That's good stuff. I'd heard about that Namath play but it was before my time. Interesting take on the 2004 vs 1986 teams as well. We had beaten Denver handily in 86 but that was in October at home, when we were healthy and rolling. With New England being a division opponent and us usually playing them tough in Foxboro, you have to consider Brien's misses right up there. With Klecko, he was hobbling on that knee before it went, it wasn't just the one play. But if he survived that game he would have had the whole strike, two months, to recover and not miss a game. Which brings me back to the Todd INT in the 1981 playoffs. That team was on a roll and had a healthy Klecko. If they won that game they would have played Cincinnati the next week, who ultimately went to the Super Bowl. The following year we destroyed them in the playoffs without Klecko, makes you wonder how far that 1981 team could have gone. Remember, they started 0-3 and were on a 10-2-1 roll heading into that Buffalo game. There was another play in that game which still sticks in my head. After Buffalo jumped out to the big lead and the Jets were trying to come back, the Bills were driving deep in Jets territory. We sacked Joe Ferguson and stripped the ball. In trying to pick it up and run, Gastineau kicked it about 20 yards and chased after it with nothing but space in front of him. The Bills ended up recovering and although they lost about 50 yards, the Jets missed a huge chance for an easy TD.
How about one where the refs blew a call? 1982 AFC Championship. the Dolphins are on about the jets 30 when Miami's running back fumbled the ball on a hit by Klecko or Gastineau. The Jets recovered, but the refs ruled the runner down. On the next play, Bobby Jackson was called for holding. He then threw his helmet in disgust and an unsportsmanlike penalty was taked on. Miami ended up with first and goal and went on to score the first points of the game. If the refs get that fumble call correct, momentum changes and we may never see AJ Duhe taking one back to ice the game.
Fake spike- I know there have been poor plays with more significant results but this was just too damn humiliating. Falling for a stupid freakin' sandlot bull shit play !
On the play right before the Byars fumble, I would have popped the balloon...here's one to check on the videotape! Prior to the aforementioned fumble, the Jets were lined up with Byars in the backfield and he went into motion out to the right...Bill Romanowski was lined up right behind the tackles to blitz. All of sudden, a balloon comes blowing out onto the field right into the middle of the players. The officials called a timeout, dispensed with the balloon, and the Jets rehuddled. When they came out of the huddle, the Jets were in the same formation, with Byars in the backfield. Except this time, when Byars went into motion to the right, Romanowski followed him outside. Vinny threw the pass in the flat, Byars caught it and started running and Byars was in position to make the play and cause an unbelievable unfortunate fumble where the ball bounced on the sideline and never went out of bounds. I believe if the Jets had run the original play, Vinny would easily have beaten the blitz with the swing pass to Byers and Romanowski would not have been in position to cause the fumble. F---- balloon.
Didn't Leahy blow a FG attempt in the 2nd game at Miami that would've won the game and given the Jets the eventual home field advantage in the title game?
The nominees: -'81 WC game. The Bill Simpson INT or the Bruce Harper fumble. -'82 AFC Title Game. There was a fumble ruled not a fumble on the Miami lone offensive scoring drive, if the correct call is made we have the ball at midfield and the Duhe play may never have happened. -'86 div playoffs. The Gastineau roughing BUT if we won and beat Denver we would have gotten beat up by that great Giant team so it's better off we didn't make it. -'88 at KC. We missed the playoffs by one game and went 0-1-1 against an awful Chiefs team, late in the year we had a 3 point lead and if KC was in contention they likely would have kicked the FG and sent it to OT but they went for it and scored the GW TD. -'91 at Chi. Blair Thomas fumble, it changed the guys career. -'91 WC game. We missed on 2 4th and 1's inside the Hous 10. if we get one and score a TD that game goes to OT and we have a chance. -'93 vs. philly. Eric Allen INT -'93 at Buf. Blanchard's missed kicks OR a blown call that helped Buf. Thurman Thomas clearly fumbled before crossing the GL but they gave Buf the TD. -'97 at Det. leon Johnson INT which wasn't an INT. If the correct call is made it's ruled incomplete and we kick the FG and at least get to OT. -'98 at Den. The McCaffery play, I truly believe if that play doesn't happen we win that game and go on to win the SB. -'99 Vinny getting hurt -'99 Lucas INT vs Indy that cost us the game and at Indy Chrebet dropping a tying TD. -'00 at Bal. The INT at the end of the 1st half. -'01 vs. NE, Vinny overthrew Anderson which looked like a TD if it was complete. If we won this game or Buf game we have the #2 seed instead of NE. -'02 div playofdfs at oak. Coles' penalty on biug Moss reverse, Coles dropped TD or Coles standing there watching the game changing INT. -'03 Chad getting hurt in preseason. -'04 Brien missed kick. The winner is... 1992 vs. Kansas City. The Dennis Byrd play.
Yes, he did. Blew a short FG AND an extra point. But the Jets STILL would of won the game had Bobby Jackson held on to an INT with :50 remaining. Strock threw it right into his chest and he dropped it. That would-be INT would be my 'one play change' from 1982. If the Jets win that game, they finish 7-2 with the 2nd place seeding, Miami finishes 6-3 with the sixth place seeding and the Jets never play a 'mud bowl'. The Jets would have played New England and then San Diego at Shea, you have to figure the Jets win both games easily. Then at worst, the Jets would have played at the Raiders for the AFC Championship. We beat them in the divisional round! Or if say the Raiders were upset by another team before playing us, the Jets may have ended up playing Miami at Shea.......Totally different results in my opinion....... Oh and my one play from 1981 would have been Leahy connecting on a FG at Miami at the end of the OT period which would have broke the 28-28 tie and given the Jets a sweep of the season series and the AFC East division title...the Jets, not the Dolphins , would have hosted San Diego at Shea in the divisional round...would of been a pretty interesting match-up. Plus, we would never have to see Kellon Winslow being helped off the field at the Orange Bowl over and over again.... But my all-time favorite would have been the Testaverde injury in 1999.....
Vinny going down in '99 would be my pick. I actually cried. :sad: Close second: Dennis Byrd getting hurt. Cried at that one too. Distant third: Marino's fake spike. I wanted to strangle Marino, seriously.
yeah it was the culmination of a collapse. i was 9 and i still remember what i felt that day. btw this is an absolutely great thread!!!!! one of the best i have seen in awhile.
we lost 3 of our last 4 in 2004. we lost @pitt,home vs pats and @ st.l doug brien missed 4 fg's in the stl,sd and pitts game one that would have won the rams game the opening drive vs san diego and of course the 2 in pittsburgh man did we play tough that game. def td and a special teams td,your suppose to win those games.
Finally someone mentioned it. I was gonna post this. That is the ONLY play that matters. It cost us a Super Bowl.
This is mine. Anything from the second half of that game that could have changed the outcome. It was as close to winning a SB as we have been for 30+ years.
1 THe fake spike - only because it caused 2 1/2 years of pure misery afterwards 2 Vinnie goes down -- all offseason hopes gone in a puff of smoke - heartbreaking 3 AJ Duhe --- nuff said
