Seymour is moved to comment

FOXBOROUGH -- Defensive lineman Richard Seymour had his playing time limited in yesterday's game, and hinted that it wasn't his choice.

"I just go when my number is called. I don't say when I go in and come out," Seymour said. "We have coaches who tell us some of those rotations. We leave it up to them. Obviously, you don't always agree with everything that goes on, but you respect it. But you definitely don't have to agree with everything."

Seymour acknowledged that he isn't 100 percent, with his left elbow and groin nagging him.

With fellow end Ty Warren missing yesterday's game because of a shoulder injury, Seymour moved from his regular right end spot to Warren's left side. Jarvis Green started on the opposite end, and the Patriots also rotated Mike Wright and Marquise Hill into the game at the position.

"We were getting guys reps, that was kind of the game plan going into it," Seymour said. "Obviously, when you're in the game, you get more of the feel for the game. That goes without saying, but like I said, you're just on the go when your number is called. That's just the bottom line."

Seymour said playing the opposite side gave him a different look at running plays, and that the Jets kept the defense off balance, switching their runs after the Patriots seemingly had adjusted. He credited Jets coach Eric Mangini for having a sound plan.

"Eric was here, so he knows what we do, but there are no excuses," Seymour said. "They outplayed us and outcoached us today. We just have to do a better job of meeting force with force. We just have to do a better job from top to bottom being ready to go."

Receiver Doug Gabriel didn't play after losing a fumble at the start of the second quarter. On the play, Gabriel caught a pass from quarterback Tom Brady along the left sideline and was racing up the field when linebacker Victor Hobson punched the ball loose from behind at the Jets' 15. The Jets recovered and went on a 16-play scoring drive that was a momentum-changer.

Coach Bill Belichick said Gabriel wasn't injured, an indication Gabriel could have been disciplined for his miscue. While Gabriel watched from the bench, the Patriots turned to Reche Caldwell, Jabar Gaffney, and Troy Brown as their top three receivers. Caldwell finished with a career-high nine catches for 90 yards and a touchdown, and Gaffney came through with three catches for 65 yards, including a splendid one-handed, 13-yard catch on a fourth-down play in the second quarter.

"The more we spend time together, the more comfortable I grow in the offense and the more confidence I earn from [Brady] and the rest of the coaching staff," said Gaffney, who joined the team Oct. 9. "I have been waiting patiently for my turn to go out there."

The Patriots' final drive of the first half -- which ended with Stephen Gostkowski's 21-yard field goal -- was extended when Hobson was penalized for unnecessary roughness on Brady. Referee Peter Morelli explained the call in a pool report after the game, saying: "He picked [Brady] up and drove him into the ground and used the force of his helmet and basically stuffed him into the ground. He has to know when the quarterback lets the pass go. It's his responsibility as the defender to know when the ball is gone and let up and to back off." . . . Running back Corey Dillon finished with a season-high 98 yards on 11 carries (8.9-yard average) and had a 50-yard run in the first quarter. The 50-yarder was Dillon's longest run since Oct. 6, 2002, and the Patriots' longest since Sedrick Shaw had a 71-yarder Dec. 27, 1998 . . . The Patriots were 3 of 3 on fourth-down conversions and now have converted 11 of 14 fourth-down chances this season (78.6 percent) . . . Punter Josh Miller had a disappointing day, with four attempts, two touchbacks, and a 26.5-yard net average . . . Rookie Laurence Maroney, who entered the game tied for the league lead on kickoff returns with the Jets' Justin Miller, had three runbacks for 89 yards (29.7-yard average). Miller finished with three returns for 103 yards . . . Linebackers Tedy Bruschi (16) and Junior Seau (15) led the team in tackles . . . Safety Artrell Hawkins's second-quarter interception was his first in 12 games as a member of the Patriots and 11th of his career. The pick was the Patriots' 10th of the season, matching last year's regular-season total . . . The Patriots are now 2-3 at home. "That is probably one area I think everyone is most upset about, especially when you have your hometown fans in the stands," Hawkins said. "You have to protect your own house. We haven't been able to do that on a consistent basis this year. It needs to be addressed." . . . Rosevelt Colvin's third-quarter sack increased his season total to 3 1/2, second on the team behind Jarvis Green (5 1/2) . . . Footing was an issue for both teams. "Any field is nasty when it rains like it did before the game," tight end Daniel Graham said. "It was a nasty field." Nose tackle Vince Wilfork's take on the field: "Terrible. You play in the rain, so you have to adjust."

In addition to being without Warren, the Patriots also deactivated safeties Eugene Wilson and Rodney Harrison; defensive lineman Le Kevin Smith; offensive linemen Stephen Neal and Wesley Britt; tight end Garrett Mills; and outside linebacker Pierre Woods. The game was the first Warren has missed since joining the team as a first-round draft choice in 2003, a stretch that covered 56 regular-season games and eight playoff contests. He has been nagged by a shoulder injury . . . Third-year veteran Billy Yates started for the third straight week in place of Neal at right guard and left the game at the end of the third quarter with a leg injury. Yates was taken to the locker room and didn't return . . . Offensive lineman Russ Hochstein returned after missing the last three games because of a knee injury but didn't start. He was used mostly as a third tight end early, and then played the final quarter at right guard in place of Yates . . . Graham returned after missing the last four games, and had one catch for 6 yards . . . For the Jets, running backs Derrick Blaylock and Cedric Houston; fullback James Hodgins, linebacker Anthony Schlegel; offensive lineman Na'Shan Goddard; and defensive lineman C.J. Mosley were inactive, with Kellen Clemens the third quarterback.

Owner Robert Kraft and president Jonathan Kraft attended yesterday's Patriots game instead of the MLS Cup featuring their soccer team, the Revolution. Spokesman Stacey James said Robert Kraft was hoping to change his luck after attending the MLS Cup the last two times the Revolution played; the team lost both games. David Kraft, one of Robert and Myra Kraft's four sons, attended the Revolution game, but the team fell just short again, losing to the Houston Dynamo in a shootout.

Mike Reiss can be reached at mreiss@globe.com.