Breathing again

Today's Jets game was one of the wildest, craziest, heart-pounding days I have spent. And the Jets have given me a lot of games like that this season, not to mention over the last 20 years. The difference is I can't recall a Jets team with this kind of resolve and resilience that finds ways to win games that they don't deserve to.

I was driving in the car and found out there that the Lions found the end zone on their first drive. The Jets got called on three penalites, extending the drive over and over again. Already I'm going insane. And the Jets offense was still sputtering just like last week as they would punt on their first four possessions. They did get the ball in the red zone in the second quarter, but thanks to Sanchez fumbling the 3rd down snap, they had to settle for a 31-yard field goal from Nick Folk.

On their next possession, they started on their own 25 with 1:50 remaining. First play, Damian Woody gets schooled by Avril and Sanchez gets sacked. Loss of nine! Tomlinson gets 10 yards back on a run, setting up 3rd and 9. Sanchez, protected very well in the shotgun, unleashes a bomb down the left sideline. Braylon Edwards has a step on the D-back, Alphonso Smith, for what seems like five minutes. The ball finally falls down into his arms and he walks into the end zone. The Jets take a 10-7 lead into halftime and I am feeling good. the Lions had outplayed the Jet for 28 of 30 minutes, but I felt the Jets had awoke from their slumber and now were ready to seize control.

Let's go to the second half. On the fourth play of the drive, Edwards catches a short pass, but safety Louis Delmas rips the ball right out of his hands. That's the third time that has happened in two weeks to a Jet WR. The Lions march right down the field and Matthew Stafford sneaks the ball in from the 1-yard line and the Lions lead. But with Jason Hanson, their kicker, injured, the rookie sensation defensive tackle N. "I will not attempt to spell his first name" Suh comes into kick. He doinks it off the right upright and that one missed point would prove pivotal.

The Jets take the ball back and a 13-yard run by Tomlinson gets wiped out by an illegal formation penalty on Wayne Hunter. Just 1 of 11 Jets penalties. But Sanchez comes back, immediately finding Holmes for a 21-yard gain. Laterin the drive, a 17-yard pass to Dustin Keller, who after not catching a pass in the first half, would emerge more and more as the game wore on. But a long bomb would be intercepted on the 1. Essentially, that's a great punt. Down three points, I was not torn up over that one. Each team would punt and then the Lions go on a drive that I thought would put the game away. On a 3rd and 6, Nate Burleson caught a 36-yard pass. A pass interference call on Eric Smith put the ball on the Jets 1, instead of a 3rd and 5 on the 28. Stafford throws a short TD pass to Burleson and it was 20-10 Detroit with 12 minutes left. The Jets then get one first down before having to punt and Detroit took over from their own 8 with under 7 minutes remaining in the game. I am full of despair, but I know a few things about the Lions. They are gritty and they play hard. But this team has not learned to close game out yet. They are not mature enough to win these tight games.

On 2nd and 11, Stafford scrambles and gets dragged down from behind by Bryan Thomas. Immediately, Stafford clutched his right shoulder. He had to leave the game and Drew Stanton took his place. Te Jets forced the 3 and out, leaving them just 4:30 to score at least 10 points. And here is where Mark Sanchez took over. Cotchery for 18, Keller for 6, LDT for 6, Keller leaping for a big gain of 25, putting the ball on the Lions 6. LDT runs for 5 and Sanchez takes it in and it's 20-17. Of course, it was too close a call and the refs let 20 critical seconds run off the clock.

With one TO and the 2-minute warning, the Jets kicked off, which I agreed with. They could not let the Lions get a first down, but I felt pretty good they wouldn't. First play: Jhavid Best loses two on a run and then on 2nd down, gains 6. So after the 2-minute warning and the Jets out of timeouts, it's 3rd and 6. And Coach Jim Schwartz calls a play action fake with a backup QB. the ball is passed too low and the fullback can't hold on. The Jets are saved 30 huge seconds.

So with 1:40, the Jets start on their own 22. Two plays gain just one yard. And Sanchez hits Keller for 11 yards and a huge first down. A pass to LDT for 11, and then came a pass to LDT that gained just one. But here's the second place the Lions shot themselves. Their veteran linebacker Julian Peterson drills LDT well out of bounds. This one was too obvious to not call. A 15-yard penalty and the Jets have the ball on the Detroit 28, well within field goal range. Two runs gain 10 yards and in comes Folk with five seconds left to kick the tying field goal. The snap was off, but Steve Weatherford recovered and Folk drilled it through from 36 yards. Overtime!

With the Lions missing a QB and kicker, this seemed too easy. When the Jets won the toss, I knew it wasn't a given, but I could not see them losing it now. From the Jets 32, Sanchez finds Holmes AGAIN! for a 52 yard gain. LDT ran twice and then Folk, who is known for kicking longer field goals better than short ones, ran onto the field again. From 30 yards out, he drilled it down the middle and I am celebrating.

But wait! Flag on the field! Nah, it's ok, it was a personal foul on Detroit, the field goal was good, and the Jets had secured an improbable 23-20 win in the Motor City.

The Jets had no right winning this game. They played great for about 10 of 60 minutes in regulation. And Detroit had some injuries and also made some stupid decisions, by coaching staff and players alike. But they did win. They are now 6-2, and if they can learn to stop taking stupid penalties and maybe if the offensive coordinator can not call such predictable game plans, this team can do something very special.

And these referees were beyond putrid. I think of the personal foul on Shaun Ellis where he hit Stafford while he was still in bounds, that cost the Jets 15 yards.

All in all, I feel good. I feel relieved. I thank Cleveland for spanking New England. Now we're coming to Cleveland to beat them. Wish I could be there too...