Rex Ryan’s first regular season as Jets coach began with a muscle-flexing win in Houston and ended with a playoff-clinching shutout of the Bengals. In between, Gang Green experienced their share of highs and lows:
WEEK 1
Sept. 13, Reliant Stadium
Jets 24, Texans 7
The Ryan-Sanchez Era might turn out to be great, terrible or mediocre. But it at least begins well. In an impressive opening-game test, the Jets clobber the Texans, grabbing a 17-0 lead, including Sanchez’s first career TD pass, a 30-yarder to Chansi Stuckey.
WEEK 2
Sept. 20, Giants Stadium
Jets 16, Patriots 9
In their most surprising win of the season, the Jets take advantage of a Pats team that was missing Wes Welker and featured a still-rusty Tom Brady. Playing their first home game of the year, Gang Green’s D holds the Pats without a touchdown, and the 78,312 in attendance receive a game ball from Ryan.
WEEK 3
Sept. 27, Giants Stadium
Jets 24, Titans 17
The season started with three tough opponents — and earned the Jets three impressive victories. Helping his team move to 3-0, Sanchez accounts for three TDs, two in the air and one on the ground. And the Jet D forces four turnovers.
WEEK 4
Oct. 4, Superdome
Saints 24, Jets 10
The Jets suffer their first loss, but play maybe their most impressive game of the season, holding the Saints’ offense to just 10 points. Problem is, Sanchez hands the Saints 14 points with a 99-yard interception return for a TD and a fumble in the end zone for a TD.
WEEK 5
Oct. 12, Land Shark Stadium
Dolphins 31, Jets 27
In his first game with the Jets, Braylon Edwards hauls in a first-quarter TD, and the Jets lead 13-10 going into the fourth. But they allow 21 points in the final 14:17, including Ted Ginn Jr.’s 53-yard TD against Darrelle Revis and Ronnie Brown’s game-winning 2-yard TD run with six seconds left.
WEEK 6
Oct. 18, Giants Stadium
Bills 16, Jets 13 (OT)
One of the nominees for the Jets’ worst loss. Sanchez throws a ridiculous five interceptions, and the Jets fall to 3-3 despite rushing for an equally-ridiculous 318 yards.
WEEK 7
Oct. 25, Oakland Coliseum
Jets 38, Raiders 0
Four more turnovers (thanks, JaMarcus Russell) and 316 more yards rushing (thanks, Thomas Jones and Shonn Greene) help the Jets end their three-game skid. Sanchez finishes the game — controversially — by eating a hot dog on the sideline, but he apologizes.
WEEK 8
Nov. 1, Giants Stadium
Dolphins 30, Jets 25
Sanchez plays great (20-of-35, two TDs, no picks), but the Jets get swept by the Dolphins, as Ginn Jr. returns two kickoffs for scores within seven minutes of each other. Each is more than 100 yards.
WEEK 9
Bye
WEEK 10
Nov. 15, Giants Stadium
Jaguars 24, Jets 22
Maurice Jones-Drew kneels down at the Jets’ 1-yard line late in the fourth quarter, a heady play for the Jags and a killer one for the Jets since it allows Jacksonville to kick a final-gun-beating field goal.
WEEK 11
Nov. 22, Gillette Stadium
Patriots 31, Jets 14
The rematch from Week 2 is far different, as Sanchez throws four interceptions and loses a fumble. And Welker — back playing — hauls in 15 passes for 192 yards, while Brady throws for 310 yards and a TD. The Jets are now 4-6.
WEEK 12
Nov. 29, Giants Stadium
Jets 17, Panthers 6
With Kerry Rhodes demoted to second string, the Jets snap their three-game slide, as Revis returns an interception that deflects off Steve Smith’s foot and takes it 67 yards for a TD. That’s one of four Jet picks of Jake Delhomme.
WEEK 13
Dec. 3, Rogers Centre (Toronto)
Jets 19, Bills 13
Continuing to win games they need to win, the Jets earn a victory in Canada, as Revis clinches the game with an interception with just over two minutes left. Kellen Clemens takes over for Sanchez, who hurts his knee and has to leave the game.
WEEK 14
Dec. 13, Raymond James Stadium
Jets 26, Buccaneers 3
Sanchez is unable to play thanks to the knee, so Clemens gets the nod, throwing for 111 yards on 12-of-23 passing. Thomas Jones runs for two TDs, the Jets take a 19-0 lead and move to 7-6.
WEEK 15
Dec. 20, Giants Stadium
Falcons 10, Jets 7
On 4th-and-goal for the Falcons with under two minutes to go in the game and the Jets up 7-3, a stop gives the Jets a win. A score seemingly ends their year. The Falcons score on Tony Gonzalez’s 6-yard TD reception, prompting Ryan to say he believes the Jets are out of the playoffs.
WEEK 16
Dec. 27, Lucas Oil Stadium
Jets 29, Colts 15
The season shifts on a controversial Colts call to pull their starters, including Peyton Manning, since they’ve already clinched the AFC’s top seed. At the time Manning and Co. are benched, the Jets trail 15-10 in the third quarter. You know what happens next.
WEEK 17
Jan. 3, Giants Stadium
Jets 37, Bengals 0
In one of the biggest regular-season Jet wins ever, Gang Green closes out Giants Stadium by smashing the half-trying Bengals and clinching a wild-card berth. See you in Cincy for the playoffs.
PLAYS OF THE YEAR
BIGGEST RUN: On the game’s sixth play from scrimmage in Week 17, Brad Smith speeds 57 yards to the Bengals’ 1-yard line, setting up Thomas Jones’ TD and the Jets’ playoff-clinching shutout.
BIGGEST PASS: Not a ton to choose from, but in the third quarter of Week 2, Mark Sanchez fires a 9-yard TD pass to Dustin Keller, putting the Jets up 10-9 on the hated Patriots. The Jets never trail again en route to the upset.
BEST COACHING MOVE: Colts coach Jim Caldwell pulling his starters in Week 16 and giving the Jets the game — and a chance to extend their season.
LOW POINT: Tony Gonzalez’s game-winning TD catch in Week 15 that leaves the Jets at 7-7, needing to win their final two games to make the playoffs.
BIGGEST SACK: Calvin Pace on JaMarcus Russell on the game’s first play against the Raiders. Russell fumbles, the Jets recover and are off and running to a 38-0, skid-snapping win.
BEST TRICK: Brad Smith tosses a 27-yard pass to Eric Smith on a fake punt in Tampa.
MOST UNLIKELY SEQUENCE: Thanks to the Jets’ wild fans, who earn a game ball for their spirit, Tom Brady is forced to take back-to-back delay of game penalties in Week 2.
BIGGEST DARRELLE REVIS PLAY: Revis Island goes 67 yards in returning an interception for a touchdown against the Panthers.
BIGGEST KICK: On Nov. 1 against the Dolphins, Jay Feely boots a 55-yard field goal, tying a Jet record.
WORST SANCHEZ PICK: Sanchez’s last pick of his four-interception game against the Patriots is his worst — a prayer that Brandon Meriweather picks off to essentially seal the Jets’ loss.
CRAZIEST PLAY: From their own 23-yard line in Oakland, the Jets call a fake punt on 4th-and-7 and convert it as Steve Weatherford runs for 16 yards.
BEST QUOTE: “I guess we’re out of the playoffs.” — Rex Ryan after the Jets lose to the Falcons.