JETS 27 - TITANS 24
For Jets fans it was the kind of game they have been waiting for. Years in fact.
It's been a long time since Jets fans had a reason to cheer for anything for that matter, but on Sunday it was different. It felt like Jets fans finally were seeing the team they hoped they would see when the team invested the second overall pick in Zach Wilson last spring.
It wasn't pretty early. Like he had the first three weeks, Wilson was inaccurate. His receivers were dropping passes. He threw a costly pick. Yet, the Jets were only down 9-0. Then the light switch went on. Give credit to Mike LaFleur for this, his simplified the playbook a bit, and Wilson started to get the ball out of his hand faster. He engineered a brilliant 11-play 75-yard drive that culminated in the Jets first touchdown since Week 1 that cut into the Titans lead at 9-7.
By the second half, things started to really open up for New York. Perhaps it was the 54-yard completion Wilson had to Keenlan Cole that helped set up a field goal that made it 10-9 Jets, because all of sudden Wilson looked relax.
Keep in mind this wouldn't have been possible without a stellar effort by the Jets defense. Granted it was against a hobbled Titans team that was missing A.J. Brown and Julio Jones, but in this league, no one is going to feel sorry for anyone.
The Jets got tremendous pressure on Ryan Tannehill, hitting him more than 20 times, and sacking him seven times. Even Quinnen Williams had a huge day recording two sacks.
Still the Titans would take the lead when they fed monster running back Derrick Henry the football. Henry gauged the Jets for 40-yards before plowing into the endzone from one yard out to give Tennessee a 17-10 lead.
How would the Jets respond? They answered with another touchdown drive. A huge pass interference penalty, plus a 29-yarder from Wilson to Jamison Crowder moved the ball deep into Titans territory. Two plays later, Wilson rolled to his right and found Crowder in the corner of the end zone for the tying score.
After Tennessee went three and out on their next drive. Wilson showed off his arm talent when he dropped a dime from 53-yards out into the hands of Corey Davis to give the Jets a 24-17 lead.
Of course with a young team, dumb things happen. Case in point, Wilson overshooting Corey Davis on a critical third and 10 with two minutes to go that would have iced it. Of course the Titans get the ball back, and score, tying the game at 24 and forcing OT.
Then in the OT, the Jets put together a terrific drive, are on the precipice of walking it off when LaFluer calls in a bizarre play where Wilson rolls out at the one yard line and is sacked. The Jets settled for the field goal.
So there Jets fans sat, gritting their teeth as Tannehill ripped up chunks of yards through the air only to see the Titans offense stall at the Jets 40, setting up a long 49-yard field goal by Randy Bullock that would have ended the game in a 27-27 tie. And wouldn't you know it, Bullock missed.
The Jets escaped with a thrilling first win!
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