New York Jets free safety Jaiquawn Jarrett has a huge day, sacking quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, picking him off twice and recovering a fumble.
Where has this been the last eight weeks?
The hapless Jets beat the red-hot Steelers at MetLife Stadium Sunday, 20-13. That’s not a typo.
Gang Green somehow looked like a dominant force against Pittsburgh on Sunday, which makes exactly zero sense to anyone that had watched them up to this point in the season. Of course, the Jets only decided to turn it up once their season was completely lost — and it certainly hurt their chances at landing the first overall pick in next year’s draft.
But Sunday had to be comforting for Jets fans who had been so starved for a win that another aerial banner flew above them on Sunday — this one said “Jets Rebuilding Since 1969” as it circled the stadium. Rex Ryan’s team avoided being the first Jets squad to lose nine in a row in a single season by winning Sunday. Perhaps the win will quell the calls for GM John Idzik’s job, which reached a fever pitch this week after a banner flew above practice on Wednesday demanding he be fired.
The stars for the Jets on Sunday? Not who you would expect: Jaiquawn Jarrett and T.J. Graham.
Jarrett, a safety who started over Calvin Pryor, had a career day — picking off Ben Roethlisbeger twice, recovering a fumble and adding a sack. The local product, who attended Fort Hamilton High School in Brooklyn and Temple, did not have an interception in his career heading into Sunday’s game. The four takeaways by the Jets on Sunday exceeded the three turnovers they had forced in their first nine games. Graham caught a deep touchdown and recovered a fumble.
With the Steelers playing so well until Sunday, there may be only one explanation: Justin Bieber. That’s right, the much-maligned pop star visited the team during a bible study on Saturday. Bieber has a history of jinxing the many sports teams he apparently roots for, and it seems this was no exception.
Mike Vick was efficient in his second start with the Jets, using his best weapon, his legs, to complement the aerial attack. Vick became the first quarterback in NFL history to rush for over 6,000 yards in his career Sunday.
Vick had to have fans wondering early why the Jets didn’t play him sooner. After a successful first drive earned the Jets three points, the veteran QB came out firing on the team’s second drive of the game, throwing a deep bomb to Graham for a 67-yard touchdown over William Gay to put the Jets shockingly ahead by 10 points late in the first quarter. The Jets had three tight ends, a running back and Graham in the game for that play — the first of the drive — so the Steelers surely had to have been expecting a running play.
Even more stunning that a long touchdown from Vick was what came next: a takeaway. The Jets hadn’t forced a turnover since Week 5, but on a screen pass to Antonio Brown the receiver fumbled the ball after having it jarred loose by Muhammad Wilkerson that Jarrett recovered.
The Jets kept the surprises coming, because Vick and the offense were able to convert in the red zone on the ensuing drive off the turnover, as the QB hit rookie TE Jace Amaro for a five-yard touchdown in the back of the end zone to put Gang Green ahead 17-0 with 19 seconds remaining in the first quarter.
Normalcy seemed to briefly return as the Steelers began to drive on the Jets, partially thanks to Jason Babin, who committed an idiotic personal foul penalty by tackling Roethlisberger well after the whistle had blown for a delay of game. But right as the Steelers were about to score, a tipped ball near the end zone was caught by Jarrett, the team’s second interception of the year.
After the Jets got a lucky break when the Steelers lost a challenge on what certainly appeared to be a Vick fumble, Brown muffed the ensuing punt which was recovered by Graham. The Jets couldn’t capitalize on that mistake, however, after Nick Folk missed a 45-yard field goal. The Steelers meanwhile were able to get a last-second 53-yard field goal before the half to send the teams to the locker room with the Jets leading 17-3.
Jarrett had a sack, interception and fumble recovery in the first half, but the Brooklyn native wasn’t done. On the Steelers’ first drive of the third quarter, Roethlisberger overthrew Markus Wheaton and Jarrett was there to pick it off.
The two teams traded field goals in the second half, and Steelers missed another. The game appeared over, but after Vick and Rex Ryan each earned unsportsmanlike conduct penalties, the Steelers got the ball back. Roethlisberger completed an 80-yard touchdown pass to Martavis Bryant with Phillip Adams in coverage, somehow keeping the Steelers alive, down 20-13 with 1:16 remaining. But the Jets recovered the onside kick attempt, winning them the game.
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