FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – Tom Brady finally got plenty of help — from a running back who nobody drafted and a defense that everybody exploited.

The New England Patriots used their most complete game of the season to beat the New York Jets 30-21 on Sunday in the latest edition of their fierce rivalry.

Additional Photos

New England’s BenJarvus Green-Ellis draws the attention of New York’s defense in the first quarter Sunday at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. Green-Ellis ran 27 times for a career-high 136 yards and two touchdowns as New England beat its fiercest rival. Photos by The Associated Press

Aaron Hernandez of the Patriots, left, holds onto the ball as David Harris of the Jets rips off his helmet on a hit in the first half Sunday in Foxborough, Mass.

BenJarvus Green-Ellis rushed for a career-high 136 yards and two touchdowns, the Patriots allowed a season-low 255 and Brady threw for 321 after starting the day with an NFL-best 388 yards passing per game.

“Obviously, our passing game has been unreal,” said Green-Ellis, signed in 2008 as a rookie free agent from Mississippi, “so we want to be an offense that can be able to do whatever we want to do, run or pass, and complement our defense.”

The Patriots (4-1) never trailed and won their 19th straight regular-season game at home. The Jets (2-3) lost their third straight.

“I never thought we’d have a three-game losing streak like this,” quarterback Mark Sanchez said. “It’s just frustrating.”

The Patriots had allowed an average of 477.5 yards, the most in the league. But they held Sanchez to 16 completions in 26 attempts for 166 yards and two touchdowns one week after he threw for just 119 yards in a 34-17 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.

“I think every week we’ve been getting better and better and better (defensively) and today was a good day to get back on track,” defensive tackle Vince Wilfork said.

And they did it without star linebacker Jerod Mayo, sidelined for the first time this season with a serious knee sprain.

“You can’t fill his shoes. He’s a playmaker,” Patriots safety James Ihedigbo said, “Gary Guyton and Brandon Spikes did a great job of communicating (in place of Mayo) and we played like a unit.”

In the most recent meeting of the rivalry, Sanchez outplayed Brady in New York’s 28-21 playoff win on Jan. 16. But the crowd was unusually subdued throughout the first half Sunday, perhaps because of the lackluster play that included six penalties by each team.

Few players referred to the rivalry after the game.

Brady had another strong game, completing 24 of 33 passes for one touchdown and one interception as the Patriots scored at least 30 points for the 13th straight regular-season game.

“Obviously, they’re the better team right now,” said Jets Coach Rex Ryan, his usual bravado missing. “Against New England, you’ve got to get off the field. They did a great job sustaining drives. They earned it.”

New England scored the first 10 points and led 10-7 at halftime.

The Jets staged a comeback after falling behind 27-14, marching 85 yards to a 21-yard scoring pass from Sanchez to Santonio Holmes. Sanchez was 5 for 6 on the drive for 65 yards — more than 40 percent of his total for the game.

But the Patriots came right back, holding the ball for 6:12 and scoring with 1:02 remaining on Stephen Gostkowski’s 28-yard field goal, his third of the game.

On the first play of the third quarter, Brady and Wes Welker connected for a 73-yard gain. Three plays later, a wide-open Deion Branch caught a 2-yard touchdown pass from Brady on the left side of the end zone.

“I took my eyes off of him,” cornerback Antonio Cromartie said. “I took one peep. As soon as I peeped, he went the opposite way. That’s all on me.”

The Jets struck right back when Joe McKnight returned the kickoff 88 yards one week after scoring on a 107-yard kickoff return. New York needed just three plays to reach the end zone on a 3-yard touchdown pass from Sanchez to Jeremy Kerley, cutting the lead to 17-14.

Green-Ellis, who had 27 carries, then scored his second 3-yard touchdown with 1:20 left in the third quarter, and Gostkowski added a 24-yard field goal with 12:57 to go in the game.

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