If you could change one play in Jets history...

I'd go with the Vinny achilles injury. That was the best team in Jet's history going into the season and after Vinny went down they were crushed for half a season. Ray Lucas won 7 games with that team, Vinny would have won 14.

 

I don't see what the problem is with that play. Drew Bledsoe's skills were diminishing. Tom Brady would have replaced him soon enough anyway.

The worst play in that season was clearly the Testaverde interception to Terrell Buckley in the second meeting with the Patriots in early December.
If that INT did not occur, the Jets likely would have held on to win that game and if everything else played out as it did in December, the Jets would have won the division. The Jets would have hosted the Raiders on a snowy Saturday night in the playoffs.

 

or if we just beat buffalo @ home in week 17 (which turned out to be week 16 b/c of 9/11)

 

How about the last 40 years? Can I change that?

 

Was it Tony Woodbury who dove on the fumbled punt snap with half a minute left when he could of just scooped it up and run it in for another Miracle at the Meadowlands finish? Just think how many of these single mistakes could of changed history...

 

This is the most humane thing to change of course. a Man's life is far more important than any game. on the same plane it would be nice to save both Toon and Chrebet from a few concussions to preserve there own health.

If I couldn't revert an injury but only a play, it would have to be adding stick0em to Bryars hands to prevent than fumble in the 98 championship game. most insane turning point in Jets history...

 

Agreed. That play breathed as much life into the Browns as Don Denkinger giving the Royals the 1985 world series.

 

1998 AFC Championship Game ... The always reliable Curtis Martin fumbles at the 44 yard line. The play did not cost us points on the next Denver drive, but I remember thinking "o crap" Curtis never fumbles. He ended up having a horrid day with less than 20 yards rushing. If we won, I felt real good about taking down Atlanta in the big show.

 

I can only pick one?!?!?

If that is the case, would be the kneel down call before Brien missed the kick in 2004. A dive play to Lamont Jordan might have given us some positive yardage and would have made for a shorter attempt.

The day we hired Rich Kotite. I know that is not a play, but man was that a mistake.

 

The "Fake Spike" intercepted and returned for a TD. I hate Marino. Always will.

 

You would choose trading a no-gain play for a 2 or 3 yard gain, instead of simply changing the fact that Brien missed the kick?

That's just silly.

 

I do not think he misses the kick if it is a shorter kick. Since they spot the ball from the line of scrimmage, the kneel down made it a longer kick. I guess I was the only one that cringed when we did the kneel down before the feild goal instead of trying to get positive yardage. But I see your point. If he makes the kick we win. I just think that obrein was not helped by the stupid play call.

 

I agree with you completely, but if you have the ability to change any play, you might as well just change the FG to a make. It's all in how you set up a hypothetical anyway.

 

That debate has been had on this board time and time again, but my point is, if you have the chance to change one play, why even risk Brien (who missed a bunch of FGs in the weeks leading up to that game, and was anything but a sure thing) missing the kick? Keep the kneel down, and just change the FG from missed to made.. Problem solved.

 

Since we're talking about ONE play that blew our chances of winning a super bowl, I'd have to go with Brien's kick and the play that injured Vinny in '99.

Both were absolutely excrutiating.

 

When Namath tried to tackle a guy running for a TD in a Pre-season game against the Lions and blew his knee out for the year. I think it was '71 or '72.

 

I felt the same thing reading this thread until someone got the right answer. NYjunc wins the prize, imo.

The correct answer would be the 98 Champ game, in Denver. Someone else mentioned a play in the second quarter over this one, but the Jets were still ahead with about twenty minutes to play. That pass to McCaffery, who was in his first year with the Broncos after having been a Giant for his career up til then, I am convinced was what allowed Denver to win that game. And by losing the Jets lost their best shot at a Super Bowl, and one they would probably have won, since the Mud Bowl in 82. The problem with the Mud Bowl is I can't agree a single play was what led to the loss like the pass to McCaffery in 98.

I also agree the Gastineau sack was awful, but I am not so sure the Jets would have gone on to win the SB in 86.

I disagree more strongly about those who picked the O'Brien FG miss against Pitt since I don't see the Jets winning the Champ game that year, and also because it's mostly Chad Fans who lay the blame for that loss on O'Brien when Chad couldn't lead the team to score more than 3 points all game.

 

One other play was losing Vinny in 99, that was truly awful. I did have high hopes for the team that year, ended in the first half on Opening Day. But in fairness it is not clear the Jets would have made the SB but for that play, since the whole season still had to be played. It did not have the direct connection of such consequence that the McCaffery play had. In fact the McCaffery play only became that much more significant when you realize it was the very next game of record that was the one Vinny went down in. They had a healthy Vinny in Denver, and the Broncos behind with twenty to play. Jets have not been that close since, and before that even in the Mud Bowl they were not that close.

 

Ed was in his 4th season w/ the Broncos not his first. That was his 1st pro bowl season where he got in ahead of Chrebet but shouldn't have.