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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) -- The New York Jets, who have
perfected the fourth-quarter fold, came up with a last-ditch rally
this time.
The Jets, who blew four games in which they led in the final
period this season, turned around their game with the Arizona
Cardinals on Sunday on Keyshawn Johnson's 43-yard TD reception for
a 12-7 victory.
|  | | The Jets' Curtis Martin carried the ball 38 times for 131 yards. |
Johnson awakened from a game-long slumber as New York (2-6),
winning for the first time in five home appearances, was helped by
Arizona's sputtering attack. The Jets sacked Dave Brown six times.
"A fresh start, that was the message," said Johnson, who
didn't catch a ball in the first half and finished with only two
for 51 yards. "This is the second half of the season and we have
every chance to do well in the second half.
"This helps the mental part for everyone," Johnson added after
he beat zone coverage on a post pattern with 5:29 remaining.
Johnson, a Pro Bowl wideout, somehow was matched with linebacker
Rob Fredrickson on the winning play. He easily got behind
Fredrickson and then sped to the end zone.
"It was a good call," said cornerback Aeneas Williams, who
shut down Johnson for most of the day. "We were in a three-deep
(zone) and a guy shouldn't get open, and if he does, we should at
least make the tackle."
Tackling Curtis Martin also was a problem for Arizona (2-6),
which has the 30th-ranked rushing defense in the league. Martin,
inspired by the memory of Walter Payton, rushed for more than 100
yards for the third straight game, gaining 131 on 38 carries. His production was especially important in swirling winds that reached 23 mph.
"He is maybe the only player in the NFL who had an influence on
my life," Martin said. "I'm not big on idolizing; I didn't grow
up that way. But Walter is the one guy I emulated. When I got the
ball in my hands in street games, I'd call myself 'Sweetness.' "
Jets quarterback Rick Mirer once again had problems finding
secondary receivers when under pressure from a Cardinals defense
that yielded only 295 yards. But he did hit the big pass on
third-and-12.
"Not everything went the way we drew it up," said Mirer, who
was 12-for-18 for 122 yards in the unpredictable wind. "But we
worked it out."
Martin was the workhorse on the only scoring drive of the third
quarter, carrying seven times for 36 yards to set up John Hall's
second field goal, a 33-yarder, to make it 7-6.
Arizona went nowhere against the wind in the final period, and
Scott Player managed only a 27-yard punt that set up the decisive
drive.
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GAME NOTES |
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Tommy Bennett's interception at the Cardinals 2 was
overturned by a Jets replay challenge just before Hall's missed
30-yarder.
Curtis Martin has rushed for 100 yards or more in three
consecutive games four times in his career.
Rob Moore's first
reception of the game, a 24-yarder, was the 600th of his career.
Ernie Logan had his first two sacks this season for the Jets.
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"You can't judge the passing game," Jets coach Bill Parcells
said, also dismissing the 16-for-26 showing for Brown, the backup
playing for injured Jake Plummer. "The elements were too much of a
factor."
As was the Jets' pass rush, which accounted for 48 yards in
losses. The six sacks were New York's most in four years.
"It wasn't just their (injury-weakened) offensive line," nose
tackle Jason Ferguson said. "We got player and I just think we were hungry."
The Jets played the wind game well, but still trailed 7-3 at
halftime, thanks to two big plays by the Cardinals.
New York had the brisk wind at its back in the first quarter and
twice marched deep into Arizona territory following short punts.
The first drive produced a 44-yard field goal by Hall. But on the
second, Parcells opted for a run on fourth-and-1 at the 5, and
Martin came up short.
New York used two timeouts late in the period, trying to force
Player to punt into the wind again. But Arizona converted a
third-down pass to Frank Sanders, and the quarter ran out.
After Hall missed a 30-yard field goal wide left into the wind,
the Cards came up with another key play. Brown threw a rainbow that
former Jet Rob Moore settled under down the left sideline for a
71-yard gain -- the longest of each player's career. Michael Pittman
ran it in from the 4 to make it 7-3.
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ALSO SEE
NFL Scoreboard
Arizona Clubhouse
NY Jets Clubhouse
Week 9 wrap-ups
Week 9 infirmary report
TJ's Take: Jaguars back in gear
Week 9 PrimeTime Players
Week 9 stats leaders
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