VIDEO In a game that was overshadowed by the tenth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, the Jets treated the New York fans to a comeback victory. With just 27 seconds remaining, Nick Folk kicked a field goal to put New York ahead 27-24, a lead that they held until the end. Brothers Rex Ryan, the Jets head coach, and Rob Ryan, the Cowboys defensive coordinator, were in the spotlight tonight on Sunday Night Football.
Located just miles away from where the World Trade Center towers once stood, emotions were running high in Metlife Stadium, but the players were ready to get down to business. A 42-yard pass to Dez Bryant that moved the Cowboys to the Jets 17-yard line highlighted their first drive, as he went on to score a touchdown just a few plays later.
The remainder of the first quarter and much of the second were uneventful, resulting in no points scored. Tony Romo drove the Cowboys offense down the field, resulting in kicker Dan Bailey’s first NFL field goal, putting them ahead 10-0. Just under three minutes later, Mark Sanchez connected on a four-yard pass to Dustin Keller in the right of the end zone, finally putting the Jets on the scoreboard.
Tony Romo took a knee and the score was 10-7 at halftime. The Jets played sloppy defense for much of the first half and both teams struggled to find any run game. Halftime adjustments were ineffective for New York, as they went three-and-out to start the third quarter.
A trick play on a reverse to Kevin Ogletree moved them in good position for a Tony Romo 36-yard strike to Miles Austin that at first seemed to be intercepted by Antonio Cromartie. Austin kept fighting as they fell to the turf in the end zone, and when the dust settled he was holding onto the football.
The Jets were down ten points, needing an answer to stay in the game. Mark Sanchez converted a big third down with a seven-yard pass to LaDainian Tomlinson, but the drive stalled at the Dallas 16-yard line and a Nick Folk field goal cut the lead to 17-10.
Tony Romo scrambled for seven yards and completed two consecutive passes to bring the Cowboys near midfield, but they were forced to punt. Two plays later, second-year linebacker Sean Lee, a second-round draft selection out of Penn State, intercepted a Mark Sanchez pass intended for Dustin Keller, returning it 37 yards before falling out of bounds just a yard short of the end zone as the quarter ended.
On second down, Felix Jones spotted a hole to the left and took it in for the score, putting the Cowboys up two touchdowns ten seconds into the fourth quarter, a pretty comfortable lead. But the last two seasons have proven that the Jets thrive when the odds are against them late in the game.
Seven plays and just under three minutes later, Sanchez threw a rainbow to Plaxico Burress deep down the left sideline for a 26-yard touchdown. Five plays and another three minutes later, the Cowboys have are on the Jets’ three-yard line following a 64-yard pass to Jason Witten. Tony Romo tried to take the ball himself for the score, but defensive end Mike DeVito knocked it loose and the Jets recovered the fumble.
Another five plays later, Mark Sanchez fumbled and Dallas safety Danny McCray recovered the ball around midfield. Following two penalties, the Cowboys faced a fourth-and-22. Joe McKnight flew through the line to block Mat McBriar’s punt and Jets’ special teams player Isaiah Trufant returned it 18 yards for a game-tying touchdown.
Two drives ending in punts took another minute and a half off the clock, running it down to just under a minute. On the first play of a Cowboys drive starting at their own 41-yard line, Tony Romo dropped back and threw the ball short right, directly to Darrelle Revis who returned it 20 yards, setting the Jets up for that Nick Folk go-ahead field goal that solidified the sscore at 27-24.
Romo had 27 seconds to try and move the ball from their own 20-yard line, but he only managed to move fourteen yards before the clock expired, finally settling an ugly yet extremely exciting football game. Neither team managed to get the run game started at all, but the pass game was effective on both sides.
Mark Sanchez finished the game with 335 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception, as well as a completion percentage of 59.1 percent, a stat he has been working hard to improve. It was a sloppy game, but that is to be expected in the first week of the season.
The Jets host Maurice Jones-Drew and the Jacksonville Jaguars next week at 1:00 p.m. The Cowboys will travel to San Francisco to face Alex Smith and the 49ers at 4:05 p.m.
