Santonio Holmes & Mark Sanchez Lead Jets to Thriller Again

JETS 30
TEXANS 27

It wasn't supposed to be this suspenseful. With the New York Jets holding a 23-7 lead on the Houston Texans at home, it appeared that Gang Green would be on its way to a much needed "rocking chair" victory.

Not so.

The Texans put up 20 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to stun the Jets and their fans at the Meadowlands grabbing a 27-23 lead with 59 seconds to go in the game. Typically, fans began to file out of the stadium, leaving only a third of the 78,000 who came to the ballpark.

The fans sat on their hands, waiting for 59 seconds to tick away to a heartbreaking lose. Maybe the Texans will intercept another Mark Sanchez pass? Maybe Sanchez would heave up three straight Hail Marys only to have them knocked down? What it was going to be, it wouldn't be good; right?

Never say never again, Jets fans.

Sanchez completed two passes to LaDainian Tomlinson for a total of 24 yards to move the ball to midfield. Then Sanchez put up the Hail Mary. He had tried to do this earlier in the quarter, after the Texans regained the lead at 24-23, but his pass to Braylon Edwards sailed over the receiver's head.

This time it worked. Sanchez hit Edwards in stride at the Texans 30, and the receiver ran all the way down to the Houston six yard line. Then on the next play, Sanchez connected with last week's hero, Santonio Holmes, for the game winning score with 10 seconds to go. The throw had to be perfect; it was. Holmes had to be precise with his feet, and he was perfect, getting both feet in bounds in the corner of the end zone.

The Meadowlands broke into utter bedlam as the Jets drove down field for the winning score; Holmes even did a Jets version of the Lambeau leap after the score.

The Jets now stand at 8-2, keeping pace with the New England Patriots who also won against the Colts. The Jets will host the Bengals, Thursday night, while the Patriots play Detroit Thursday afternoon. If both teams win, they will collide at 9-2 on December 6.

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