Jones’s second TD to rookie Brian Thomas, Jr. – from 19 yards out – gave Jacksonville a 22-17 lead. On the ensuing Jets’ possession, Rodgers threw a third-down dime to Allen Lazard that the veteran receiver couldn’t hang onto with S Andrew Cisco making a perfectly timed pass defense. Then Jeff Ulbrich elected to send out field goal team, but Anders Carlson misfired right from 48 yards out.
But the defense held, and Rodgers got the ball back at the NYJ 13 with 4:19 remaining. He promptly put the Jets right back on top, connecting on a 71-yard score to Adams. That gave the Jets a 25-22 advantage with a successful 2-point conversion, also to Adams. Cam Little’s fourth FG – a 43-yarder – knotted things once again at 25.
“Once I saw the safeties get real width like that, it was just a foot race,” Adams said of his second TD. “I looked back and saw the ball in the air and was like, ‘wow, this is really about to be a 70-yard touchdown. And lo and behold, we got it.”
Rodgers was not going to let a replay reversal prevent Adams from recording his 100th career TD. Adams, whose 43-yard catch-and-run set the Jets up at the JAX 8, was ruled out at the 1 as his 4-yard TD came off the board. But on the next play, Rodgers hit Adams on a beautiful fade for a score as No. 17 celebrated another career milestone. Carlson’s extra point gave the Jets their first lead, 17-16, with 4:32 remaining in the third quarter.
“In that situation, I’m never supposed to get the ball,” Adams said of this 100th TD. “It’s probably four times in his career that he’s thrown that and there was no doubt in my mind in that moment that he was coming there. It’s just kind of that telepathy I guess you could say, but it was good to be able to get in there. My teammates were gassing me up all week about it, so I think they were probably more excited than I was which obviously is a great thing. It was good to get it.”
In his Friday news conference, Ulbrich said he would continue to be aggressive on fourth down. And that aggressive mentality led to a fake punt in the first quarter as Ashtyn Davis took a direct snap from Thomas Hennessy and sprinted for 21 yards while converting a fourth-and-5 in style with a hurdle. Three plays later, the Jets got an early equalize on Rodgers’ 22-yard strike to Garrett Wilson.
Wilson’s sixth TD was the Jets’ first opening drive TD in 15 games and only their second in the last 37 games.
The Jets continued to play complementary ball later in the quarter as Jalen Mills intercepted Jones’ long ball at the NYJ 12. In a quickly moving game, the Jaguars took 11:07 off the clock with an 18-play, 77-yard drive that ended with Little’s 28-yard field goal. Little knocked one in from 23 yards out to close out a half that saw Jacksonville dominate in time of possession (21:08 to 8:52), yardage (203 to 104) and on third down (6 of 8 to 1 of 4).
Trailing by 13-7 to open the third quarter, Wilson drew a 30-yard DPI on CB Montaric Brown that got the Jets inside the red zone. Carlson’s 43-yard boot crawled the visitors closer, making it a 13-10 contest. Little countered with his third field goal – a 43-yarder – only for Rodgers and Adams to answer right back.
The Jets got a late start to Jacksonville due to mechanical issues with their airplane. They met Saturday afternoon, canceled night meetings upon arrival and then rose to the challenge late. It was a win that was a long time coming.
“They’re all special – that’s why you play,” Rodgers said. “You play for the love of the game and to have moments like this with your boys and to be able to come up big.”
First appeared on www.newyorkjets.com