2006 New York Jets season

*Game time: 4:15 PM EDT
*Game weather: 84 °F (Sunny)
*TV announcers (CBS): Dick Enberg and Randy Cross
*Game attendance: 77,595

In the week leading up to the matchup of 1-0 teams, bad blood brewed between the two teams when the Patriots filed tampering charges against the Jets for former wide receiver Deion Branch. The Patriots stated that while the Jets had permission to negotiate a contract with Branch, any trade talks were to be solely between the teams. They claimed that because Branch and his representatives had knowledge of what was being offered in a trade, the Patriots' negotiating position was compromised.

*Game time: 1:00 PM EDT/12:00 PM CDT
*Game weather: 62 °F (Cloudy)
*TV announcers (CBS): Greg Gumbel and Dan Dierdorf
*Game attendance: 77,190

Game Summary

On the game's first possession, Chad Pennington was sacked by Robert Mathis, fumbled, and the Colts' Josh Thomas recovered. Dominic Rhodes would score on a 6-yard touchdown run minutes later, an inauspicious start. The teams would trade punts for the rest of the first quarter before Pennington drove the Jets at the beginning of the second quarter, using long completions to Laveranues Coles and Tim Dwight before he found Jerricho Cotchery on a 33-yard touchdown pass. What happened next stunned the Colts: Mike Nugent tried an onside kick and Kerry Rhodes recovered, sparking the home crowd. The Jets would make that surprise work, as Kevan Barlow scored on a 1-yard touchdown run with 4:44 left in the first half, and the Jets had a 14-7 lead. But Peyton Manning rallied the Colts, converting a key third down to Marvin Harrison before Joseph Addai scored on a 2-yard touchdown run to tie the score going to halftime.

Indianapolis punted to open the second half, and the Jets began to drive. Pennington converted three third downs on a drive that took nearly nine minutes off the clock, but it did not end well. Jets coach Eric Mangini tried his second gamble of the game: going for it on 4th-and-goal from the Colts' 2-yard line. But Pennington's pass was intercepted in the end zone by Rocky Boiman, the first time in his career Pennington was intercepted in the end zone. Boiman's interception would set up a fast-and-furious finish as the teams scored 31 points in the fourth quarter.

Indianapolis took advantage of Boiman's interception and drove to set up Martin Gramatica's 20-yard field goal, as Joseph Addai picked up big yardage on the drive. Using a no-huddle offense, Pennington drove the Jets downfield, and aided by an illegal contact penalty on the Colts' Mike Doss, scored the go-ahead touchdown as Kevan Barlow scored on a 5-yard run with 7:55 to play. Manning led the Colts right back, and aided by a questionable pass-interference penalty on Justin Miller, found Bryan Fletcher on a 2-yard touchdown pass with 2:40 to play. Miller appeared to be the goat, but on the ensuing kickoff ran the ball back 103 yards for a touchdown that sent Jets fans into hysteria. The Jets led 28-24 with 2:20 to play. But that would be enough time for Manning, converting a huge third down to Marvin Harrison and a 15-yard pass to Reggie Wayne going to the Jets' 1-yard line. Manning ran the ball up the middle on the next play to give the Colts the lead.

With eight seconds to play and the ball on the Jets' 32-yard line, Pennington completed a seemingly innocuous pass to Leon Washington. But what followed was an amazing attempt to pull off a miracle. In order, the Jets tried a series of several laterals, going from Washington, to Brad Smith, to Laveranues Coles, to Pennington, to Justin McCareins, back to Smith, who fumbled but recovered. He lateraled back to Coles, who fumbled but recovered. At this point, the Jets were at the Colts' 40-yard line. Coles ran down 13 yards and then tossed off to Nick Mangold, who fumbled, but this time, the Colts' Jason David recovered, ending the game.

coring Summary

1st Quarter
*IND - Rhodes 6 run (Gramatica kick), 12:28.

2nd Quarter
*NYJ - Cotchery 33 pass from Pennington (Nugent kick), 10:10.
*NYJ - Barlow 1 run (Nugent kick), 4:44.
*IND - Addai 2 run (Gramatica kick), :16.

4th Quarter
*IND - FG Gramatica 20, 12:58.
*NYJ - Barlow 5 run (Nugent kick), 7:55.
*IND - Fletcher 2 pass from Manning (Gramatica kick), 2:34.
*NYJ - Miller 103 kickoff return (Nugent kick), 2:20.
*IND - Manning 1 run (Gramatica kick), 1:30.

Week 5: at Jacksonville Jaguars

"at Alltel Stadium, Jacksonville, Florida"
*Game time: 4:15 EDT
*Game weather: 57 °F (Clear)
*Game time: 4:15 PM EST
*Game weather: 46 °F (Clear)
*Game time: 1:00 PM EST
*Game weather: 47 °F (Overcast)]
*TV announcers (CBS): Jim Nantz and Phil Simms
*Referee: Larry Nemmers
*Game attendance: 70,527

Game Summary

The Jets let Green Bay know right away that they would not let the cold affect them, with B.J. Askew prancing along the sidelines in the 19-degree weather shirtless before the game. Sure enough, on the game's opening drive, Pennington drove the Jets downfield, aided by a key third-down completion to Justin McCareins, capped by Mike Nugent's 24-yard field goal. On the next possession, Bryan Thomas sacked Brett Favre, causing a fumble while Dewayne Robertson recovered for the Jets. Out of a no-huddle offense, Pennington quickly engineered a scoring drive, a 12-yard touchdown pass to Jerricho Cotchery.

After a Packers punt, Pennington found Chris Baker and Cotchery on long completions to set up Cedric Houston's 3-yard touchdown run for a 17-0 Jets lead. Dave Rayner would miss a 40-yard field goal wide right for Green Bay, and the Jets drove to another score, this time a 1-yard touchdown run by Houston. Favre would then get intercepted by Andre Dyson, and the Jets would get fortunate on the next drive, surviving a Laveranues Coles fumble that Cotchery recovered, and Baker had a couple of key grabs on the drive, including a 1-yard touchdown catch with 13 seconds to play in the half for a dominating 31-0 lead.

Out of the gate in the second half, Green Bay resorted to a rushing game, and the first drive worked, with Rayner kicking a 34-yard field goal. Pennington then got intercepted by Charles Woodson. Green Bay could not convert a 4th-and-1 from the New York 33-yard line, but Pennington threw another pick, this time to Patrick Dendy. Green Bay made Pennington pay this time, as Favre found Donald Driver for a 20-yard touchdown to cut the lead to 31-10. Green Bay then recovered the ensuing onside kick, and the Packers had all the momentum. But the Jets forced a punt and then drove to a touchdown, with Houston picking up a big run and Leon Washington finishing the drive with a 20-yard touchdown run. That effectively ended the game.

coring Summary

1st Quarter
*NYJ - FG Nugent 24, 9:55.
*NYJ - Cotchery 12 pass from Pennington (Nugent kick), 4:45.

2nd Quarter
*NYJ - Houston 3 run (Nugent kick), 12:40.
*NYJ - Houston 1 run (Nugent kick), 6:17.
*NYJ - Baker 1 pass from Pennington (Nugent kick), :09.

3rd Quarter
*GB - FG Rayner 34, 8:32.
*GB - Driver 20 pass from Favre (Rayner kick), 1:16.

4th Quarter
*NYJ - Washington 20 run (Nugent kick), 11:30.

Week 14: vs. Buffalo Bills

"at The Meadowlands, East Rutherford, New Jersey"]
*TV announcers (CBS): Greg Gumbel and Dan Dierdorf
*Referee: Bill Vinovich
*Game attendance: 63,677

Game Summary

On the second play of the game, Chad Pennington was sacked by Nick Harris, and E.J. Henderson recovered. Three plays later, Brad Johnson tossed a 30-yard touchdown pass to Travis Taylor, and the Jets trailed 7-0 two minutes into the game. The Jets immediately responded, with Brad Smith making a key grab on the drive that ended with Cedric Houston's 6-yard touchdown run. On the next Jets' drive, Mike Nugent was ready to attempt a 37-yard field goal, but holder Ben Graham botched the snap, and the Jets could not score. Nugent would make a 25-yard field goal early in the second quarter to give the Jets a 10-7 lead.

Pennington found Jerricho Cotchery and Laveranues Coles for big completions on the drive that ended with Coles grabbing a 21-yard touchdown pass from Pennington. Nugent would make a 52-yard field goal for a 20-7 lead before Ryan Longwell missed a 49-yard field goal wide right for Minnesota, giving the Jets prime field position, and Nugent made a 45-yard field goal as time expired for a 23-7 halftime lead. With a large lead, the Jets controlled the clock in the second half, going on a nearly eight-minute drive that ended with a 20-yard field goal from Nugent, his fourth of the game and the final Jets score.

Johnson was pulled at the beginning of the fourth quarter for backup Tarvaris Jackson, and Jackson led Minnesota on a scoring drive, finding Troy Williamson on two long passes before connecting with Mewelde Moore on a 35-yard touchdown. Both the two-point conversion and ensuing onside kick failed, but Pennington was intercepted by Harris. Jackson led the Vikings to the New York 14-yard line with two minutes to go, but David Barrett intercepted Jackson, effectively ending the game.

coring Summary

1st Quarter
*MIN - Taylor 30 pass from Johnson (Longwell kick), 12:53.
*NYJ - Houston 6 run (Nugent kick), 6:20.

2nd Quarter
*NYJ - FG Nugent 25, 11:32.
*NYJ - Coles 21 pass from Pennington (Nugent kick), 6:12.
*NYJ - FG Nugent 52, 2:48.
*NYJ - FG Nugent 45, :02.

3rd Quarter
*NYJ - FG Nugent 20, 7:41.

4th Quarter
*MIN - Moore 35 pass from Jackson (pass failed), 6:15.

Week 16: at Miami Dolphins

"at Dolphin Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida"
*Game time: 1:00 PM EST
*Game weather: 50°F (Sunny)
*Stadium: Gillette Stadium
*TV announcers (CBS): Jim Nantz and Phil Simms
*Game attendance: 68,756

Game Summary

The Jets and Patriots had split their two games of the 2006 season, with the Jets winning the second matchup. Whereas the Jets won that game primarily by blitzing quarterback Tom Brady, this time Brady opened the game with a no-huddle offense, quickly scoring a touchdown on their opening drive. The Jets eventually went ahead, 10-7, but the Patriots responded with a field goal, and then a nearly seven-minute drive to close the first half with a touchdown, putting them ahead, 17-10.

In the second half, the Jets and Patriots each exchanged field goals, keeping the differential at seven. Arguably the biggest play of the game came when Jets quarterback Chad Pennington attempted a screen pass to Jerricho Cotchery. The pass was tipped and the ball fell to the ground, but because Pennington had made the pass slightly behind him, it was considered a lateral, and thus a fumbled ball. New England defensive tackle Vince Wilfork picked up the ball and ran it 35 yards to the Jets' 15-yard line, ending any momentum the Jets had. The Patriots were able to convert on the turnover, and made it a ten-point game going into the fourth quarter.

In the fourth, the Jets again pulled to within seven points, but the Patriots again marched down the field, eating more than six minutes off the clock. The drive culminated in a seven-yard touchdown pass to running back Kevin Faulk. The final nail in the coffin for the Jets was an interception by Asante Samuel, which was returned for a touchdown with less than five minutes to play. After the game, Patriots coach Bill Belichick and Jets coach Eric Mangini, who were not on good terms during this season, embraced in the middle of the field.

coring summary

1st Quarter
*NE - Dillon 11 run (Gostkowski kick), 11:53. "Patriots 7-0. Drive: 10 plays, 65 yards, 3:07."
*NYJ - FG Nugent 28, 2:36. "Patriots 7-3. Drive: 4 plays, 5 yards, 1:30."2nd Quarter
*NYJ - Cotchery 77 pass from Pennington (Nugent kick), 14:45. "Jets 10-7. Drive: 3 plays, 80 yards, :17."
*NE - FG Gostkowski 20, 10:57. "Tied 10-10. Drive: 10 plays, 56 yards, 3:48."
*NE - Graham 1 pass from Brady (Gostkowski kick), :11. "Patriots 17-10. Drive: 15 plays, 80 yards, 6:54."3rd Quarter
*NYJ - FG Nugent 21, 8:19. "Patriots 17-13. Drive: 13 plays, 73 yards, 6:41."
*NE - FG Gostowski 40, 4:22. "Patriots 20-13. Drive: 8 plays, 52 yards, 3:57."
*NE - FG Gostowski 28, :04. "Patriots 23-13. Drive: 4 plays, 5 yards, 1:39."4th Quarter
*NYJ - FG Nugent 37, 11:39. "Patriots 23-16. Drive: 8 plays, 61 yards, 3:25."
*NE - Faulk 7 pass from Brady (Gostkowski kick), 5:16. "Patriots 30-16. Drive: 13 plays, 63 yards, 6:23."
*NE - Samuel 36 interception return (Gostkowski kick), 4:54. "Patriots 37-16."

References