For the old timers out there, you all remember what a memorable season 1981 was. It's historic in the fact that it was the birth of the "sack exchange" AND it was the first time we made the playoffs since 1969. This great and exciting season is well worth having in it's complete form. Does anyone have this complete season on DVD? My guess is that it would be hard to find.
do you have the game when the bills jumped out to a 28-0 lead behind cribbs and fergueson, only to have the richard todd, freeman mcneil jets tie the game at 28?
The first season I can remember following the team, one of my favorite years. I have various games on tape as well as the season highlight tape but not all games. The games I have are: at NYG vs. Miami vs. GB vs. Buf WC game
I have the following Wk 5 @ Mia Wk 6 vs NE Wk 7 vs Buf Wk 12 vs Mia Wk 15 @ Cle Wk 16 vs GB WC vs Buf
My first season as a season ticket holder. Who would of though that outside of 1986 and 1998, that year would have been 3 of the best 29 years. Sad, and the way it ended against the Bills in the playoffs, I should have ended buying tickets that year.
I don't believe the Jets ever tied the Bills or had the lead in that game. And they fell behind 24-0, not 28-0.
The Buffalo WC Game was my first Jets Game with my Dad. When he went back for the 10 year reunion, they told the entire team if the Jets ever made the playoffs again, they would fly everyone back for the game. That was the best Christmas gift ever. I remember the four guys behind us had there shirts off and spelled JETS on there chests. They were so drunk they thought my dad was Joe Namath. LOL!
Here is a good summary of the game from Wikepedia. The only thing that is inaccruate is that I believe Simpson was in the end zone when he picked off Todd to end the Jets comeback. The Bills jumped to a 24-0 lead by the second quarter. First New York's Bruce Harper fumbled the opening kickoff while being tackled by Ervin Parker, and Charles Romes returned the ball 26-yards to the end zone. Then after a punt, quarterback Joe Ferguson completed a 50-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Frank Lewis, while interceptions by Simpson and linebacker Phil Villapiano led to a 29-yard field goal by Nick Mike-Mayer and a 26-yard scoring reception by Lewis. However, Jets quarterback Richard Todd threw a 30-yard touchdown to tight end Mickey Shuler, and kicker Pat Leahy added two field goals to cut Buffalo's lead, 24-13. With about 10 minutes left in the game, running back Joe Cribbs ran for a 45-yard touchdown, increasing the Bills lead to 31-13. But Todd then led the Jets 80 yards in 8 plays and completed a 30-yard touchdown to Bobby Jones. Then after forcing a punt, New York drove for another score, aided by a pass interference call against Bills defensive back Mario Clark that nullified an interception. Kevin Long finished the drive with a 1-yard touchdown run to cut the score to 31-27. The Jets got the ball back with 2:36 remaining and then drove 69 yards to the Buffalo 11-yard line, aided by a holding penalty that wiped out an interception by defensive back Steve Freeman. However, Simpson's interception at the 1-yard line halted New York's comeback with 2 seconds left.
thanks willie....i was 12 years old and did not watch the game...i got mad and left when i told my father "if they score again i am leaving!" making the score 24-0. when i got home he said you missed a hell of a game but they lost anyway....it sucks being a jets fan sometimes!
Of all the Jets heartbreakers over the years, THIS Buffalo game is still to this day the most painful loss for me. It was the first time in the playoffs in over a decade PLUS the WAY we lost....such a great comeback...full of gutts, determination and heart...only to lose on the last play of the game. IT STILL HURTS!
Yes, that Buffalo game broke a lot of hearts. It was a hard fought season just to get to that point. If I remember correctly, they started off the season 0-3, then went to 1-3-1 (tie vs. Miami). Then they went on a nice winning streak. It was great with the wins and the Sack Exchange. My favorite memory was beating the Dolphins in the last half of the season to to take first place in the AFC East. Todd hit Jerome Barkum in the end zone with little time on the clock. The scoreboard at Shea was showing We Believe. They got the wild card that year because they couldn't beat the Seahawks down the stretch (the Jets could never beat the Seahawks back then). Still, that Miami game was a very special one. Ah, the memories.
I loved that season, it was the first time I ever saw the Jets as a good team. The best I'd seen dating back to 1974 was a few 500 years. I was at the Seattle and Baltimore home games at Shea. It was awesome beating the Giants so bad because it was their first good year too but we were better, the Jets sacked Phil Simms 8 or 9 times. Of course the Todd-to-Barkum TD to beat Miami for first place in November was new ground for me with the Jets. The Green Bay game to clinch the playoffs, then a Wild Card game at Shea--that was a really fun year.
You are correct, 24-0 then we started to creep back itno it at 24-13, gave up another TD to fall behind 31-13 and scored 2 more TDs to make it 31-27 until Todd threw the INT to Bill Simpson to close it out at the GL. It's pretty good, I just have to find it. 10-2-1 the final 13 games and both losses to Seattle. The Seattle series has been a funny one, we lost our first 7 against Settle before breaking through in 1985 and since that win in '85 we have dominated them as we were 8-1 against them from '85 through 2004 but Brett helped end the win streak we had last year.
i love reading these historic summeries....brings back so many memories. memories clouded in a fog of college bud smoke, but memories just the same. fav mems from 1981: beating miami getting smoked up and crawling with a roomie through some tunnels and looking thru a vent into the girls locker room (chicks didn't shave back then, lots of pelts) somehow graduating from college married some chick from my physics class beating miami divorcing some chick from my physics class beating miami x-wife buying me my first ever 'jets jersey' (it was so cheap it was green with white markings, no name on the back, but hey, i still have it 28 yrs later)
81 was the official start for me. i kinda watched the jets from 77-79 but was too young to be fanatical and had no idea what was going on... i actually started as a raider fan in 76-77 cause i liked the jersey colors. - i know this statement may cause some issues around here but i was 9-10 yrs old at the time. when harper fumbled the kickoff - IMO - that started to curse that continues to this day. jil
