Jets-Titans: Fourth Quarter

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Randy's Radar

Jets-Titans: Fourth Quarter

Published: Sun, December 23, 2007 - 6:21pm EDT
Randy Lange

By Randy Lange

Lange is editor-in-chief of newyorkjets.com. He covered the Jets for 13 years for The Record of Hackensack, N.J.


File Under: Chad Pennington, David Bowens, Vince Young, Craig Hentrich

12/23 — Score at the start of the quarter remains:

Titans 10, Jets 6

The Jets let the Titans get further out of that hole that Justin McCareins (!) created with his downed punt at the TT-2 when Vince Young zips a pass over the middle to Roydell Williams for 19 yards on third-and-12.

Then just as quickly RT David Stewart is caught and called for clipping away from Young's scramble to his left. First-and-25. Then a false start. Second-and-26. Then a short pass to Justin Gage and it's third-and-long again, specifically third-and-21. This time they don't get away as David Bowens closes on Young and takes him down as he starts to scramble.

But Craig Hentrich gets a great roll on a short punt that Leon Washington can't get to, so the Jets, with 10:01 left, will need an 81-yard TD drive to take the lead at LP Field.

Chris Baker makes another of his spectacular catches with a reaching-back one-handed grab for 18 yards to rescue the Jets from first-and-15 at their 14.

But the Green & White need rescuing again when Kyle Vanden Bosch, having a stellar game, rips past LT D'Brickashaw Ferguson to execute a blindside strip-sack on Chad Pennington — KVB's third sack of the game. Ferguson recovers the loose ball, but it's third-and-10 at the Jets 32. They call their first timeout with 8:12 left in the game.

Pennington gets off a fine third-down pass but Brad Smith drops it downfield. Another opportunity lost, time running out.

CBS analyst Randy Cross has just said this game is a microcosm of the Jets' year. "It's been a season of almosts," said Cross.

But the defense slows Tennessee's offense down, another Hentrich punt rolls dead inside the Jets 20 and now the visitors have 4:37 left to go 84 yards for a possible game-winning TD.

Pennington goes 5-for-5 on short passes as the Jets move to the Tennessee 45 to get to the two-minute warning.

This time Baker can't make a big third-down catch, so it's play-of-the-game time, Jets fourth-and-4 at the 45, 1:56 to go. And it ends as DT Tony Brown loops around on a stunt, comes through the Jets' left side of the line (Robert Turner is at LG, Brick at LT) and sacks Pennington. With one timeout left, 3-12 beckons.

The Jets call that timeout, then LenDale White barges up the middle for 7 yards on third-and-6. Vince Young kneels, and CBS' Dick Enberg sums it up: "For the seventh time this year, the Jets have lost a game by a touchdown or less."

I'll post my locker room Radar entry as soon as I can, which may not be until we get back to JFK from Nashville. 

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Fans Respond

Here's your chance to tell Randy what you think! Add a Comment | Show All (22)

Mike Said:

Wed, December 26, 2007 - 12:16pm EDT

"CP was one of the best in the league when we had a real OL and Running game. get that for him again and we are easily in the playoffs. "

Offensive Comment?

razmataz Said:

Wed, December 26, 2007 - 1:14pm EDT

"Next years schedule looks like 8-2 is possible outside the division, Tangini please fix this mess, you guys created, and turn this around, the schedule is favorable! Help us (long suffering jet fans), end our misery. Now (after this sunday) is the time to step up to the plate and show us what Parcells/Belichek saw in you 2."

Offensive Comment?

Jim Fraser Said:

Sun, December 30, 2007 - 4:46pm EDT

"I see you never added my comments regarding our great offensive coordinator. You can only protect him for so long."

Offensive Comment?

Sun, December 30, 2007 - 4:55pm EDT

Randy Lange Said:

"Jim, your recent comment was not posted because you called the New England head coach a name. No name-calling. "