Brissett came off the bench to lead New England to victory in Week 8.
Taking the field down five points with 2:57 left in the fourth quarter, Jacoby Brissett needed to do something he failed to do multiple times this season: lead a game-winning drive.
12 plays and 70 yards later, that’s exactly what the veteran quarterback did as Rhamondre Stevenson plunged into the end zone from one-yard out on 4th-and-goal. The drive secured a 25-22 win for the New England Patriots over the New York Jets.
“I think it’s guys just believing in each other, taking it one play at a time. The start of the drive, everybody is like, no matter what, one play at a time, one play at a time. That was the message before the two-minute started,” Brissett said post game. “Guys went out there and made plays. You kind of black out and play football after that.”
Rewind three quarters prior, Brissett was on the sideline watching Drake Maye and the Patriots offense. That’s where he has been the last two games after the rookie was named the starter before Week 6.
But after a concussion knocked Maye out of the game on the third drive of the game, the ball was back in Brissett’s hands.
“Obviously, you never want to see a player go down. Obviously, hoping Drake gets back,” Brissett said. “I think it was a good win. Fighting through adversity. We got a challenge earlier this week, the guys came out and responded well. Obviously, being able to come in the game and guys rally around me and help make plays. We obviously pushed it in at the end to score the win.
“I think that was the encompass of a lot of things throughout the season. Just hoping this is a snowball effect, start of something special.”
In total, Brissett finished the game going 15-of-24 for 132 yards while also adding a key 14-yard scramble on 3rd-and-9 during the the final drive. The veteran’s best pass of the day then came three plays later as he absorbed a low hit while lofting a well-placed ball on a post route to Kayshon Boutte.
“I didn’t see [the pressure coming],” he explained. “Kayshon made a great play. I felt like I under-threw it. As soon as it came off my hand, I was like, ‘damn.’ He made an unbelievable play, a play that we needed at that time. The safety had tilted the opposite way, away from the X, where Kayshon was lined up. He did the rest. I was a mere speck on the play.”
Brissett was expectedly frustrated earlier this season after a 1-4 start to the season led to him being benched. But, the captain stuck true to his ways on and off the field to help put himself in this position on Sunday.
“It was just believing in myself, sticking to what I know is right, that I can play in this league,” Brissett said. “I don’t look at it as anything else but that. Like I said, just believing in myself and going out there and doing what I know I can do on a day-in, day-out process, basis. These were the results.”
On Sunday, the belief paid off.
“I don’t look at it as no redemption,” he said. “I think this is a testament to me believing in myself and not y’all. I’m very aware of that. I was very fortunate to have this opportunity. To go out there and get a win with our guys, it was sweet. You can’t put it into words. I’m not trying to, like, be arrogant or nothing, but I’m very proud of myself today.”