A long line at the concession stand or the bathroom during halftime yesterday could have cost you a chance to see the most exciting and important play of the Jets-Patriots game.
New England’s Ellis Hobbs took the opening kickoff of the second half eight yards deep in his own end zone and raced 108 yards up the left sideline through the Jets’ kick coverage to put the Pats up 21-7 and crush the Jets’ hopes of taking control of the game on their way to a 38-14 victory. It was the longest kickoff return in NFL history.
“That was a big play,” Jets receiver Jerricho Cotchery said. “We were confident about making something happen in the second half. We talked about starting the second half fast. It didn’t happen. To come out and have a big kickoff return like that, it’s kind of deflating. We tried to bounce back but they just kept making play after play, and in the end we ended up with a 38-14 loss.”
Many of the fans were just returning to their seats after halftime as Hobbs raced up the field. Hobbs broke the record of 106 yards held by three players: Green Bay’s Al Carmichael in 1966, Kansas City’s Nolan Smith in 1967 and Roy Green of the St. Louis Cardinals in 1979. Hobbs also tied the record for the longest play in NFL history, matching the 108-yard missed field goal returns by the Bears’ Devin Hester (last year against the Giants) and Nathan Vasher (2006 against the 49ers).
Hobbs may have surprised the Jets by coming out of the end zone after fielding the ball eight yards deep. He fielded it in the back right corner of the end zone, then worked his way left.
“I understood there was a danger taking it out from that far,” Hobbs said. “One little false move and I could have been a zero. But I ended up being the hero.”
David Bowens had the best shot at Hobbs for the Jets, but he missed the tackle near the Patriots’ 20-yard line. Justin McCareins may have been able to make the tackle just after Hobbs left the end zone if he had taken a better pursuit angle.
“I missed the tackle,” Bowens said. “I’ll take responsibility for that. I’m old enough. I can take it. It’s just something I can’t let happen again. I won’t.”
After Hobbs got past Bowens, he raced up the left sideline to paydirt.
The return put the Pats up 21-7 just 14 second into the second half. The Jets never seemed to recover.
“It was real tough,” safety Kerry Rhodes said. “They got cushion from that point on. After they get a two-touchdown lead they’re pretty much able to do whatever they want. They kept us off-balance from that point on.”