The Jets finally snapped their five-game losing streak including an embarrassing loss to the New England Patriots on Thursday Night when they defeated the Houston Texans 21-13.
The season was looking like a lost cause for New York, with many thinking the season is already over. Mathematically they are still in it and until the math says they aren’t, the Jets still have a shot to run the table.
That made Thursday night’s game against the Texans more important than ever. If they wanted to run the table, they needed to start eventually digging themselves out of a hole before it was too late.
The game started the same as it has for New York at least on offense, they were slow, sloppy, and out of sync. On defense, New York took advantage of a Houston team that is banged up and has had poor offensive line play. The defense kept the Jets in this game while the offense continued to produce nothing.
The first quarter was a dull one, with both offenses getting outmatched by the defenses.
Texans were able to put a drive together mostly through the running game that New York continues to struggle against. New York was able to get a key turnover through a C.J. Stroud fumble to keep Houston from getting points on the board.
The Jets offense finally came alive late in the first as Breece Hall was able to make some plays to get them going. The Jets were in prime position to put the first points of the game on the board as the first came to an end.
Just like that to start the second, the Jets draw up an end around to rookie Malachi Corley who takes it to the endzone for six.
What we thought was a Jets TD… is a touchback! Houston ball 😳#HOUvsNYJ on Prime Video
Also streaming on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/D3liGAROrt— NFL (@NFL) November 1, 2024
At least that is what everyone thought, but it turns out that Corley made the fatal mistake of letting the ball go before he crossed the goal line. I will never understand how players constantly make that mistake.
Later in the quarter, Houston would start from their own goal line but through the legs of Joe Mixon, and some timely completions by Stroud, they would drive all the way down the field. They would end the drive with a Mixon rushing touchdown. Once again, the Jets defense showed no ability to be able to stop the run as Houston went up 7-0.
The half would stay 7-0 as Jets showed no life on offense while Houston was able to make a drive late in the half but a big sack by the Jets led to kicker Kai’imi Fairbairn missing a 56-yard kicker with just less than 30 seconds on the clock. The Jets had good starting field position but could not make anything out of it to end the half.
As the third quarter began, the Jets offense finally showed up to play. Aaron Rodgers had an abysmal first half but he started to get in a groove in the second. Hall was able to put some runs together. Garrett Wilson and Davante Adams were able to make some catches and just like that after a one-handed snag by Wilson, the Jets were in the endzone for a touchdown. After a bad first half of offense, the Jets still managed to make this a tied ball game at 7-7.
The @Nyjets are on the board! Rodgers hits Wilson for six.#HOUvsNYJ on Prime Video
Also streaming on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/bSfXpSDeoA— NFL (@NFL) November 1, 2024
New York’s defense had been holding strong all game, getting pressure on Stroud, they just needed to be able to contain the run. Houston was able to respond though to the touchdown drive by moving the ball down the field. But it was the Jets defense who stood tall in the end, as they were able to get a third down sack on Stroud, forcing them to settle for three. Fairbairn missed a 56 yarder to end the half but this time he nailed a 54 yarder to put the Texans back up 10-7.
Everything was different though in the second half for the Jets offense, down again, it didn’t matter. Rodgers was able to make big throws to move the ball including converting a huge fourth and two to Adams to keep the drive alive.
As we entered the fourth quarter, the Jets had another fourth and short, they didn’t convert but got a huge break and an illegal contact penalty that kept their drive alive. On a third down, Rodgers broke free for a huge pickup on the ground, but it was called back. That led to maybe the catch of the year on third and 19.
Man coverage, one on one, Rodgers just throws one up to Wilson in the endzone. He snags again with a one-handed catch. It was a question whether or not he was in bounds, but he got the shin down before his knee went out. Officially making it a touchdown and putting the Jets back up 14-10.
INSANE @GarrettWilson_V 🤯 pic.twitter.com/9iyccffEHS
— NFL (@NFL) November 1, 2024
That is the play of the Jets season and could be the play we look back on if the Jets are somehow able to make a run to the playoffs. The game was not over though, plenty of time left for Houston to take back the lead.
It started with a bomb from Stroud to Tank Dell on the first play to already put them in New York territory.
The Jets defense had been bringing it to Stroud all night and they did it again, getting another sack forcing the Texans to settle for three. On the kick though, there was a personal foul on the Jets, giving Houston an automatic first down. These are the types of plays that cost you games. This a common theme for the Jets, finding ways to lose games.
Through the adversity though, the defense stands tall again and this time Fairbairn misses a chip shot. So, after all that, the score is still 14-10 for the Jets.
Could the offense put one final drive together to close out this game? The answer is yes, the offense finally stepped up and closed one out. As they moved the ball down the field and finished it off with a Rodgers to Adams touchdown to put the Jets up 21-10 with just minutes to go.
DAVANTE! @Tae15adams hauls in his first TD as a Jet ✈️#HOUvsNYJ on Prime Video
Also streaming on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/y48PnSN96D— NFL (@NFL) November 1, 2024
Adams’ first touchdown as a Jet is a big one to close out a game. The Texans would put a drive together, but another New York sack led Houston to going for three to make it a 21-13 game. The Jets recovered the onside kick and Rodgers took a knee for the first time since week three to secure the win.
This win might not matter at all in the end, most likely the Jets can’t overcome a 2-6 start to the season. But they are not officially dead, and this could be the win that starts the winning streak they need.
Rodgers played pretty much perfect football in the second half with Wilson having a huge game with two impressive touchdowns. Adams made some big catches for New York and scored the game clinching touchdown. Hall was able to put together a good rushing attack. The offense looked great in the second half. The key though is can this offense put this together for full games, and not just halves.
The defense did an amazing job, the run defense still is having its problems. The pass rush though, came to play. They harassed Stroud all night and made everything difficult for him. The secondary which has been a bright spot all season continued to perform at a high level.
New kicker Riley Patterson who replaced injured Greg Zuerlein made all three of his extra points so that is a bonus as well for New York.
Now the Jets are 3-6 and realistically the odds are not in their favor to make a run to the playoffs. That is just too much to overcome but anything is possible. According to ESPN odds, they are favored in their next six games but that doesn’t mean anything considering the Jets have lost plenty of games they were favored in which is why they are where they are now.
The offense needs to play way more consistently, and the defense needs to step up against the run game. I would not bank on the Jets making a run, they find ways to lose games too many times to trust them. That said, the last two seasons a 2-6 team has been able to make the run to the playoffs. With this roster, and Rodgers at quarterback, if a team could do it, it would be the Jets. They need to play more like they did in the second half though opposed to the first half if they want any shot of doing it.
They get a mini-bye now, and then come next Sunday will travel to the west coast to play the Arizona Cardinals. Could this Houston win be the momentum they needed? Or was it just another classic tease the Jets always give to their fans to keep them hooked before letting them down. We will find out next Sunday in Arizona. Regardless, this was a good win for the Jets with some memorable plays, and it keeps the hope of running the table alive for the Jets.
Realistically, they need to be 5-6 by their bye week to still be in the race, which means they have to win the next two against Arizona and Indianapolis. It is doable, but in the NFL anyone can beat anyone. Nothing is guaranteed for the New York Jets.
