1998: Jets Defeat Bills to Clinch AFC East

The New York Jets had a 10-4 record and were looking to wrap up the AFC East title as they faced the Buffalo Bills on December 19, 1998. In their second season under Head Coach Bill Parcells, the Jets were a far cry from the 1-15 club of two years earlier. Newcomers to the offense, most notably QB Vinny Testaverde (pictured at right) and RB Curtis Martin, were having a major impact, as were wide receivers Keyshawn Johnson, a flashy third-year player, and Wayne Chrebet, a classic overachiever in his fourth season. The defense was strongest at linebacker, where Mo Lewis was joined by Bryan Cox, let go by the Bears but revitalized with the Jets.

Buffalo was coached by Wade Phillips and came into the contest at 9-5. Diminutive 36-year-old QB Doug Flutie had turned the club around in his return to the NFL from the CFL, taking over for QB Rob Johnson after a slow start. Retooling from the squad that had started the decade with four straight AFC Championships, the offense now also featured RB Antowain Smith and WR Eric Moulds while RB Thurman Thomas and WR Andre Reed had reduced roles. The tough defense was still anchored by DE Bruce Smith, who was beginning to slow down at age 36, as well as NT Ted Washington.

There were 79,056 fans in attendance at Rich Stadium on a windy Saturday. The Bills had the first possession and advanced into New York territory thanks to a pass from Doug Flutie to Eric Moulds that picked up 28 yards. Another throw to WR Quinn Early gained eight more yards to the 23, but on the next play the usually sure-handed Antowain Smith fumbled and LB Pepper Johnson recovered for the Jets.

New York drove 79 yards in eight plays. Vinny Testaverde threw to Keyshawn Johnson (pictured below) for 16 yards on first down and, after the series appeared to be stymied at the Jets’ 37, Testaverde ran for 14 yards on a third-and-10 play. Two plays later, RB Dave Meggett, who had only recently joined the team, gained 18 yards on a carry up the middle, Johnson picked up another 25 yards on an end-around, and it was Testaverde to Wayne Chrebet for a seven-yard touchdown. John Hall added the extra point and the visitors had the early 7-0 lead.

On the next possession, the Bills converted a third-and-nine situation with a Flutie pass to Moulds for 27 yards, but a 15-yard taunting penalty on the receiver at the end of the play erased most of the gain and Buffalo was ultimately forced to punt. Chris Mohr’s kick traveled 47 yards and pinned the Jets back at their one yard line, and a short series resulted in a punt in return. A 30-yard kick by John Kidd went just 30 yards and gave the Bills good starting field position at the New York 40. But after a short Flutie pass to Smith gained five yards, two more throws were incomplete and, facing fourth-and-five, another pass intended for Moulds also was unsuccessful.

The teams continued to exchange punts as the game entered the second quarter. Finally, Buffalo put together an 11-play drive that covered 79 yards. Flutie completed passes to FB Sam Gash for nine yards and WR Kevin Williams for 22 yards in a third-and-six situation. Smith ran effectively and Flutie himself had a nine-yard run. Flutie connected with Thurman Thomas for a 25-yard TD to complete the series and Steve Christie added the point after to tie the score.

Following a punt by the Jets, the Bills drove from their one to the New York 10 as Flutie completed three passes, the longest to Moulds (pictured below) for 35 yards, but they ultimately came up empty when Christie was wide to the left on a 28-yard field goal attempt in the final seconds of the half. The score remained unchanged at 7-7 although Buffalo had already accumulated 266 yards.

The Jets started off the third quarter by advancing into Buffalo territory. Testaverde completed consecutive passes to Keyshawn Johnson for 16 and six yards and Curtis Martin had a nine-yard run. Hall kicked a 48-yard field goal to put the visitors back in the lead by 10-7.

Buffalo responded with a long scoring drive. Smith carried most of the load, picking up 35 yards on eight attempts and Flutie converted two third downs, one on a pass to Williams for seven yards and another on a three-yard run. The advance finally faltered at the New York 26 and Christie tied the score once more with a 44-yard field goal into the wind. But two plays after the ensuing kickoff, Testaverde threw to WR Dedric Ward, who beat CB Donovan Greer, an injury replacement, for a 71-yard touchdown. Hall’s kick gave the visitors a seven-point lead.

The Bills had to punt following the next series and the Jets moved into Buffalo territory, helped by a defensive holding penalty in a third-and-nine situation. But they were again forced to try for a field goal and Hall’s attempt from 46 yards was no good.

Following another exchange of punts, the Bills had good starting field position at the New York 49. Keeping the ball on the ground, they reached the 21, but a Flutie pass was bobbled by Williams and barely picked off by diving CB Victor Green (television replays were inconclusive as to whether he maintained possession) with just under four minutes remaining in regulation.

The Jets went three-and-out, with Kidd’s punt sailing 57 yards. Starting from their 20, the Bills had one last chance and Flutie immediately threw to Moulds for 17 yards. But following a short run by Thomas, the next three passes fell incomplete to turn the ball over to New York on downs. There was still 1:32 left on the clock, but a Testaverde throw to Johnson for seven yards on a third-and-six play nailed down the 17-10 win for the Jets.

Buffalo had the edge in total yards (366 to 269), although the Bills gained only 100 yards in the second half. They also had more first downs (21 to 14) and ran far more plays (74 to 51). However, the home team also turned the ball over twice, to none suffered by the Jets.

Vinny Testaverde completed 14 of 23 passes for 184 yards and a touchdown while giving up no interceptions. Keyshawn Johnson had 7 catches for 66 yards while Dedric Ward gained a team-leading 71 yards on his one long scoring reception. Curtis Martin was held to 38 rushing yards on 20 attempts.

For the Bills, Doug Flutie had a rough outing, completing just 14 of 38 throws for 220 yards and a TD as well as an interception. While he was only sacked once, he faced heavy pressure and was knocked down often. Antowain Smith (pictured below) gained 82 yards while running the ball 20 times. Eric Moulds topped the receivers with four catches for 107 yards.

The Jets won the season finale to finish at 12-4 with their first division title since they were an AFL team in 1969. They reached the AFC Championship game before losing to Denver. Buffalo ended up in third place in the AFC East with a 10-6 record and qualified for the playoffs as a Wild Card. The Bills lost to Miami, the club that finished second in the division, in the first round.

Vinny Testaverde ended up with an AFC-leading 101.6 passer rating, throwing for 3256 yards and 29 TDs with just seven interceptions. He was selected to the Pro Bowl along with Keyshawn Johnson, who caught 83 passes for 1131 yards and 10 touchdowns, and Curtis Martin, who had many more productive games on his way to 1287 rushing yards.

Doug Flutie also was chosen for the Pro Bowl as he started ten games, seven of them wins, and threw for 2711 yards and 20 touchdowns against 11 interceptions. Eric Moulds led the AFC with 1368 pass receiving yards on his 67 catches with 9 TDs and was another Pro Bowl selection. Antowain Smith, in his second season, rushed for 1124 yards while averaging 3.7 yards per attempt and scored eight TDs. 

1999: Jets Beat Error-Prone Jaguars in Divisional Playoff Game

The New York Jets were in the postseason for the first time in seven years as they hosted the Jacksonville Jaguars in an AFC Divisional Playoff game on January 10, 1999. Head Coach Bill Parcells, formerly of the Giants and Patriots, had guided the Jets to a remarkable turnaround, just two seasons removed from a dreadful 1-15 record. Newcomers had made a difference in ’98, with QB Vinny Testaverde (pictured above), a career underachiever, putting together a Pro Bowl season and RB Curtis Martin, formerly with Parcells in New England, rushing for 1287 yards and also gaining a Pro Bowl spot. Another Pro Bowler was WR Keyshawn Johnson, stepping up his game in his third season in New York (83 catches, 1131 yards, 10 TDs). The defense was especially strong at linebacker, where yet another newcomer, Bryan Cox, performed well in a unit that already included All-Pro OLB Mo Lewis. The Jets won their last six regular season games on the way to a 12-4 record that topped the NFC East.

The Jaguars, only a fourth-year franchise coached by Tom Coughlin, were nevertheless in the playoffs for the third consecutive season, having topped the AFC Central at 11-5. The offense was potent, led by QB Mark Brunell, who missed three weeks late in the season with an ankle injury. Wide receivers Jimmy Smith and Keenan McCardell made for a productive tandem and rookie RB Fred Taylor rushed for 1223 yards and 14 touchdowns. The defense was far less impressive, however, ranking a mediocre 25^th in the league and particularly lacking a pass rush. Jacksonville defeated the Patriots, who were without their starting quarterback, in the Wild Card playoff round to advance to the Divisional game against the Jets.

There were 78,817 fans in attendance at Giants Stadium in the New Jersey Meadowlands. The Jets had the first possession and drove 70 yards in seven plays. Curtis Martin started it off with a 17-yard gain on a pass play and rushed for 11 yards while Vinny Testaverde had three more completions, the last two to RB Dave Meggett for 14 yards and Keyshawn Johnson (pictured below) for a 21-yard touchdown. John Hall added the extra point.

The teams exchanged punts, with the Jaguars advancing to the New York 42 on their second possession. Mark Brunell completed three passes, two of them to Keenan McCardell, but his last two fell incomplete, forcing another punt. The Jets took over at their seven and, in a series that extended into the second quarter, drove into Jacksonville territory. Testaverde was successful on four of his throws, one of which had 15 yards tacked on for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, and after the drive stalled at the 34, Hall kicked a 52-yard field goal to open up a 10-0 lead for New York.

The Jaguars no sooner got the ball back following the kickoff when Brunell threw a pass that was intercepted by CB Otis Smith at the New York 40. A long possession with an odd play in the midst of it ensued. With the Jets at the Jacksonville 18, Martin fumbled and FS Chris Hudson recovered and raced 47 yards down the sideline. However, an attempt to lateral to CB Dave Thomas failed and Keyshawn Johnson recovered the loose ball. Given a reprieve, the Jets drove 65 yards back into Jacksonville territory and, on an end-around, Johnson ran around left end for a ten-yard TD. With Hall’s point after, the New York lead was up to 17-0 with 40 seconds remaining in the first half.

It was enough time for the Jaguars, following a 28-yard kickoff return by WR Reggie Barlow. Three plays later, Brunell threw long to Jimmy Smith (pictured at left), who took advantage of a lapse in coverage for a 52-yard touchdown. Mike Hollis converted and the score stood at 17-7 at halftime.

Jacksonville appeared to maintain the momentum heading into the first series of the third quarter, but facing a third-and-inches situation at their 49, Brunell threw a long pass that was picked off by FS Corwin Brown, who returned it 40 yards to the Jacksonville 40. Testaverde completed passes to Martin for 16 yards and Johnson for 23 to reach the one yard line, and three plays later Martin scored a TD that, followed by Hall’s PAT, again gave the Jets a 17-point lead at 24-7.

The Jaguars weren’t finished yet, and Barlow returned the ensuing kickoff 88 yards to the New York four. The Jets held for three downs, but on fourth-and-three, Brunell completed a pass to McCardell for a touchdown. Hollis added the extra point to reduce the New York lead to 24-14.

The Jets responded with a series in which Testaverde completed all five of his passes. WR Wayne Chrebet hauled in the first for 16 yards, Martin had catches for nine and ten yards, and in between WR Dedric Ward had an 18-yard reception. TE Kyle Brady’s catch for 17 yards put the ball at the Jacksonville four, and two carries by Martin yielded a one-yard TD. Hall kicked the point after and the home team took a 31-14 lead into the fourth quarter.

Following a punt by the Jets early in the final period, Fred Taylor took off on a 29-yard run that launched a 64-yard drive. Brunell threw to Jimmy Smith for a 19-yard TD and Hollis converted to make the score 31-21.

On the third play of their next possession, the Jets turned the ball over when Chrebet fumbled when hit by LB Kevin Hardy and Dave Thomas recovered for the Jaguars at the New York 41. It appeared that the break would come to nothing when the visitors couldn’t move the ball and a fourth-and-nine pass fell incomplete, but the Jets were called for pass interference. Jacksonville still couldn’t get a first down, reaching the New York 19, but Hall kicked a 37-yard field goal to make it a seven-point game with 6:38 to play in regulation.

The Jets fought back, converting a third-and 14 situation at their own 30 with Testaverde connecting with Johnson for a 20-yard gain. Martin ran effectively, but after advancing to the Jacksonville 14, Testaverde’s pass was intercepted by SS Donovin Darius. Darius, who slid down in the end zone after making the catch, was slow to get to his feet and, rather than taking a touchback, tried to run and barely made it out of the end zone before being tackled. The Jaguars thus were forced to start from their one yard line. Brunell had a seven-yard run on second down, but his three passes fell incomplete, including the last on fourth-and-three at his eight at the two minute mark. Hall kicked a 30-yard field goal to effectively seal the 34-24 win for New York, with the home crowd erupting loudly at the end.

The win was New York’s first in 12 years in the postseason. The Jets significantly led in total yards (429 to 251) and first downs (29 to 14). Jacksonville turned the ball over four times, to three suffered by New York, but the Jaguars had the game’s only two sacks.

Vinny Testaverde completed 24 of 36 passes for 284 yards and a touchdown while giving up one interception. Curtis Martin (pictured below) rushed for 124 yards on 36 carries that included two TDs and also caught 6 passes for another 58 yards. Keyshawn Johnson had 9 catches for 121 yards and a touchdown, ran the ball twice for 28 yards and another score, and also recovered a fumble and, inserted as an extra defender, intercepted a desperation pass at the end of the game. The overall performance made him the second player in NFL postseason history to score on both a catch and a run, recover a fumble, and intercept a pass in the same playoff game (Jack Manders of the Bears did the same thing in the 1937 NFL Championship game).

For the Jaguars, Mark Brunell was successful on 12 of 31 throws for 156 yards and three TDs, but also was intercepted three times. Fred Taylor gained 86 yards on 20 rushing attempts. Jimmy Smith caught 5 passes for 104 yards and two touchdowns and Keenan McCardell contributed four receptions for 32 yards and a TD. On defense, Kevin Hardy had a noteworthy performance, compiling 19 tackles, 14 of them solo.

 “It wasn’t an aesthetic performance in a lot of ways, but this is a good win for this franchise,” said Coach Parcells of the Jets.

“We made foolish, foolish plays, foolish throws, foolish decisions,” summed up Mark Brunell of his team’s performance.

The Jets moved on to the AFC Championship game at Denver and lost convincingly to the powerful Broncos. Jacksonville came back in 1999 with a NFL-best 14-2 record and reached the AFC title game before losing to Tennessee.

Rookie of the Year: Curtis Martin, 1995

Running Back, New England Patriots

Age:  22

College: Pittsburgh

Height: 5’11” Weight: 197

Prelude:

Martin suffered through an injury-plagued college career, rushing for 1045 yards in ten games as a junior and then, after a 251-yard performance against Texas in the first game of his senior year, he went down with a severe ankle sprain. He chose to enter the 1995 NFL draft and was taken by the Patriots in the third round. While there were concerns regarding his injury history, Martin quickly allayed them by rushing for 102 yards in his NFL debut.

1995 Season Summary

Appeared in all 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Rushing

Attempts – 368 [2]

Most attempts, game - 36 (for 127 yds.) vs. Buffalo 10/23

Yards – 1487 [3, 1^st in AFC]

Most yards, game – 166 yards (on 35 carries) at NY Jets 11/5

Average gain – 4.0 [15]

TDs – 14 [3]

100-yard rushing games – 9

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 30      

Most receptions, game – 8 (for 62 yds.) at Pittsburgh 12/16

Yards – 261

Most yards, game – 62 (on 8 catches) at Pittsburgh 12/16

Average gain – 8.7

TDs – 1

Scoring

TDs – 15 [6]

2-pt PAT – 1

Points – 92

Awards & Honors:

NFL Rookie of the Year: Sporting News

NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year: AP, PFWA

AFC Rookie of the Year: UPI

1^st-team All-AFC: UPI, Pro Football Weekly

Pro Bowl

Patriots went 6-10 to finish fourth in the AFC East.

Aftermath:

Martin followed up with another Pro Bowl year in 1996, rushing for 1152 yards and catching 46 passes as the Patriots won the AFC title. It was the second of ten straight seasons in which he rushed for over a thousand yards. An elusive runner who caught the ball well out of the backfield, he exhibited impressive stamina and durability, although he missed three games in ’97 due to an abdominal injury that required surgery. After rushing for 3799 yards and 32 TDs with New England, Martin was signed as a restricted free agent by the New York Jets in 1998, reuniting with Bill Parcells, his first coach with the Patriots, and played a key role in that team’s quick turnaround. Despite maintaining a heavy workload, he carried on through a string of 119 consecutive starts before a major knee injury finally ended his career 12 games into the 2005 season. Along the way, his quiet consistency was often overlooked, but he twice gained over 1500 yards in a season, including a league-leading 1697 at age 31 in 2004. Overall, he received consensus first-team All-NFL honors once, gained at least some first- or second-team recognition after three other years, and was selected to the Pro Bowl five times while rushing for 14,101 yards, which ranked fourth all-time at his retirement, on 3518 carries (4.0 avg.) and catching 484 passes for another 3329 yards, giving him 17,430 yards from scrimmage. He scored an even 100 touchdowns (90 rushing, 10 receiving). The Jets retired Martin’s #28 and he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Class of 2012.

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Rookie of the Year Profiles feature players who were named Rookie of the Year in the NFL, AFL (1960-69), or USFL (1983-85) by a recognized organization (Associated Press – Offense or Defense, Newspaper Enterprise Association, United Press International, The Sporting News, or the league itself – Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Year). 

2005: Jets Beat Chargers in Overtime of AFC Wild Card Playoff

The AFC Wild Card playoff game at San Diego on January 8, 2005 featured the San Diego Chargers hosting the New York Jets. The Chargers had won nine of their last ten games to finish atop the AFC West with a 12-4 record while New York lost three of its last four contests to end up in second place in the AFC East at 10-6 and needed help to get into the playoffs (a Buffalo loss in the final week).

San Diego, coached by Marty Schottenheimer, had turned around very quickly from a 4-12 record in 2003 and was in the postseason for the first time since 1995. QB Drew Brees had dramatically improved in his fourth year while TE Antonio Gates emerged as an outstanding receiver. RB LaDainian Tomlinson, also in his fourth season, was already established as one of the league’s best all-around backs. The defense had improved as well under the tutelage of coordinator Wade Phillips.

The Jets, coached by Herman Edwards, had the league’s leading rusher in 31-year-old RB Curtis Martin (1697 yards). QB Chad Pennington (pictured at top) was smart, efficient, and a good leader, but was troubled by a torn rotator cuff (he would have surgery in the offseason). Rookie MLB Jonathan Vilma was a good addition to the defense, but star DE John Abraham had gone down with a knee injury late in the season.

There were 67,536 fans in attendance at Qualcomm Stadium for the Saturday night game with rain falling. The Jets took the opening kickoff and drove 57 yards in 11 plays. Chad Pennington converted a third-and-nine situation with a completion to WR Santana Moss for 16 yards and, later facing third-and-eight at his own 45, threw to WR Justin McCareins, also for 16 yards. A 16-yard run by RB LaMont Jordan got the ball to the San Diego 23 and the series finally stalled at the 14. However, the visitors came up empty when Doug Brien missed a 33-yard field goal attempt.

The Chargers were unable to get anything going on offense and the teams traded punts until San Diego started a 13-play, 88-yard drive that extended into the second quarter. LaDainian Tomlinson ran for 13 yards on the first two plays, on the way to seven attempts for 39 yards for the series, and Drew Brees completed all five of his passes, the last to WR Keenan McCardell, who made an outstanding catch for a 26-yard touchdown that was initially ruled incomplete but was overturned on replay. Nate Kaeding added the extra point to give the Chargers a 7-0 lead.

The teams again exchanged punts until the Jets, helped by a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on Coach Schottenheimer for running onto the field to protest the lack of a roughing-the-kicker flag on the punt, put together a five-play, 52-yard possession that included a Pennington pass to McCareins that picked up 21 yards to the San Diego 15. Two plays later, Pennington connected with TE Anthony Becht for a 13-yard TD and, with Brien adding the extra point, the game was tied with less than three minutes remaining in the first half.

The Chargers again drove into New York territory as Brees completed passes of nine yards to McCardell, 16 yards to WR Eric Parker, and 15 yards to Antonio Gates. But after advancing to the 37, a Brees pass was intercepted by SS Reggie Tongue. Thus ended the last scoring opportunity of the half, and the game remained tied at the midpoint.

Following a San Diego punt that ended the first series of the third quarter, the Jets moved 75 yards in five plays to take the lead. Pennington completed passes to McCareins of 11 and 10 yards, and then connected with Moss, who outran FS Jerry Wilson and CB Quentin Jammer for a 47-yard touchdown. Brien added the PAT and New York was up by 14-7.

The Chargers reached their 43 on the ensuing series before punting, and the Jets again put together a scoring drive of eight plays and 42 yards. The highlight was a Pennington screen pass to Curtis Martin that picked up 23 yards to the San Diego 31. However, a penalty backed the Jets up and they ultimately had to settle for a 42-yard field goal by Brien, which bounced off the crossbar before going through, but they now led by a ten-point margin.

San Diego had the ball heading into the fourth quarter, on the way to a 54-yard possession in 12 plays. Most were passes by Brees, as he hit Parker twice for 14 and 12 yards, and Tomlinson for a total of 15 yards. Kaeding kicked a 35-yard field goal to make it a 17-10 game.

The Jets mounted a long drive in response, with Pennington chipping away on short passes and a five-yard penalty on the Chargers for having 12 men on the field allowing New York to convert a fourth-and-three play at the San Diego 40. The visitors reached the 34 before punting, passing up a long field goal attempt, having used up over five-and-a-half minutes.

The Chargers took over at their 20 with 4:46 remaining in regulation. It looked bad for them when Brees was sacked on the first play for a six-yard loss. However, he threw to Gates for 21 yards and a first down and then, after tossing an incomplete pass, connected with Gates again for a 44-yard gain to the New York 21. Tomlinson ran for 12 yards to give the Chargers first-and-goal at the nine. Tomlinson carried again, for a yard, and Brees went seven yards up the middle to the one. On third down, Tomlinson lost a yard and, with the clock down to 24 seconds, it was a fourth-and-two situation. Under hot pursuit, Brees faded back 20 yards before launching a pass that was knocked down in the end zone, but LB Eric Barton was penalized for roughing the passer when he hit the quarterback in the head with his right forearm. With a first down and a half-the-distance penalty on New York that moved the ball to the one, Brees then tossed to Gates for a touchdown (pictured below). Kaeding’s vital extra point was good and the game headed into overtime with the score tied at 17-17.

San Diego had the first possession but punted, and the Jets went three-and-out and kicked it back. Starting at their 30, the Chargers put together a 14-play, 48-yard drive. Brees threw to Parker for eight yards in a third-and-five situation and converted another third down near midfield with a three yard carry. A pass to Tomlinson gained 10 yards to the New York 33 and Tomlinson then ran around left end for a nine-yard gain. With the ball inside the New York 25, the Chargers played conservatively to line up for a field goal, and Kaeding came on to try from 40 yards. However, the kick was wide to the right and the game continued.

Following a four-yard carry by Martin, Pennington threw to Moss for 18 yards and, two plays later, he connected with McCareins for 11 yards to the San Diego 34. Jordan ran for 19 yards and now it was time for the visitors to maneuver for a field goal. Brien’s kick was good from 28 yards out and the Jets came away with a 20-17 win.

The Chargers had the edge in total yards (408 to 396) and first downs (24 to 20). Each team recorded two sacks apiece and there was just one turnover, which was by San Diego. The Chargers were also penalized nine times, at a cost of 75 yards, to eight penalties for 49 yards on New York.

Chad Pennington completed 23 of 33 passes for 279 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions. Curtis Martin ran for 66 yards on 18 carries and caught four passes for 47 yards. LaMont Jordan contributed 50 yards on 7 rushing attempts. Justin McCareins had 8 pass receptions for 87 yards while Santana Moss gained an even 100 yards on his four catches that included the one long TD.

For the Chargers, Drew Brees (pictured at right) was successful on 31 of 42 throws for 319 yards and two TDs with one interception. LaDainian Tomlinson rushed for 80 yards on 26 attempts and had 9 pass receptions for another 53 yards. Eric Parker also had 9 catches, for a team-leading 93 yards, and Antonio Gates compiled 89 yards on 6 receptions that included a score.

The Jets lost to Pittsburgh in the Divisional playoff round, again in overtime and on the other end of an identical 20-17 score. Doug Brien, who kicked the winning field goal against the Chargers, was the goat against the Steelers, missing two field goal attempts in the final minutes that could have won the game. New York fell to 4-12 in ’05, leading to the dismissal of Coach Edwards, and returned to the postseason in 2006 under a new head coach, Eric Mangini.

As for San Diego, it was the fifth straight playoff loss for Coach Marty Schottenheimer, an unfortunate blot on an otherwise solid coaching career. The Chargers went 9-7 in 2005 and placed third in the AFC West, but bounced back in 2006 with a conference-best 14-2 record. They lost their first postseason contest once again, this time at the Divisional level, and Schottenheimer was let go.

1996: Cowboys Shut Down Patriots & Clinch NFC East

The Dallas Cowboys, defending NFL Champions, were seeking to clinch a fifth straight NFC East title as they hosted the New England Patriots on December 15, 1996. Head Coach Barry Switzer’s Cowboys were still a strong team with an offense based around the troika of QB Troy Aikman, RB Emmitt Smith, and WR Michael Irvin and a defense that was top-ranked against the pass. But Smith was playing hurt much of the year and Irvin missed time due to a drug suspension, one of many off-field distractions that dogged the club. DE Leon Lett would be missing the contest against the Patriots, also due to a drug suspension. But despite the problems, Dallas was 9-5 and, at the very least, still the best team in its division.

The Patriots, coached by Bill Parcells, had a 10-4 record and were already assured of a playoff berth. QB Drew Bledsoe directed a pass-oriented offense and had WR Terry Glenn, who quickly established himself as an impact player in his rookie season despite playing with a nagging hamstring injury, as his main target. Second-year RB Curtis Martin was outstanding running the ball. The defense had been unimpressive earlier in the season but appeared to be coming together as the postseason approached.

There were 64,578 fans in attendance Texas Stadium. The Cowboys had the first possession and punted. New England responded by driving 61 yards in 10 plays. Curtis Martin started things off with a 21-yard carry and Drew Bledsoe threw to Terry Glenn for 19 yards to the Dallas 25. A 10-yard run by RB Dave Meggett converted a third-and-10 situation but, after getting first-and-goal from the four yard line, Bledsoe threw three incomplete passes in the end zone and the Patriots settled for a 21-yard field goal by Adam Vinatieri.

The Cowboys no sooner got the ball again when CB Ty Law intercepted an Aikman pass to give New England possession at the Dallas 30. Bledsoe completed three short passes and the Patriots again ended up with a Vinatieri field goal, this time from 30 yards. The Patriots were up by 6-0, but that would prove to be the high point of the game for them.

Dallas responded quickly when RB Herschel Walker returned the ensuing kickoff 70 yards to the New England 19. While the Cowboys had difficulty moving the ball from there on offense, Chris Boniol booted a 23-yard field goal.

The Patriots came back on a series that extended into the second quarter. Bledsoe threw a screen pass to FB Keith Byars for a 19-yard gain and, two plays later, hit Byars again for 16 yards. But after reaching the Dallas 16, Martin fumbled on a third down carry and DT Chad Hennings recovered for the Cowboys.

The teams traded punts before Dallas put together a nine-play, 51-yard scoring drive. Aikman threw to Emmitt Smith on a third-and-two play to gain 21 yards as he broke two tackles along the way and the star running back followed up with three consecutive eight-yard carries before being shaken up and having to leave the game. Boniol kicked a 36-yard field goal to tie the score at 6-6.

New England drove to just past midfield as the game moved into the last two minutes of the first half, but a pass was intercepted by safety Roger Harper to end the threat. The score remained tied at halftime.

Following a punt by the Patriots after their first series of the third quarter, the Cowboys advanced 69 yards in 13 plays. Aikman had completions to Michael Irvin for 15 yards and WR Kevin Williams for 19 yards along the way, Smith had six carries for 26 yards, and a defensive holding penalty converted a second-and-10 situation before the drive ended at the New England 17 and Boniol kicked his third field goal, from 35 yards.

On New England’s third play after receiving the ensuing kickoff, SS Darren Woodson (pictured at top) intercepted a Bledsoe pass and returned it 21 yards to the New England four. The Patriots held on defense, actually backing the Cowboys up seven yards, and Boniol booted a 29-yard field goal.

The visitors reached the Dallas 48 on their last series of the period, but Bledsoe threw an incomplete pass on fourth-and-one to give the ball back to the home team. Aikman threw to Irvin for 20 yards and the Cowboys reached the New England seven, but on the second play of the fourth quarter Aikman threw into the end zone and Law intercepted for the second time.

The teams exchanged punts before the Patriots again threatened, advancing to the Dallas 23. The big play was a Bledsoe pass to Glenn for 29 yards, but once again New England came up empty when trying to convert a fourth down.

After the Cowboys managed to burn over three minutes off the clock before punting, the Patriots took over at their 18 with 2:33 remaining. Bledsoe threw to WR Troy Brown for nine yards but then was picked off by Woodson. It turned out to be their last chance – Williams gained nine yards on a third-and-seven end-around to clinch the surprisingly low-scoring 12-6 win for Dallas.

In a game dominated by the defenses, the Patriots had the edge in total yards (279 to 251) while the clubs were even with 16 first downs apiece. New England turned the ball over four times, to two suffered by the Cowboys. Moreover, the Patriots had come into the game leading the league by scoring an average of 28 points-per-game, but were held to just six points and no touchdowns by the Dallas defense.

Troy Aikman completed 16 of 28 passes for 169 yards and gave up two interceptions. Emmitt Smith rushed for 85 yards on 27 carries and added another 55 yards on 5 pass receptions. Michael Irvin led the club with 6 catches for 76 yards. Darren Woodson had two big interceptions on defense and Chris Boniol (pictured at left) was successful on all four of his field goal attempts.

For the Patriots, Drew Bledsoe was successful on 20 of 40 throws for 178 yards and was picked off three times. Curtis Martin had 91 rushing yards on 20 attempts. Terry Glenn caught 8 passes for 83 yards and Keith Byars contributed 5 receptions for 46 yards. On defense, Ty Law accounted for both of the team’s interceptions.

“I told the team they ought to be damn proud of the fact they’re the first team to ever win five consecutive NFC East titles,” said Coach Switzer.

On a different note, Michael Irvin said, “We’ve had to fight and struggle all year. But our defense won it for us. If we play like this on offense we’ll be out of the playoffs as soon as they start. It was flat-out embarrassing the way we played. I just about cried.”

Irvin’s pessimism was not fully justified as the Cowboys, who finished with a 10-6 record, easily got past Minnesota in the Wild Card playoff round. However, they lost to the upstart Carolina Panthers in the Divisional round – the club’s earliest departure from the postseason since 1991. New England ended up winning the AFC East at 11-5 and advanced all the way to the Super Bowl before losing to Green Bay.

2005: Steelers Beat Jets in Divisional Playoff with FG in Overtime

The AFC Divisional Playoff game at Pittsburgh’s Heinz Field on January 15, 2005 appeared to be a mismatch. The Pittsburgh Steelers were perennial contenders under Head Coach Bill Cowher and had gone 15-1 during the 2004 regular season. Rookie QB Ben Roethlisberger took over as the starting quarterback three games into the schedule when veteran Tommy Maddox was injured and was nothing short of sensational – the team won all 13 of his starts and he set rookie records by completing 66.4 % of his passes and compiling a 98.1 passer rating. He was helped by an outstanding ground game that featured the aging Jerome Bettis (pictured above) and newcomer Duce Staley, signed away from the Eagles. Pro Bowl WR Hines Ward was the most productive passing target. Most of all, the defense was the league’s best and contained Pro Bowlers in DE Aaron Smith, ILB James Farrior, OLB Joey Porter, and SS Troy Polamalu.

The visiting New York Jets placed second in the AFC East with a 10-6 record and had just gotten past the Chargers in overtime in the Wild Card Playoff round to advance to the Divisional level. Under Head Coach Herman Edwards, the backfield contained the NFL’s leading rusher in RB Curtis Martin (1697 yards) and the Jets utilized a West Coast passing offense that was directed by QB Chad Pennington, who made up for a weak arm with accuracy and toughness (he was battling a sore shoulder that would require rotator cuff surgery in the offseason). The defense was not on a par with Pittsburgh’s but was aggressive and tough against the run. However, the Jets had scored just six points in each of their prior two games against the Steelers, including a few weeks earlier during the regular season, and were clear underdogs.

Neither offense was able to get out of its own side of the field until midway through the first quarter when the Steelers drove 36 yards in seven plays. Jerome Bettis gained 17 yards in three carries and Ben Roethlisberger completed a pass to Hines Ward for 14 yards. Jeff Reed kicked a 49-yard field goal to give Pittsburgh the early 3-0 advantage.

On the second play of New York’s next series, Chad Pennington was intercepted by Troy Polamalu, who returned it 15 yards to give the Steelers excellent field position at the Jets’ 25. Five plays later, Bettis ran three yards up the middle for a touchdown and, with the successful extra point, it was a 10-0 game.

The Jets responded with a drive that extended into the second quarter and went 39 yards in 11 plays. Doug Brien’s 42-yard field goal attempt was successful and narrowed the score to 10-3. The Steelers went three-and-out in their next possession but, following a penalty on the punt return, New York started its next series at its own ten yard line. Pennington threw to WR Justin McCareins for a 30-yard gain but the promising drive finally stalled at the Pittsburgh 34 and the Jets punted. The Steelers also punted following a drive that netted 15 yards and WR Santana Moss (pictured below) returned it 75 yards for a touchdown that, combined with the successful PAT, tied the score at 10-10. That was still the tally at halftime.

The teams traded punts to start the third quarter but the Steelers drove into New York territory in their second possession. Roethlisberger completed passes to Ward for 12 yards, WR Plaxico Burress for 17, and WR Lee Mays for eight yards in a third-and-three situation. But after reaching the New York 34, a pass by Roethlisberger was picked off by SS Reggie Tongue, who returned it 86 yards for a TD. Thanks to the big plays on the punt and interception returns, the Jets were ahead by 17-10 heading into the fourth quarter.

The Steelers again advanced into New York territory but another turnover blunted a promising drive as Bettis uncharacteristically fumbled and FS Erik Coleman recovered at the 23. The Jets failed to get a first down and kicked the ball back to the Steelers, who started off from their 34 with 12:41 left in regulation. Pittsburgh put together another good drive, going 66 yards in 12 plays, and this time there were no turnovers. Roethlisberger took off for a 20-yard run to start the series which, with the exception of three short passes, stayed on the ground. Bettis and Duce Staley both carried the ball and the third of the passes was to Ward for a four-yard TD. Reed’s extra point tied the score at 17-17.

The Jets now moved the ball effectively as Pennington connected with McCareins for a 22-yard gain and Curtis Martin for 17. However, after reaching the Pittsburgh 28 the resulting 47-yard field goal try by Brien struck the goal post and was unsuccessful. But the Jets got the ball back right away when a Roethlisberger pass was intercepted by CB David Barrett and returned 25 yards to the Pittsburgh 36. It seemed as though the Jets had the game in hand as they chipped away to the 24 and, with time running out in regulation, lined up for another field goal attempt by Brien. The 43-yard kick, sailing far off the mark, was no good and the contest proceeded into overtime.

The Jets had the first possession in overtime and had to punt from their 41. Following WR Antwaan Randle El’s eight-yard return, the Steelers started off from their 13 yard line and went 72 yards in 14 plays. Along the way, Roethlisberger threw to Ward for a 17-yard gain on a third-and-six play and Pittsburgh converted a third-and-five situation thanks to a nine-yard run by RB Verron Haynes. Staley followed up with three carries for 17 yards to get the ball to the New York 24 and, after advancing further to the 15, Reed booted a 33-yard field goal – his 19^th straight successful three-pointer – to give the Steelers a 20-17 win.

Pittsburgh accumulated more total yards (364 to 275) and first downs (23 to 17). 193 of those yards came on the ground. However, the Steelers also turned the ball over three times, to one by the Jets, which nearly proved fatal.

Ben Roethlisberger (pictured above) completed 17 of 30 passes for 181 yards and a touchdown but with two interceptions. Jerome Bettis led the running game with 101 yards and a TD on 27 carries while Duce Staley added 54 yards on 11 attempts. Hines Ward caught 10 passes for 105 yards and a score.

For the Jets, Chad Pennington was successful on 21 of 33 throws for 182 yards with none for TDs and one intercepted. Curtis Martin rushed for 77 yards on 19 carries and caught four passes for 29 more yards. Justin McCareins led the club with 5 pass receptions for 82 yards. Thanks to the long return for a score, Santana Moss had 83 yards on punt returns to go along with his four catches for 31 yards.

Doug Brien (pictured at right) achieved the dubious distinction of being the first placekicker in NFL history to miss two field goal attempts in the last two minutes of the fourth quarter of a playoff game; just the week before he had booted a field goal in overtime to beat the Chargers.

“I had confidence in him,” said Herman Edwards of the kicker. “He made the one last week and I thought he could make it…He’s been a good kicker for us. It was just a tough day.”

Brien was let go by the Jets during the offseason, after they drafted PK Mike Nugent in the second round out of Ohio State. He was signed by the Bears but appeared in just three games before being dropped to thus end his 12-year NFL career.

The Steelers advanced to the AFC Championship game, which they lost to the New England Patriots. They came back in 2005 with a lesser record, finishing the regular season as a Wild Card team, but went all the way to win the Super Bowl. The Jets dropped to 4-12 in an injury-plagued year before bouncing back to the postseason in ’06.

1997: Late Turnovers Help Patriots Defeat Jaguars for AFC Title

Both of the teams meeting for the AFC Championship on January 12, 1997 had overcome slow starts during the ’96 regular season to get there. The New England Patriots, in their fourth season under Head Coach Bill Parcells, were 3-3 after a close loss to the Redskins but then went 8-2 the rest of the way to top the AFC East at 11-5. Second-year RB Curtis Martin rushed for 1152 yards and 14 touchdowns and WR Terry Glenn set a rookie record with 90 catches. QB Drew Bledsoe (pictured at right) had his flaws but was also highly productive as he threw for 4086 yards and 27 TDs and earned selection to the Pro Bowl. The defense had started off as slowly as the early record indicated but came together during the second half of the season and allowed just one offensive touchdown in the preceding three games, which included a win over the Steelers in the Divisional round of the playoffs.

Even more surprising to see vying for the AFC title were the Jacksonville Jaguars. In just their second year of existence, Head Coach Tom Coughlin’s team had overcome a 4-7 start to win five straight contests and finish the regular season at 9-7 for second place in the AFC Central and a Wild Card spot. From there they won two more games, in the Wild Card round over the Buffalo Bills and at the Divisional level against the Denver Broncos. QB Mark Brunell, a mobile lefthander, led the NFL in passing yards (4367) while throwing primarily to talented wide receivers Jimmy Smith and Keenan McCardell. RB Natrone Means gained 315 yards rushing in the two postseason wins. Defensive ends Clyde Simmons and Tony Brackens and LB Kevin Hardy gave the Jaguars a potent pass rush.

There were 60,190 fans in attendance on a cold late afternoon at Foxboro Stadium. Things started off badly for the Jaguars when, punting from their own 20 following the opening series of the game, Bryan Barker tried to run after fielding a high snap and the Patriots got the ball at the Jacksonville four yard line. Two plays later, Curtis Martin ran for a one-yard touchdown.

The teams traded punts until the Patriots put together a drive into Jacksonville territory thanks to a 23-yard pass play from Drew Bledsoe to WR Shawn Jefferson. But a Bledsoe pass that was picked off by CB Aaron Beasley at the eight snuffed out the threat and the score remained 7-0 after a quarter of play.

The first quarter ended with the Jaguars in possession and they went 62 yards in 13 plays. They converted two third downs along the way and Mike Hollis finished the series off with a 32-yard field goal. A short New England series ended with a punt by Tom Tupa, but the Patriots got a break when safety Chris Hudson fumbled when hit by LB Marty Moore and TE Mike Bartrum recovered at the Jacksonville 19. They couldn’t reach the end zone, but, following an eleven-minute delay caused by a power outage, Adam Vinatieri kicked a 29-yard field goal to make it a 10-3 score.

Neither offense was able to move the ball effectively for the remainder of the half until, taking possession with 1:29 remaining, the Patriots went 68 yards in nine plays. Bledsoe had three key completions, to Jefferson (pictured below) for 19 yards to start the drive, to TE Ben Coates for five yards in a fourth-and-three situation, and then again to Jefferson for a 38-yard gain to the Jacksonville three. The half ended with Vinatieri booting another field goal, from 20 yards out, and the Patriots led by 13-3 at the intermission.

New England went three-and-out to start the third quarter and, following the punt, the Jaguars advanced from their 36 to the Patriots’ 31. Along the way, Mark Brunell completed a pass to Keenan McCardell for 13 yards on a third-and-ten play. But in a fourth-and-one situation, Brunell kept the ball himself and was stopped for no gain.

Three plays later Jacksonville got a break when Bledsoe fumbled when hit by Kevin Hardy and the Jaguars recovered at the New England 37. Almost exclusively keeping the ball on the ground, with Natrone Means carrying five times, they drove to the ten yard line from where Hollis booted a 28-yard field goal.

It was 13-6 as the Patriots took possession and advanced to the Jacksonville 43 early in the fourth quarter. Tupa’s punt pinned the Jaguars back at their 14 and they had to punt in turn. Bledsoe completed five straight passes in the ensuing series that reached the Jacksonville 23. But he was sacked for a six-yard loss and, while his resulting fumble was recovered by the Patriots, Vinatieri was unsuccessful with a field goal try from 46 yards that sailed wide to the left.

Now it was Brunell with the hot passing hand and the Jaguars drove into New England territory. But on a second down play at the five yard line, a pass into the end zone was intercepted by FS Willie Clay to end the threat. Another short series by the Patriots resulted in a punt and, with 2:36 to play the Jaguars still had a chance. But on the first play from scrimmage RB James Stewart fumbled and CB Otis Smith picked up the ball and ran 47 yards for a touchdown. For all intents the Jaguars were finished, and Brunell tossed an interception on the next series (the third Jacksonville turnover in a four-minute span) to make certain of it. New England won the AFC title by a score of 20-6.

The Jaguars led in total yards (289 to 234) and first downs (18 to 13), but they also turned the ball over four times to two by New England.

Drew Bledsoe completed 20 of 33 passes for 178 yards with no touchdowns and one interception. Terry Glenn caught 5 passes for 33 yards while Shawn Jefferson gained 91 yards on his four receptions. Curtis Martin was held to 59 yards on 19 carries that included a TD.

For the Jaguars, Mark Brunell was under heavy pressure throughout the game (most notably from DE Willie McGinest)  and thus was successful on just 20 of 38 throws for 190 yards with no scores and two interceptions. TE Pete Mitchell (pictured at right) caught 7 of those passes for 63 yards and Keenan McCardell contributed 62 yards on 6 pass receptions. Natrone Means gained just 43 yards on 19 rushing attempts while James Stewart had 40 yards on 7 carries, although also a key fumble.

“We were unable to run the ball and unable to get that good balance we’ve had the past few weeks that had allowed us to have the success,” said Mark Brunell.  “Overall, the Patriots had a great defensive effort. They outplayed us.”

The Patriots went on to lose to the Green Bay Packers in the Super Bowl – the Packers had beaten the other 1995 expansion team, the Carolina Panthers, in the NFC title game to eliminate the possibility of either of the new clubs vying for top honors in the NFL. It was the last game for Bill Parcells as the team’s head coach. Citing differences with owner Robert Kraft, he left the club and resurfaced with the Jets (with the help of a deal brokered by Commissioner Paul Tagliabue to satisfy Kraft). Under successor Pete Carroll, New England went 10-6 to again top the AFC East but lost in the Divisional round of the playoffs. The Jaguars, meanwhile, proved that the strong showing in ’96 was no fluke as they came back strong at 11-5, again placing second in the AFC Central and gaining a Wild Card slot. They lost convincingly to Denver in the first round of the postseason.

2007: Curtis Martin Retires from Jets

On July 26, 2007 Curtis Martin, star running back of the New York Jets, confirmed what had first been acknowledged in January, and 19 months after he had last taken the field – that he had played his last game because of a severe right knee injury suffered during the 2005 season. The 34-year-old Martin retired as the fourth-ranked rusher in NFL history.

“I don't have any regrets,” Martin said. “I feel like I'm leaving this game exactly how I would want to. I know that I'm stubborn when it comes to football and I know that it would have to take something like this – and gratefully it's not too bad to where it's going to hinder the rest of my life where I'd need a wheelchair or cane.”

“At the end of the day, things turned out better than what I had even intended from the beginning,” Martin added.

Martin came from a rough part of Pittsburgh but made it to the University of Pittsburgh where he became a star running back. He was the NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Year in 1995 with the Patriots, having gained 1487 rushing yards, and played three seasons in New England before moving on to the Jets in 1998 as a restricted free agent, reuniting with his first pro head coach, Bill Parcells (who was willing to lose two draft choices to obtain him).

The 5’11”, 205-pound running back was a key to New England’s AFC Championship team in 1996 and, in his first year with New York, was a significant factor in the club going 12-4 and advancing to the AFC title game.

A classy yet tough player who was also humble and inclined to shun the spotlight, he was often overlooked over the course of his 11-season career. Team-oriented, hard-working in practice, and liked by coaches and fans, he became one of the most popular players in Jets history. Martin was also durable and regularly played while hurt. In the 2000 season-opening game, with badly damaged ligaments (he said it felt as though the top half of his right leg had separated from the bottom) he wore a brace and rushed for 110 yards and two TDs against the Packers. The durability proved to be something of a surprise considering that injuries during his college career had hurt his draft status (the Patriots took him in the third-round in ‘95).

The lack of flashiness in Martin’s personality carried over to his performance at running back, where his play was better defined by consistency (and consistent excellence) rather than making explosive runs and generating highlight footage. He was the thinking-man’s power runner, rarely making mistakes while playing with great determination. Not particularly fast by NFL standards, Martin had excellent running instincts.

His last healthy season, 2004, was also his best as he led the NFL with 1697 yards rushing and tied Barry Sanders with 10 thousand-yard seasons from the start of his career. That string came to an end with the injury during the ’05 season that held him to twelve games, in which he compiled 735 yards on 220 carries to close out his career.

Martin played 11 seasons and ended up with 14,101 rushing yards on 3518 attempts for a 4.0 average and 90 touchdowns. He also caught 484 passes for 3329 yards and ten more TDs (for a total of 100), with a high of 70 receptions for 508 yards in 2000. He was a consensus first-team All-Pro once, received All-Pro and/or All-AFC consideration following four other seasons, and was selected to the Pro Bowl five times.

2000: Four NFL Runners Reach 200 Yards on Same Day

As much as modern pro football has become more pass-oriented, running the ball is still an integral part of the game and running backs still achieve big performances. December 3, 2000 was a day for ground-gaining achievements as an unprecedented four NFL runners gained 200 yards rushing on the same date.

The highest total was registered by rookie RB Mike Anderson of the Denver Broncos (pictured at right), who had 251 yards on 37 carries in a game against the Saints at the Louisiana Superdome. Both the 6’0”, 230-pound Anderson and the Broncos had been on a hot streak. Denver had won six of its last seven games, including four straight, coming into the contest against the 8-4 Saints. Anderson had already gone over 100 yards on four occasions and twice flirted with 200, including 195 the week before at Seattle, making the most of his opportunity to play after injuries had cut down veterans Terrell Davis and Olandis Gary.

Anderson scored the first of his four touchdowns (all by rushing) in the opening period and his second TD, of five yards, in the second quarter put the Broncos ahead to stay. They won handily, 38-23.

Cincinnati RB Corey Dillon, who at the time held the NFL single-game record with 278 yards in a game that he set just six weeks before on October 22 (coincidentally, against Denver), reached the 200-yard threshold for the second time in 2000 with 216 on 35 attempts against the 3-9 Arizona Cardinals at Paul Brown Stadium. The Bengals had not been as successful as the 6’1”, 225-pound fourth-year running back out of Washington – they were 2-10 entering the game and had lost four straight.


Dillon (pictured at left) set the pace from the start, running for 57 yards on the team’s second play from scrimmage to set up a short TD pass from QB Scott Mitchell to TE Tony McGee. By the half, he had gained 134 yards and scored on a one-yard TD run to extend Cincinnati’s lead to 14-0. It was 21-0 in the third quarter before the Cardinals began to come back and narrowed the margin to 21-13. But Dillon, along with RB Brandon Bennett, keyed a long, 17-play fourth quarter drive that ran the clock down and ended with a 32-yard Neil Rackers field goal to cap the 24-13 win.

At Tampa Bay’s Raymond James Stadium, fourth-year RB Warrick Dunn gained 210 yards on 22 rushes with two touchdowns against the Dallas Cowboys. The Buccaneers were 7-5, and had won four of their last five, while Dallas was a dismal 4-8. The 5’8”, 180-pound Dunn typically split duty with FB Mike Alstott, who was struggling with injuries, and with more of an opportunity to run the ball had his first 100-yard game of the year the previous week (106 vs. Buffalo).

Tampa Bay dominated the Cowboys throughout the game. It was already 3-0 in the first quarter when Dunn took off on a 70-yard run for the first touchdown of the game. He scored again in the fourth quarter on a seven-yard carry that made the final tally 27-7. It was the third 200-yard rushing performance of the year against the Cowboys, who had given up just two such performances over the previous 40 seasons, and also marked Tampa Bay’s first-ever win over Dallas.


Finally, RB Curtis Martin of the New York Jets (pictured at right) rolled up a then-club-record 203 yards on 30 carries at Giants Stadium against the Indianapolis Colts. The Jets were 8-4 and battling the 7-5 Colts in the AFC East. The 5’11”, 210-pound Martin was in his third year in New York after three seasons with the Patriots and had been to the Pro Bowl three times. He had been over a hundred yards twice thus far in 2000.

The Jets were ahead by 7-0 in the first quarter when Martin’s 36-yard run keyed a drive that was capped by a 13-yard touchdown pass from QB Vinny Testaverde to WR Dedric Ward. It was 20-0 at halftime, but the Colts came back in the second half to close to within 20-17. A fumble recovery by the Jets set up a two-yard scoring run by Martin that clinched the 27-17 win for New York.

Mike Anderson not only led the day but, of the four, had the highest yardage total of the season with 1487, fourth-ranked in the league, on 297 carries. His 5.0 average gain ranked third and 15 rushing touchdowns second (and first in the AFC). It was the high point of his seven-season career in which he reached the thousand-yard mark just once more (1014 in 2005). He did not have any more 200-yard games.

Corey Dillon was right behind Anderson at fifth in the NFL with 1435 yards on 315 carries. He averaged 4.6 yards per carry and scored seven touchdowns. It was the fourth of an eventual six straight thousand-yard seasons and was his highest yardage total with the Bengals, although his career high of 1635 came with New England in 2004. Dillon was named to the Pro Bowl for the second of three straight years (and four overall).Including a 246-yard game as a rookie in 1997, and with the two in 2000, he ended up with a total of three 200-yard games for his career.

Curtis Martin ended up with a 12th-ranked 1204 yards on 316 attempts for a 3.8-yard average and nine touchdowns. Factoring in pass receiving yards, however, he ranked ninth in yards from scrimmage with 1712, the highest total of the four. Also the most prolific rusher of the group, his thousand-yard season was the sixth of an eventual 10 straight to start his career, a distinction he shares with Detroit’s Barry Sanders (Emmitt Smith had 11 consecutive, but that streak started with his second season). Martin led the NFL with a career-high 1697 yards in 2004, at age 31, when he was a consensus 1st-team All-NFL selection. He was chosen for the Pro Bowl five times. The performance against the Colts was his only career 200-yard game.


Warrick Dunn (pictured at left) ranked 18th with 1133 yards on 248 attempts. His 4.6-yard average gain ranked considerably higher, tying him for seventh in the league with Dillon. He scored eight touchdowns on the ground. It was the second thousand-yard season of an eventual five for Dunn, with his career high being 1416 with the Falcons in 2005. He was selected to the Pro Bowl in 2000 for the second of three times. Like Anderson and Martin, the game against the Cowboys marked his only rushing total over 200 yards.