A last-ditch effort by Jacksonville QB Chad Henne fell short when he threw an interception to Jets CB Ellis Lankster just inside the 5-yard line with 20 seconds remaining. That sealed a 17-10 win for the Jets (6-7) over the Jaguars (2-11) in Jacksonville on Sunday.
Henne had a chance to lead a game-tying drive with 1:48 left on the clock and 85 yards to go. Despite having no timeouts, Henne made multiple big throws, including one that converted a fourth-and-15 to a first down on the New York 28-yard line.
That last-minute drive was one of the few offensive outbursts during the game for either team. The Jags scored on a 32-yard run from RB Montell Owens with 7:06 remaining to pull the game within a score.
The Jags trailed much of the game thanks to a strong rushing attack from the Jets, powered by RBs Shonn Greene (77 yards) and Bilal Powell (78 yards), who each had a touchdown.
Although the teams combined for 370 yards rushing, the passing games weren't as good. Jets QB Mark Sanchez, who is barely clinging to his starting job, was 12 of 19 for 111 yards. Henne was 21 of 43 for 185 yards and two INTs.
Despite cheers from the crowd, Jets backup QB Tim Tebow, making a homecoming trip to the Jacksonville area, did not get a chance to jump-start New York's offense. Sanchez's performance wasn't impressive, but he did enough to stay on the field.
New York coach Rex Ryan said this week that he thought Sanchez gave the Jets the best chance to win. At least for this week, he was right.
When the game turned: With the passing game not showing much progress, the Jets went away from it completely on a seven-play, 46-yard drive that spanned the end of the third quarter and beginning of the fourth. The Jets ran seven straight plays to take a 17-3 lead. The Jags made it interesting late but could never overcome the two-score deficit.
Highlight moments: Owens' 32-yard run seemed to catch the Jets off guard. He is often utilized as a blocking back, but in this game the Jags needed him as the featured RB and he showed some speed on this play. He took the ball around the left side and outran an unsuspecting New York defense to keep the Jags in the game. The crowd also roared in approval when Jacksonville OL Guy Whimper checked in the game as an eligible receiver and caught a 10-yard pass. For the Jets, the TD runs from Powell and Greene will make the highlights. They also had two big INTs -- Lankster's that sealed the win and one by LB Bart Scott in the first quarter.
Top-shelf performances:
- Jets RB Bilal Powell -- 19 rushes, 78 yards, TD
- Jets RB Shonn Greene -- 20 rushes, 77 yards, TD
- Jets LB David Harris -- 10 tackles, sack
- Jaguars RB Montell Owens -- 14 rushes, 91 yards, TD
- Jaguars WR Justin Blackmon -- 6 catches, 57 yards
- Jaguars DE Jason Babin -- 2 tackles, sack, forced fumble, fumble recovery
What they said about Lankster's INT sealing an ugly win for the Jets:
- Jaguars coach Mike Mularkey -- "He (Henne) was trying to throw the ball out of bounds, but it didn't happen."
- Jets coach Rex Ryan -- "It's tough to win games in the National Football League, and we knew we were going to get their best shot and we got it."
Numbers you should know: After taking a 3-0 lead into halftime, the Jaguars' offense was virtually non-existent in the third quarter. The unit had six total yards and four three-and-outs. Time of possession was virtually even, with the Jets having a 31-second edge. Jacksonville clearly lost the penalty-yardage battle. It had seven for 54 yards, and the Jets had one for 15 yards.
Injury update: Jets -- CB Antonio Cromartie headed to the locker room early after a scary head-to-head collision with teammate Yeremiah Bell. WR Stephen Hill left the game in the first half with an apparent knee injury. Jaguars -- TE Marcedes Lewis missed some time with an apparent neck injury, but was able to return.
Going forward: Jets -- The Jets hang on to their ever-so-tiny chance at making the playoffs with the win Sunday. They'll certainly need to win out and hope for a lot of help. They'll have a decent chance in their last three, though, with the Titans (4-9), Chargers (5-8) and Bills (5-8) left on the schedule. Jaguars -- The Jags have long been out of playoff contention and finish with the Dolphins (5-7), the Patriots (9-3), and the Titans.
For more updates on the Jaguars, follow Daniel Lewis @CBSJags
For more updates on the Jets, follow Lisa Zimmerman @CBSJets