NFL notes: Tom Brady throws 3 TD passes as Patriots beat Jets

Tom Brady threw three touchdown passes and the New England Patriots held off the New York Jets 27-25 when Nick Folk’s 58-yard field goal attempt was blocked on the last play Thursday night in Foxborough, Massachussetts.

The surprisingly competitive Jets suffered their sixth straight loss after taking a 19-17 lead with just less than 9 minutes left in the third quarter on Chris Ivory’s 1-yard run.

Stephen Gostkowski put the Patriots (5-2) ahead to stay with his second field goal, a 36-yarder with 4:10 to go in the third. Brady’s 19-yard touchdown pass to Danny Amendola gave them an eight-point lead with 4:10 remaining.

The Jets (1-6) made it 27-25 on Geno Smith’s 10-yard scoring pass to Jeff Cumberland with 2:31 left, but Smith’s pass for the 2-point conversion was incomplete.

The blocked kick was Folk’s first miss of the season.

Manning focused on 49ers

Peyton Manning could break Brett Favre’s NFL record for most career touchdown passes Sunday night when the Denver Broncos (4-1) host the San Francisco 49ers (4-2).

Manning has 506, two shy of Favre’s mark, but Manning said he only wants to have more points than the 49ers do when it’s all over.

“That’s what I’ve concentrated on, trying to do whatever it takes to win,” he said.

Favre said he’s thrilled Manning is about to pass him and maybe approach 600 TD tosses by the time he retires. Manning reached 500 in his 244th game, 49 fewer than Favre.

“I’m not surprised, as well as he’s been playing for so many years,” Favre said.

Goodell may testify in Rice case

A neutral arbiter is expected to decide early next week whether NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell should testify during an appeal of Ray Rice’s indefinite suspension, a person familiar with the case told the Associated Press.

Goodell said last week he’d leave the decision to former U.S. District Judge Barbara S. Jones. She was picked by the commissioner and the players’ union to hear Rice’s appeal earlier this month. The hearing is set for November.

“I think Judge Jones is the one who ultimately is going to make the rules,” Goodell said.

Around the league

Carolina WR Kelvin Benjamin missed his second straight day of practice with a concussion, raising concerns about his availability for Sunday’s game at Green Bay. Coach Ron Rivera said the standout rookie will meet with independent doctors today to determine if he’s ready to play. … A Dallas judge has dismissed the sexual assault lawsuit filed against Cowboys owner Jerry Jones. State District Judge Dale Tillery ruled that allegations made against Jones by an Oklahoma woman were barred by Texas law on statutes of limitations. Jana Weckerly accused Jones of grabbing her genitals and forcibly kissing her in 2009. … Tampa Bay fired director of player development Isaiah Harris after he was arrested for driving under the influence.