THANKS A 'TON!

Acting head coach guides COVID-plagued Jets over Jags

Ron Middleton began his coaching career as a restricted earnings coach at Troy in 1997. Twenty-four years and seven stops later, Middleton picked up a win as a head coach on Sunday.

With coach Robert Saleh sidelined by COVID-19, Middleton served as the Jets’ acting coach and guided the team to a 26-21 victory that was not certain until the final seconds ticked off the clock at MetLife Stadium.

Technically, this win still counts as one for Saleh. But don’t tell that to the Jets. Team owner Woody Johnson presented Middleton with a game ball and the players exploded in celebration.

“I thought it was truly, truly a team effort,” Middleton said. “Special teams, offense, defense I think everybody stepped up, just a culmination of the week with everybody being professional, going about their job with all the adversity. It was an awesome win, an awesome win.”

Saleh joined the team virtually in the locker room and delivered his message from his hotel room.

“It’s been hell in here watching this game but that’s December football,” Saleh said. “Whatever it freaking takes.”

The game was entertaining considering it was between two teams already eliminated from the playoffs and the Jets had 20 players on the reserve/ COVID-19 list. The game featured a 103-yard kickoff return by Braxton Berrios, a 52-yard touchdown run by Zach Wilson and two touchdowns by offensive linemen, believed to be an NFL first. The Jets dominated on the ground, rushing for 273 yards.

The game came down to a goal-line stand by the defense after the Jaguars drove 74 yards in the final 1:47 to get to the Jets’ 1-yard line. C.J. Mosley missed a chance to end the game when a would-be interception sailed through his hands and into the hands of Jaguars’ receiver Marvin Jones at the 1. That catch set up thirdand-goal from the 1 and Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence spiked the ball to stop the clock with 12 seconds left to play. On fourth-and-1, Lawrence’s pass to Jones was batted away by Jets cornerback Javelin Guidry in the end zone to preserve the win. The play would not have counted even if the pass were completed since the Jaguars committed an illegal motion penalty.

“It got real tense,” Middleton said. “I can’t imagine what my facial expressions were. I thought it was a great game, too good of a game, good for TV ratings anyway. At the end, I think we all, well this side anyway, really liked the way it ended. It was exciting. I’m just glad it worked out for us.”

The win moves the Jets to 4-11 this season, doubling their win total from 2020, but it hurts their draft position. They are now in line to pick No. 4 but had a chance to move to No. 2 with a loss to the Jaguars. The 2-13 Jaguars are now in line to land the

No. 1 pick for the second straight season.

The draft implications will be felt in

April but Jets fans, who are starved for wins, should not be worried about that now. The Jets ended a three-game losing skid and they won the last game on their schedule that felt winnable. They end the season with games against the division-leading Buccaneers and Bills.

Middleton was aggressive all game and got a team missing seven starters to find a way to win. He went for it on five fourth downs, including three in the red zone. Not going for it in their last red-zone possession was a mistake if you believe in analytics. The Jets held a 23-21 lead with 1:49 left and had fourth-and-goal from the 1. ESPN’s analytics model said the Jets had a much better chance of winning the game going for the touchdown. Middleton opted for the 20-yard field goal from Eddy Pineiro, making it 26-21.

“The defense had been playing really well,” Middleton said. “They didn’t think they were going to score a touchdown on us. We wanted to get it to make them have to score a touchdown to beat us.”

The decision worked out when the Jets stopped the Jaguars at the goal line but it was a decision that could have blown up on the Jets.

The game featured some wild swings in the first half. Wilson ran 52 yards for the game’s first touchdown after he avoided a sack and then danced along the sideline, fooling Jaguars defenders into thinking he was running out of bounds.

It was the longest touchdown run by a Jets quarterback in franchise history.

The Jaguars made it 9-6 with a 12play, 75-yard drive that ended with Lawrence fumbling into the end zone. Jaguars lineman Will Richardson Jr. jumped on the ball for a touchdown. Berrios took the ensuing kickoff

103 yards for a touchdown and a 13-9 lead. The Jets never trailed again. The Jets final touchdown was a 1-yard pass from Wilson to backup offensive lineman Conor McDermott and it gave them a 23-15 lead.

The win came after a week filled with adversity and with some starters who were not even on the team a week ago.

“It means everything,” said running back Michael Carter, who had a career-high 118 rushing yards. “It means from top to bottom

we’ve got guys who can play.”