C.J. Mosley returned to the starting lineup Monday night, but he did not look like himself.

The Jets inside linebacker was back after missing four games with a groin strain, but he looked slow and the coaches removed him in the fourth quarter. Mosley admitted the groin was bothering him.

“I was feeling my groin a little bit. I just played through it,” he said.

The Jets were hoping Mosley could provide a spark on defense like Sam Darnold did on offense last week. But it was not to be in the 33-0 loss to the Patriots. Mosley had three tackles.

“I felt it,” Mosley said. “It felt like a pulled muscle, affecting when I was cutting and things like that. For the most part, I was trying to run as fast as I could and try to play my normal style of football.”

Mosley said he needs to see how the groin feels Tuesday before figuring out what is next. He did sound like he does not expect it to get fully healed this year.

“[The trainers] didn’t really say, but it’s a groin injury,” Mosley said. “Where it’s at, it affects every move that I make at my position. Unless I don’t play at all, that’s the only way it’s going to get better. That’s not really in my plans not to play the rest of the season.”

Trumaine Johnson may have wished he was back on the bench Monday night.

The Jets cornerback got beat for a touchdown and later was flagged for a pass interference penalty. Johnson did record his first interception of the season, picking off Tom Brady in the third quarter after Leonard Williams hit the Patriots quarterback, causing him to float a pass.

Phillip Dorsett abused Johnson on a 26-yard touchdown pass from Brady in the first quarter, beating him cleanly for the score.

“Great ball, great catch,” Johnson said. “Wish I could get it back. If anything, I’d turn my head around faster. I was right there. Like I said, it was a great ball and great catch.”

QB Sam Darnold limped off the field at the end of the third quarter with a toe injury. Jets coach Adam Gase said the toe was wrapped and Darnold was OK, but he was limping at the end of the game. He had a bandage on his left big toe in the locker room.

“I just got stepped on,” Darnold said. “Obviously, those little things add up. I’ll be fine. There’s no need to worry about it.”

Center Ryan Kalil left the game with an elbow injury, returned and then exited again. Jonotthan Harrison played in his place. RG Brian Winters also left the game with an undisclosed injury and was replaced by Tom Compton.

Chuma Edoga started at left tackle in place of the injured Kelvin Beachum. Brandon Shell started at right tackle.