Top 5 New York Jets games in history are meaningful
5. January 4, 2003 New York 41 Indianapolis 0
This game was the best one in Chad Pennington's injury filled career. 19 for 25 passing for 222 yards, 3 touchdowns and a QB rating of 142.0. Chad was up against Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts in this wildcard matchup. The Jets would rush for 185 yards, 102 yards from Lamont Jordan and 67 from former Patriot, Curtis Martin. The Colts were held to 52 yards rushing, with RB Edgerrin James accounting for only 14 yards on 9 carries. Indianapolis got only 10 first downs and were ushered out of the playoffs.
QB Peyton Manning struggled the entire game. He was sacked only once, but pressured throughout. His final statistics were the worst of his young career. 14 for 31 passing with two interceptions, one fumble and a QB rating of 31.2.
ESPN: "I am so proud of my teammates to see in every one of them that they are not complacent,'' Pennington said. "To me, it's special when you're able to step in the huddle and see the intensity and focus in the eyes of your teammates."
4. January 10, 1999 New York 34 Jacksonville 24
In the divisional round, Jets WR Keyshawn Johnson caught 9 passes for 121 yards and a touchdown, rushed for 28 yards and a touchdown, recovered a fumble, and intercepted a pass on defense near the end of the game when he was brought in as an extra defensive back. That is an NFL record that should stand the test of time.
There were two key plays in the game that turned the tide in the favor of the hometown, New York Jets. In the second quarter, Wikipedia :
Jets RB Curtis Martin lost a fumble that Jacksonville safety Chris Hudson initially recovered on the Jaguars 18-yard line. But during the return, he fumbled while attempting a lateral to teammate Dave Thomas as he was being tackled by Vinny Testaverde, and Keyshawn Johnson recovered the ball on New York's 34-yard line.
With 2:30 left in the game, Jacksonville rookie safety Donovin Darius intercepted a pass from QB Vinny Testaverde in the end zone, but instead on kneeling down for a touchback, he attempted to return the ball and was tackled at the one-yard line.
The Jets defense was stellar forcing four turnovers, including three interceptions. Jaguars QB Mark Brunelle was only 12 for 31 for 156 yards. Jacksonville was held to 95 yards rushing.
A late John Hall field goal sent the Jets fan happy for this covered the nine point spread.
3. October 23, 2000 New York 40 Miami 37 (OT)
The game is notable for having the second largest fourth-quarter comeback in NFL history and the largest comeback in Jets history. It was also voted the greatest game televised on ABC's Monday Night Football, along with being #5 on NFL Top Ten's Top Ten Comebacks.
At the end of the third quarter with the score 30–7 in Miami's favor, Jets broadcaster Howard David announced, "And with a whole quarter to go, this game is over.
"Actor Arnold Schwarzenegger, while visiting the ABC broadcast booth, said after halftime,
“ Wayne Chrebet is going to pull it off. I think as usual the Jets are going to come from behind, you will see... I think the Dolphins have to be terminated. ”
The former California Governor must have known something because the Jets stormed back in the second half scoring 30 points to force overtime. The tying score was a two yard pass to offensive tackle, Jumbo Elliott on the "tackle eligible."
In overtime, Miami QB Jay Fielder was intercepted by Jets CB Marcus who fumbled the ball back to the Dolphins. Later in the same drive, Coleman intercepted a Fielder pass, again. This set up the winning field goal by Jets K John Hall for the win.
The game got over at 1:22AM with just a few brave, or unemployed souls still in attendance.
2. September 21, 1986 New York 51 Miami 45 (OT)
It was the defining moment of Ken O' Brien's life. Ken was matched head to head with Miami QB Dan Marino. New York fans had clamored for the Jets to select Dan Marino #1 with the 24th pick in the 1983 draft. This draft had six QB's taken in the first 27 selections. The Baltimore Colts chose Stanford QB John Elway #1, but he forced a trade to the Denver Broncos. Kansas took Todd Blackledge at #7, Buffalo took Jim Kelly at #14 and New England followed with Tony Eason at #15. The two bottom choices now met in an early season tilt at Giants Stadium.
The Jets and Dolphins combined for 1100 yards in this overtime thriller. The game was back and forth on the scoreboard with neither team opening any lead larger than seven. Miami QB Dan Marino would throw 50 times with 30 completions for 448 yards and six touchdowns. It wasn't enough because the kid from UC-Davis went for a career best.
Jets QB Ken O'Brien shredded the Miami defense for 479 yards on 29 of 43 passing. He teamed up with WR Wesley Walker to tie the score at 45 with under one minute to play in regulation. In overtime, a 43 yard pass from O' Brien to Walker completed the comeback. Just this one time did Jets fans want O' Brien over Marino.
1. January 12, 1969 New York 16 Baltimore 7 Super Bowl III
Super Bowl III was the third AFL-NFL Championship Game in professional American football, the first to officially bear the name "Super Bowl". There was the guarantee from QB Joe Namath that the Jets would win. Joe would go further in his comments to mock the Baltimore Colts. After winning the AFL championship, Namath said that at least four AFL quarterbacks were better than Earl Morrall, including himself, his backup (38-year old Babe Parilli), John Hadl of the San Diego Chargers, and Bob Griese of the Dolphins.
Joe was coming off a year where he passed for 3197 yards with only 15 touchdowns and 17 interceptions. For his career, Namath finished at -47 on touchdowns versus interceptions. Denver QB Peyton Manning is currently +284 while New England QB Tom Brady is at +233.
The Jets opened the game on the ground with RB Matt Snell gaining three yards and knocking out Colts S Rick Volk with a concussion. This play proved important for the Colts lost a key defensive component to their frequent blitzing attack.
Namath would complete 17 of 28 passes for 195 yards with no touchdowns, but key passes to WR George Sauer over the middle kept drives alive. Sauer caught eight balls for 133 yards.
The Colts were the only NFL team that featured zone coverage. All AFL teams were familiar with this tactic, and the Jets remained conservative, mixing in the running of Snell and Emerson Boozer with short passes to the "dead spots in the zone."
The Jets retained the ball for over 36 minutes.
While the Orange Bowl was sold out for the game, the live telecast was not shown in Miami due to both leagues' unconditional blackout rules at the time. NBC Broadcaster Curt Gowdy called the game "the most memorable one" he ever called. CBS loaned their top announcer, Pat Summerall to the rival network so NBC could have solid player interviews from the locker room.
"Have we, each of us, all done all we could? Have we done enough?" On this day, the New York Jets could answer YES.
Paul Murphy is a freelance writer from New Hampshire.
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