He gave them a leg up

Gostkowski's efforts went a long way in win

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - Stephen Gostkowski gave the New York Jets the boot yesterday, and it helped the Patriots in a big way.

The third-year kicker tied his career-high in the Patriots' 19-10 victory at Giants Stadium with a 4-for-4 performance, connecting from 21, 37, 28, and 27 yards, matching his effort from his rookie season when he made four field goals in a 40-7 win over the Houston Texans at Gillette Stadium Dec. 17, 2006.

Gostkowski is now 5 for 5 this season, and including the preseason, when he went 5 for 5, Gostkowski is 10 for 10 in 2008, erasing any doubt that may have surfaced after Super Bowl XLII last February, when coach Bill Belichick passed on a 49-yard field goal to go for it on fourth and 13.

But it wasn't just Gostkowski's field goals that foiled Brett Favre and the Jets. It was his booming kickoffs. Five times Gostkowski blasted the ball for touchbacks, and all six of his kickoffs reached the end zone. That neutralized Leon Washington and the Jets' return game and flipped the field position.

Thanks in part to Gostkowski, the Jets average starting point was their own 21, while the Patriots started at their own 42.

"It was a good day to go after it and try to get a touchback because it was warm, it was windy," said Gostkowski. "It's a different mind-set when it gets colder in New England, so it's fun to have a game like that, and you can go out there and work it; act like you're on the driving range and see how far you can kick it.

"I'm glad things turned out the way they did. My kickoff team appreciates it and the one we didn't get a touchback [Ray Ventrone] made a great play, so as far as our coverage any little advantage we get we're going to take. Especially against a guy like Washington who is one of the best in the league."

The kickoff coverage team recognized the advantage Gostkowski gave them yesterday.

"I wish I knew the ones that were not returnable. I wouldn't have run down there. It was real hot and humid tonight," joked fullback Heath Evans. "It's just huge. Average drive start in this league is somewhere around the 27, 28-yard line. So, when you start five times on the 20. That's huge. That's 35 or 40 yards of hidden yardage, that's four first downs. That's huge. It's nice to have a night with No. 3 kicking the ball like that."

First things first

All that work with the JUGS machine in the offseason finally paid off for second-year safety Brandon Meriweather. Ridiculed by friends and teammates last year for his hands of stone, Meriweather made a nice leaping interception of Favre in the third quarter at the Jets' 44 and returned it to the 31, setting up the Patriots' only touchdown.

"Brandon's interception was huge because it really changed the momentum of the game," said safety Rodney Harrison. "And it really gave us a lot of confidence on defense."

Meriweather downplayed his first pick, but did acknowledge it occurred to him it was off a certain Hall of Famer in Favre.

"I know that's what I said. I was happy when it happened," said Meriweather. "We're moving on to the Dolphins now. I'm not saying I'm not happy about the pick or anything and who I got it off of, but it's a business; it's time to go to the next team."

Maroney nicked

Running back Laurence Maroney left the game in the first half with a shoulder injury. Maroney returned to the Patriots' bench and was still in uniform. He re-entered the game with about 2:30 left in the fourth quarter, and carried the ball on second and 5 from the Jets 31. He was tackled for a 1-yard loss.

Maroney finished with eight rushes for 16 yards.

Any mention of Maroney and shoulder is concerning since Maroney injured his shoulder his rookie season and had surgery that offseason that caused him to sit out the first two exhibition games last year.

Maroney was not spotted in the locker room after the game.

Double time

Wide receiver Randy Moss was a total non-factor in the game, finishing with two catches for 22 yards. But it was not his fault, as he was consistently double-teamed.

It wasn't until Matt Cassel's 13th pass that he even threw in Moss's direction, completing an 8-yard pass to Moss with 1:14 left in the first half. Moss also caught a 14-yarder in the fourth quarter.

He could have had more, but Cassel couldn't connect with him on a fourth-quarter long ball. On first and 10 from the Patriots 48, Cassel had Moss, who sailed by Jets corner Darrelle Revis, wide open on a play-action pass, but his deep throw came up short and Revis batted it away.

"I didn't really see it because I was on the ground," said Cassel. "I threw it up there, and I was hoping to hear the crowd go, 'Ahh' because it was an away game, but I didn't really see the end result of it."

Field promotion

Veteran Deltha O'Neal, in just his second game as a Patriot, got the start at right cornerback, opposite Ellis Hobbs. He had five tackles. But perhaps his best play was drawing an offensive pass interference penalty on Jets wide receiver Jericho Cotchery in the third quarter that erased what would have been a 42-yard completion . . . Safety James Sanders was hurt with 10:42 left in the fourth quarter. He walked off the field under his own power, but did return . . . Matt Gutierrez was designated the third quarterback yesterday for the Patriots, meaning rookie Kevin O'Connell was the backup. Gutierrez was among the eight players listed as inactive. For the second straight game rookie outside linebacker Shawn Crable was inactive and rookie cornerback Terrence Wheatley, who was active against the Kansas City Chiefs in the season-opener but did not play, was also inactive. The other healthy scratches were tackle Wesley Britt and center Dan Connolly. Tight end Benjamin Watson (right knee), wide receiver Sam Aiken (right knee), and linebacker Eric Alexander (calf) were all declared out Saturday . . . The Patriots had free agent receivers Reche Caldwell and Bryan Gilmore in for tryouts last Friday. Caldwell was with the Patriots in 2006 and was the team's leading receiver that season with 61 receptions for 760 yards. The Patriots released him prior to the start of the last season, and he hooked on with the Washington Redskins, playing in eight games. Caldwell was released by the St. Louis Rams during the final round of preseason cuts . . . Through two games the Patriots defense has allowed just 20 points - the lowest total by a Patriots team since Bill Belichick became coach in 2000 . . . At kickoff the temperature was 90 degrees with a heat index of 98 degrees.

Christopher L. Gasper can be reached at cgasper@globe.com.