Post by Lithfan on Nov 16, 2015 6:48:00 GMT -5
November 16, 1986
Week 11 of the 1986 season, the Jets played host to the Indianapolis Colts. The Jets came in with an 9-1 record, having won 8 straight, including a 26-7 victory over the Colts in Indianapolis in week 4. The Colts were winless at 0-10. On paper, it could not have been more of a mismatch, but on the field, it was a different story as the Colts played the Jets tough in a poorly played, sloppy contest that would feature 10 turnovers between the two teams.
The Jets got off to a quick start, after Lester Lyles forced a Randy McMillan fumble that was covered by Carl Howard, the Jets had the ball at the Colts 38 yard line. 5 plays later, Ken O’Brien hooked up with Wesley Walker on a 19 yard score to give the Jets a 7-0 first quarter lead. It was the first of three O’Brien to Walker TD passes on the game. It was an uneven performance for O’Brien who came into the game leading the league in passing. He finished 20-35 for 237 yards with 3 TDs and 2 interceptions.
The Colts responded late in the first quarter with a 78 yard 8 play drive that featured a 40 yard completion from rookie Jack Trudeau to Billy Brooks which set up a 4 yard McMillan TD run to tie the game at 7. Trudeau finished 27 for 57 with 359 yards passing, which would prove to be the most yardage he would ever throw for in his 10 year career. But he also threw 4 interceptions and only 1 TD.
The Jets would take a 14-9 lead into the half after O’Brien connected with Walker for the 2nd time on the afternoon, but they gave two points back when punter Dave Jennings was tackled in the end zone for a safety. The Jets were 16 point favorites, but found themselves in a fight with this winless Colts team.
The Colts would pull within 1 early in the 4th quarter, after Pat Leahy extended the Jets lead to 17-9 with a 32 yard FG. Trudeau would connect with Brooks on a 48 yard TD to make it a 17-16 game.
Freeman McNeil, who fumbled twice earlier in the game, gave the Jets some breathing room midway through the 4th quarter. Freeman, who finished with 104 yards on the day broke off a 40-yard run which was followed by Johnny Hector’s 17 yard TD run to give the Jets the 24-16 edge.
They would add a TD in the final 90 seconds when O’Brien hit Walker for the 3rd TD reception giving the Jets a 31-16 win in a game that was much closer than the final score indicated.
“It definitely was frustrating but we kept trying until we finally were able to break through,” Walker would say after the game. “We didn't play well throughout the game but we kept working and we got to them.”
The win was the Jets 9th in a row, still a franchise record winning streak, as they extended their record to 10-1. The streak would come to an end the following week as the Jets were crushed by Miami 45-3. They would go on to lose their last 5 regular season games, before getting back in the win column in the wild card playoffs against KC.
Source: The Schenectady Gazette
Week 11 of the 1986 season, the Jets played host to the Indianapolis Colts. The Jets came in with an 9-1 record, having won 8 straight, including a 26-7 victory over the Colts in Indianapolis in week 4. The Colts were winless at 0-10. On paper, it could not have been more of a mismatch, but on the field, it was a different story as the Colts played the Jets tough in a poorly played, sloppy contest that would feature 10 turnovers between the two teams.
The Jets got off to a quick start, after Lester Lyles forced a Randy McMillan fumble that was covered by Carl Howard, the Jets had the ball at the Colts 38 yard line. 5 plays later, Ken O’Brien hooked up with Wesley Walker on a 19 yard score to give the Jets a 7-0 first quarter lead. It was the first of three O’Brien to Walker TD passes on the game. It was an uneven performance for O’Brien who came into the game leading the league in passing. He finished 20-35 for 237 yards with 3 TDs and 2 interceptions.
The Colts responded late in the first quarter with a 78 yard 8 play drive that featured a 40 yard completion from rookie Jack Trudeau to Billy Brooks which set up a 4 yard McMillan TD run to tie the game at 7. Trudeau finished 27 for 57 with 359 yards passing, which would prove to be the most yardage he would ever throw for in his 10 year career. But he also threw 4 interceptions and only 1 TD.
The Jets would take a 14-9 lead into the half after O’Brien connected with Walker for the 2nd time on the afternoon, but they gave two points back when punter Dave Jennings was tackled in the end zone for a safety. The Jets were 16 point favorites, but found themselves in a fight with this winless Colts team.
The Colts would pull within 1 early in the 4th quarter, after Pat Leahy extended the Jets lead to 17-9 with a 32 yard FG. Trudeau would connect with Brooks on a 48 yard TD to make it a 17-16 game.
Freeman McNeil, who fumbled twice earlier in the game, gave the Jets some breathing room midway through the 4th quarter. Freeman, who finished with 104 yards on the day broke off a 40-yard run which was followed by Johnny Hector’s 17 yard TD run to give the Jets the 24-16 edge.
They would add a TD in the final 90 seconds when O’Brien hit Walker for the 3rd TD reception giving the Jets a 31-16 win in a game that was much closer than the final score indicated.
“It definitely was frustrating but we kept trying until we finally were able to break through,” Walker would say after the game. “We didn't play well throughout the game but we kept working and we got to them.”
The win was the Jets 9th in a row, still a franchise record winning streak, as they extended their record to 10-1. The streak would come to an end the following week as the Jets were crushed by Miami 45-3. They would go on to lose their last 5 regular season games, before getting back in the win column in the wild card playoffs against KC.
Source: The Schenectady Gazette
