The Jets avoided the season sweep of the Dolphins with a 22-21 win Sunday, courtesy of Sam Ficken game-winning, 44-yard field goal.
The Jets looked as if they were going to have an easy victory on their hands when they jumped out to an early 10-point lead, but the offense went stagnant after the first quarter. However, the defense held its own by not allowing a single Miami touchdown, while the offense put together a solid final drive in order to secure the victory.
Even with the win, the Jets were officially eliminated from playoff contention with the Titans and Steelers both winning their games on Sunday.
Let’s take a look at some interesting stats from Gang Green’s win.
Ficken’s walkoff longest in franchise history
Sam Ficken lifted the Jets to victory with a 44-yard field as time expired. It was the 23rd walkoff field goal by a Jets kicker with no time left on the clock or in overtime. It was also the longest walkoff in franchise history by a Jets kicker. The previous long was held by both Mike Nugent and Nick Folk at 43 yards.
For Ficken, it was the best moment of his pro career and a day he’ll remember forever.
Second-longest playoff drought in team history
The Jets have missed out on the NFL playoffs once again.
For the Jets, this is the ninth straight season that they haven’t played playoff football in January. That is the second-longest drought in team history and the third-longest current streak in the NFL.
Usually the Jets have success when they have a first-year coach, but too many things went wrong this season and it cost them an opportunity at the playoffs.
Yellow flags galore
The Jets only had five penalties this week compared to 10 last week, but it’s the yardage that is significant. It was the Jets’ ninth game this season in which they’ve had 60-plus yards in penalties. That is tied for the most in the NFL, as the Jets had 88 more penalty yards on Sunday.
This has been a problem for years with the Jets and it doesn’t seem to be getting much better.
Bilal Powell’s rushing yards
If you told someone after 13 games that Le’Veon Bell didn’t have the most rushing yards in a game this season for the Jets, they probably would assume that Bell got hurt.
Bell has yet to get significantly hurt, but he was held out of Sunday’s game with the flu, which opened the door for Bilal Powell. Powell finished the game with 19 carries for 74 yards, which was the most rushing yards by a Jet this season. The previous high was held by Bell with 70 yards.
It was a historic day for Powell, as he also moved up to eighth on the Jets’ all-time rushing list with 3,645 yards for his career.
Dolphins red zone trips
The Jets defense did a great job of bending, but not breaking in the red zone.
New York held Miami to 0-6 in the redzone with five made field goals and one missed field goal. The only other game in franchise history that an opponent had no touchdowns in six-plus red zone opportunities came in 1993 against the Bills.
The Jets lost that game 19-10 after the Bills made four field goals and their only touchdown came on a pick-six.
