ST. LOUIS — Chaz Schilens hasn’t showed up much in box scores for the Jets this season.
That changed yesterday in a 27-13 win over the Rams, when Schilens caught a 25-yard Mark Sanchez scoring pass to give the Jets a 10-7 lead they never relinquished.
He, too, was big factor on special teams, making two tackles in kick coverage and drawing a game-changing holding penalty that nullified a 98-yard kickoff return for an apparent touchdown by the Rams’ Chris Givens.
“Here is a guy that catches a big touchdown pass and he is out there covering kicks,’’ coach Rex Ryan said. “He does a lot of dirty work.’’
Schilens, who insisted he doesn’t mind “doing whatever it takes for this team,’’ called yesterday “a little bit of payoff.’’
“Man, as long as the coaches know what I do, that’s what important,’’ he said. “My teammates know what I can do. That’s what’s important. It’s never really going to show up in the stats for me, but I’m happy and proud to contribute to our team winning.’’
Schilens, who entered the game with 16 catches and a touchdown, yesterday led the Jets with four catches for 48 yards and his score, which was the Jets’ first offensive touchdown since Schilens caught a scoring pass against the Dolphins on Oct. 28.
Sanchez said Schilens “made a great play’’ on the touchdown.
“He beat his guy over the top and I was just trying to deliver the ball,’’ Sanchez said.
“It was a great play call by the coaches who called it at the right time and a great throw by Mark,’’ Schilens said. “We’ve been practicing it and we executed it well. It was predicated off [the Rams’] defense and their corners being aggressive.’’
Perhaps as significant a play as the TD catch was the holding penalty Schilens drew on Rams safety Rodney McLeod on Givens’ kickoff return in the final seconds of the first half. Had the play stood, it would have given the Rams a 14-13 lead.
“It was a pretty obvious [hold],’’ Schilens said. “I ran into the guy and was trying to shed him and make the tackle and I just couldn’t. I knew what was going on. I was just looking and waiting for them to throw the flag.’’
Rams coach Jeff Fisher disagreed.
“It didn’t look like it was an egregious hold,’’ he said.
“We were fortunate to get that call,’’ Ryan said.
Yesterday, the Jets were fortunate to have Schilens on their team.