Bill Parcells gets the royal treatment as the Jets celebrate their first Division title
Jets Do the Impossible, Win AFC EAST
Seven years ago, the New York Jets went into Miami on the last week of the season and beat the Dolphins in overtime to clinch a playoff spot. Seven years later, the Jets went down to southern Florida and defeated the Dolphins to clinch their first playoff birth since that overtime victory 7 seasons ago. The Jets used smothering defense and timely offense to defeat Miami 21-16 and earn a birth in the 1998 playoffs. The win also put the Jets one win away from their first division title ever and extends the team's hope for a first round bye, and to be one win away from the AFC title game.
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The Jets found themselves in a quick 3-0 hole after Olindo Mare's 23-yard field goal 5 minutes into the game. But the Jets struck back quickly, using a 52-yard pass from Vinnie Testeverde to Wayne Chrebet to Miami's 12-yard line. On the next play, Chrebet beat a linebacker and Testeverde found him in the end zone for a go-ahead TD that would put the Jets in the lead they would not relinquish.
The Jets defense was the real story of the game, at one point, they forced Miami into 6 consecutive drives ending in punts. But the Jets offense had trouble scoring as well, as the teams went to the half at 7-3 Jets. The Jets were held to just 313 total yards in game.
After the half, the teams exchanged a few punts before the Jets took over mid-way through the quarter at their own 44. Testeverde found Kyle Brady who had slipped under the secondary and rambled for 35 yards to Miami's 22. Two plays later, Curtis Martin used a great cut back on a sweep right and went untouched thanks to blocks by Kevin Mawae and Keyshawn Johnson to give the Jets a 14-3 lead that would go into 4th quarter.
The Dolphins took their first drive of the quarter down deep into Jets territory. Marino hit recievers O.J. McDuffie and Nate Jacquet and went to the Jets' 1. But a sack by Pepper Johnson and an incomplete led to a 3rd and goal at the 10. Marino saw McDuffie streaking across the end zone, but Victor Green stepped in front of the pass and picked it off, returning it 87 yards to the Dolphins' 9. The game appeared to be on ice, but two plays later, Testeverde underthrew a fade to Keyshawn, and Terrell Buckley intercepted it and took it back 61 yards to the Jets' 41. 5 plays later, Marino hit McDuffie for a TD to cut the score to 14-10.
Jimmy Johnson had a few aces up his sleeve, as he fooled the Jets with an onside kick following the McDuffie touchdown. Miami's Patrick Surtain got it at it's height and the Dolphins looked like they were about to strike again. But the Phins went for it on 4th and 1 and missed out on an incomplete pass to give the Jets the ball. After that, the Jets began to move the ball, passes to Chrebet, Brady, and Johnson put the Jets at Miami's 28 with 2:35 remaining. But Curtis Martin was stripped of the ball a play later and Miami had their one big chance. With the clock ticking down, the Dolphins got one more play off before the 2-minute warning, but Ernie Logan got a hand on Marino, forcing the ball loose, and Chad Cascadden scooped it up and rolled 23 yards for the game breaker and a 21-10 lead. The Dolphins scored a useless TD with 3 seconds left and the Jets had their biggest win in years, a win that got them to "the tournament" as Coach Parcells said. The Jets have a short turnaround as they take on Buffalo Satuday in upstate New York. If the Jets win, they will win their first division in team history. With a loss, they will fall into a first place tie with Buffalo, but will still hold the tiebreaker. Miami hosts Denver next Monday night.
11 4 .733 -
9 5 .642 1.5
9 6 .600 2
8 6 .571 2.5
3 11 .214 7.5
Week 16 Matchups:
Jets at Buffalo(Sat)
Denver at Miami(Mon)
San Francisco at New England
Indianapolis at Seattle
Week 17 Preview
Jets Playoff Picture Here is how the AFC playoffs shape up for the New York Jets this season:
Here are the Jets' outlook to win the AFC East:
The Jets are in position to clinch the number 2 spot in the AFC if they can finish the season even with Jacksonville. Here are the scenarios:
Regular season
All times ET
Sun
9 / 6
at San Francisco
L 30-36 (ot)
Sun
9 / 13
Baltimore
L 10-24
Sun
9 / 20
Indianapolis
W 44-6
Sun
10 / 4
Miami
W 20-9
Sun
10 / 11
at St. Louis
L 10-30
Mon
10 / 19
at New England
W 24-14
Sun
10 / 25
Atlanta
W 28-3
Sun
11 / 1
at Kansas City
W 20-17
Sun
11 / 8
Buffalo
W 34-12
Sun
11 / 15
at Indianapolis
L 23-24
Sun
11 / 22
at Tennessee
W 24-3
Sun
11 / 29
Carolina
W 48-21
Sun
12 / 6
Seattle
W 32-31
Sun
12 / 13
at Miami
W 21-16
Sat
12 / 19
at Buffalo
W 17-10
Sun
12 / 27
New England
1:01pm ET
Well, you might be wondering if I'm a real Jets fan or if I'm just jumping on the wagon since they're decent and have a chance at the playoffs this year. Well, all I have to say is I was at their loss to Indianapolis in 1991 when Indy went 1-15 and I was at the imfamous "spike game" against Miami 3 years ago(the last time they've been in any kind of race). So yes, I am a fan.
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