Post by Lithfan on Oct 25, 2015 7:22:32 GMT -5
October 25, 1987
In their first game back after a 24 day player strike, the Jets traveled to Washington DC for a week 7 matchup with the Washington Redskins. At the close of week 2, the NFL players went on strike, the major issue they were striking over was the NFL’s Free Agency rule which required significant draft pick compensation to team’s losing free agents which inhibited team’s willingness to sign players.
Rather than cancel the games, as they had in 1982, the owners decided to play games with replacement players. Week 3 games were cancelled, but weeks 4 - 6 were played with rosters of replacement players. David Norrie, a college QB at UCLA quarterbacked the Jets to a 0-2 record during the strike. They defeated the Dolphins in the 3rd replacement game when QB Pat Ryan crossed the picket line and led the Jets to an OT win against the Dolphins.
As for the Redskins, their replacement players were undefeated at 3-0 including a surprising win over the Dallas Cowboys after QB Danny White and RB Tony Dorsett had crossed the picket line. The Skins were quarterbacked by Tony Robinson, who was on a prison work furlough that allowed him to play in the game after a cocaine conviction.
As the players returned to the field for this game, it was predictably ugly conisdering most of the players had not seen any live game action in over 3 weeks. The Jets offense struggled all day, gaining only 200 yards against a stout Redskin defense. The Skins stopped the Jets running game and were able to keep heat on O’Brien, dropping him for 7 sacks.
When the Jets were able to move the ball, they stalled in the red zone, settling for 3 Pat Leahy FGs on 4 red zone opportunities. O’Brien was able to connect with Mickey Shuler for a 3rd quarter TD and despite their anemic offense, the Jets had a 16-7 lead midway through the 4th quarter. Al Toon was the only effective weapon for the Jets, finishing with 9 catches for 97 yards.
The Jets had an opportunity to put the game away after a Rich Miano interception of a Jay Schroeder pass, but the Jets got too conservative on offense and had to punt the ball away to the Skins.
Schroeder had completed just 9 of 29 passes when the Skins took over at their own 39 with just under 8 minutes to play. After a 15 yard completion to Kelvin Bryant, the Skins finally got a big play, a 39-yard completion also to Bryant down to the Jets 7. A couple of plays later Schroeder hit Bryant for the TD and the Skins were within 2.
After a big kick return by JoJo Townsell that set the JEts up in Wash territory, the Jets agains ahd a chance to extend their lead. Another Jet 3 and out and a short punt gave Washington the ball at their own 21 with a chance to win it. The Skins were able to convert a 3rd and 32 on a 39-yard connection with Ricky Sanders to get into field goal range. Ali Haji-Shiekh kicked a 28 yard field goal in the final minute to take a 17-16 lead.
The Jets had one last chance, as O’Brien led them to the Washington 45 yard line with 10 seconds left. Rather than try to get closer for a FG, O’Brien threw the the end zone and his pass fell incomplete, leaving Pat Leahy to attempt a game winning 62-yard field goal that fell well short.
"We try to score on every play," Jets Coach Joe Walton said when asked about the play selection. "On the next-to-last play, they were playing for the out balls and that is why we went long," Walton said.
Source: The Washington Post
In their first game back after a 24 day player strike, the Jets traveled to Washington DC for a week 7 matchup with the Washington Redskins. At the close of week 2, the NFL players went on strike, the major issue they were striking over was the NFL’s Free Agency rule which required significant draft pick compensation to team’s losing free agents which inhibited team’s willingness to sign players.
Rather than cancel the games, as they had in 1982, the owners decided to play games with replacement players. Week 3 games were cancelled, but weeks 4 - 6 were played with rosters of replacement players. David Norrie, a college QB at UCLA quarterbacked the Jets to a 0-2 record during the strike. They defeated the Dolphins in the 3rd replacement game when QB Pat Ryan crossed the picket line and led the Jets to an OT win against the Dolphins.
As for the Redskins, their replacement players were undefeated at 3-0 including a surprising win over the Dallas Cowboys after QB Danny White and RB Tony Dorsett had crossed the picket line. The Skins were quarterbacked by Tony Robinson, who was on a prison work furlough that allowed him to play in the game after a cocaine conviction.
As the players returned to the field for this game, it was predictably ugly conisdering most of the players had not seen any live game action in over 3 weeks. The Jets offense struggled all day, gaining only 200 yards against a stout Redskin defense. The Skins stopped the Jets running game and were able to keep heat on O’Brien, dropping him for 7 sacks.
When the Jets were able to move the ball, they stalled in the red zone, settling for 3 Pat Leahy FGs on 4 red zone opportunities. O’Brien was able to connect with Mickey Shuler for a 3rd quarter TD and despite their anemic offense, the Jets had a 16-7 lead midway through the 4th quarter. Al Toon was the only effective weapon for the Jets, finishing with 9 catches for 97 yards.
The Jets had an opportunity to put the game away after a Rich Miano interception of a Jay Schroeder pass, but the Jets got too conservative on offense and had to punt the ball away to the Skins.
Schroeder had completed just 9 of 29 passes when the Skins took over at their own 39 with just under 8 minutes to play. After a 15 yard completion to Kelvin Bryant, the Skins finally got a big play, a 39-yard completion also to Bryant down to the Jets 7. A couple of plays later Schroeder hit Bryant for the TD and the Skins were within 2.
After a big kick return by JoJo Townsell that set the JEts up in Wash territory, the Jets agains ahd a chance to extend their lead. Another Jet 3 and out and a short punt gave Washington the ball at their own 21 with a chance to win it. The Skins were able to convert a 3rd and 32 on a 39-yard connection with Ricky Sanders to get into field goal range. Ali Haji-Shiekh kicked a 28 yard field goal in the final minute to take a 17-16 lead.
The Jets had one last chance, as O’Brien led them to the Washington 45 yard line with 10 seconds left. Rather than try to get closer for a FG, O’Brien threw the the end zone and his pass fell incomplete, leaving Pat Leahy to attempt a game winning 62-yard field goal that fell well short.
"We try to score on every play," Jets Coach Joe Walton said when asked about the play selection. "On the next-to-last play, they were playing for the out balls and that is why we went long," Walton said.
Source: The Washington Post
