it) went from there,” he said. “I had to pass some tests and be feeling somewhat normal to get out there.”
Tom Brady passed for 214 yards and three touchdowns, Malcolm Butler had two interceptions and a fumble recovery and LeGarrette Blount had a pair of 1-yard scores for New England (13-2). Brady sat out the fourth quarter to rest and was replaced by Deflategate understudy Jimmy Garoppolo.
Petty failed to complete a pass in three attempts, saying he struggled to grip the ball in the rain. He had one pass picked off by Butler when it went off receiver Robby Anderson’s hands.
Fitzpatrick completed eight of 21 passes for 136 yards, but threw two interceptions.
Only a meaningless fourth-quarter field goal with the Jets (4-11) trailing by six touchdowns prevented them from taking their first shutout since 2014. In its last four games, including an overtime victory over the one-win 49ers, New York has been outscored 133-49.
“We got beat today. We got embarrassed,” Fitzpatrick said. “But there aren’t any quitters in this locker room.”
But the injuries kept piling up.
Starting quarterback Bryce Petty was injured for the second straight week, leaving the game in the first quarter with a dislocated left shoulder. He said he did not know if it will allow him to play in the season finale next weekend.
Tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins left with a hamstring injury in the first half and also did not return. Defensive lineman Leonard Williams came back from a third-quarter chest injury; running back Bilal Powell banged his knee but returned to the game.
Running back Khiry Robinson left with a leg injury after being active for the first time this season. Receiver Brandon Marshall also left the game in the third quarter, with a left hip injury.
“It feels like there’s something else going on,” cornerback Darrelle Revis said of the mounting injuries that have now spread to the coaching staff. “Besides football, health is the most important thing. … It was definitely good to see him.”
Bowles, who is in his second season with the Jets, also had a health scare in February when a benign mass was removed from his throat.
He is headed to another offseason of doctor visits.
“I think it was just the action of him showing up. I think that’s what was so impressive,” Fitzpatrick said. “For him to be battling through whatever he’s battling … that action speaks volumes as to the man and the coach he is.”
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