Jets get back on course by holding off Jaguars
The New York Jets badly needed to rebound, and they did just that.
The Jets defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars 28-23 Sunday at MetLife Stadium, keeping New York in one of the two AFC wildcard spots for now.
That the win came after New York had dropped its last two games — vs. the New England Patriots and Oakland Raiders in consecutive weeks — and had started to give ground in the playoff race shows that New York, in coach Todd Bowles’ first season at the helm, is a playoff contender in a top-heavy AFC.
“I think we needed one of these types of wins for character purposes,” Bowles said. “We just have to fight through the end. We came through today.”
The Jets (5-3) were at a crossroad Sunday, but they delivered. With the Patriots (8-0) continuing to look unstoppable and on the path to securing the division crown after a convincing victory against the Washington Redskins, New York is in a good spot with eight weeks left in the season.
“It was very critical, especially after Oakland last week,” cornerback Darrelle Revis said, referring to a 34-20 loss to the Raiders. “This game was a big game and a must-win game for us. We felt like we were the better team coming in, but at the same time, they gave us a run for our money.”
There comes a point in the season when teams look back on their schedules and lament games they should have won, ones that slipped away. New York was in danger of having that be the case after the Jaguars (2-6) charged back and threatened to take the lead with less than six minutes to play. But a strip-sack and recovery by linebacker Calvin Pace gave the Jets the ball and all but secured the win.
“This is definitely a game we could have pulled out,” Jaguars linebacker Telvin Smith said.
A game like the one the Jets had Sunday produced a victory vs. the Jaguars, but will it get the job done against one of the NFL’s best teams? The Jets stress that they’re not focused on that at all.
“This is the National Football League,” receiver Brandon Marshall said. “If you go back in history and look at some of the champions and some of the teams that have done really well, all you see is the record. You don’t see how it happened. It’s any given Sunday. You know better than I that it doesn’t matter how you win. Any team can beat any team. Everybody is talented. It’s who has the poise to go into the deep water and maintain.”
There’s something to be said about New York’s resiliency.
Starting quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick’s status had been in doubt after he suffered a torn lig- ament in his left (non-throwing) thumb last week. He started and played efficiently, going 21-for-34 for 272 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions.
Center Nick Mangold (neck), cornerback Antonio Cromartie (thigh) and kicker Nick Folk (quadriceps) left Sunday’s win. Safety Calvin Pryor (ankle) and guard Willie Colon (knee) were inactive. That didn’t matter, thanks in part to a defense that yielded several explosive plays but forced four turnovers and avoided giving up scoring plays.
New York shut out Jacksonville in two red-zone attempts and sacked Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles six times, three of which came on third downs. But for all the positives, there are things New York must clean up.
The run game totaled 29 yards on 28 carries. Chris Ivory scored two crucial rushing touchdowns, but there’s no question New York must be more productive on the ground this week when the man who coached them from 2009 to 2014 comes to town.
Buffalo Bills coach Rex Ryan makes his first trip back to face the Jets for a Thursday night game. Ryan brings knowledge of New York’s personnel, but if the Jets want to earn a wild-card spot, Thursday’s game — much like New York’s victory against the Jaguars — is one the team needs to win.
“We’ve got to beat teams we’re supposed to beat,” Jets defensive end Sheldon Richardson said. “We need to put them away.”
The Bills — short week and all — are one of those teams, even if the game is sure to be emotionally charged with Ryan’s return.
“We’re trying to win two games in four days,” Bowles said. “It’s not facing him; it’s facing the Bills. They’re a division rival, and we’re just trying to win.”