New York Jets claim top spot in the NFL with a win over the Denver Broncos
With the Baltimore Ravens, Chicago Bears, and Atlanta Falcons all going into the weekend with 4-1 records, and all losing, only the New York Jets improved on their 4-1 record to come out of the weekend
leading the NFL by beating the Denver Broncos 24-20 in Denver.
How it went down
Mark Sanchez, who hadn't thrown an interception all year, and had the longest streak going in the NFL, finally had his streak end in the first quarter on the Jets third possession when he was intercepted
by Jason Hunter. The Broncos dominated field position in the first quarter but couldn't capitalize as Knowshon Moreno fumbled deep in Jets territory, and the Broncos blew a short field goal after a low snap.
The Jets started the second quarter off with a bang when Braylon Edwards caught a 32-yard pass from Sanchez for a touchdown.
Broncos backup quarter, Tim Tebow, came in to replace Kyle Orton for a few snaps but didn't throw a pass. He did, however, score his first career touchdown by running the ball in from five yards out.
Sanchez threw his second interception of the game late in the second quarter setting up a huge 59-yard field goal for the Broncos who went into half-time up 10-7.
When the Broncos failed to convert a field goal with their first possession of the second half, the Jets tied things up with a 56-yard field conversion by Nick Folk.
Denver took the lead again in the third off a 17-yard pass and catch from Kyle Orton to Demaryius Thomas. But two touchdowns in the fourth quarter by LaDainian Tomlinson were enough to get the Jets the
win after Orton fumbled a snap, which was recovered by the Jets, just as the Broncos were driving into Jets territory looking for a late win.
What they're saying
The Jets victory hinged on a controversial play late in the fourth quarter on a fourth down and six from the Denver 48-yard line. Sanchez looked long for Santonio Holmes who was in single coverage. Holmes
couldn't come up with the catch but a pass interference penalty was assessed to Renaldo Hill on the play moving the ball to the spot of the foul, and giving the Jets a first and goal from the 2-yard line which Tomlinson easily walked in on the next play.
The pass interference call had everybody talking.
"Good thing the ref was right there to make that call," Holmes said.
"It could be debatable," Jets coach Rex Ryan added. "But we don't care, we'll take it."
"I'm not scared to say it: I think we outplayed them," Broncos linebacker Mario Haggan said. "They just had one more punch than we did and obviously it was decided by a technical."
Tags: