1968 Jets Are the Best Jets Team Ever Beating Current Squad 28-10

It was a great war of words in the press leading up to the Best Jets Team Ever finals, in a style that only Rex and Broadway Joe could give us.  First, Rex beat Joe to the punch saying, “Guess what?  We’re gonna win, I guarantee it.  Take that Joe!”  He did with a smile on his face, in the way that only Rex could.  His team was feeling pretty good coming off of a 21-13 win over the 1998 Jets.  Broadway Joe had a smooth comeback when he met with the media this week saying “Rex did what?  I’ll tell you right now, I guaranteed it once, and I guarantee it again.  We are gonna win.”  All in good fun, spirit of competition, as Rex and Namath had a jovial conversation prior to the kickoff of this one.  Rex wished his Dad good luck, and off we went.

The 1968 Jets won the toss, but elected to defer, playing a little bit of Rex style.  The 2010 team, however, took it right to the Super Bowl champs, marching 10 plays on 83 yards, highlighted by a Braylon Edwards 20 yard reception, and a beautiful catch by Jerricho Cotchery over the middle where he took a big hit and held on for 16 yards.  2 plays later, Mark Sanchez hit Santonio Holmes from 12 yards out to take a 7-0 lead.  Although the score was the same at the end of the quarter, this was the last time the 2010 Jets would see a lead.

The ’68 Jets earned the equalizer on a drive that started on their own 34 with 5:17 to go in the opening stanza.  After driving to near midfield, connections from Namath to George Sauer for 20 yards and Don Maynard for 16 set them up first and goal from the 10.  On the opening play of the second quarter, on a second and goal from the 4, Namath hit Sauer on a bubble screen, who broke an Antonio Cromarte tackle to score the tying TD.

The 1968 Jets took the lead just after midway through the second quarter, when from midfield, Joe Namath hit Bake Turner in stride on a fly pattern which Turner took to the house to take give his team a 14-7 lead which they never relinquished.  The route was on late in the period, when after a Matt Snell 6 yard TD was nullified by a holding penalty, Namath hit Don Maynard in the endzone from 16 yards out on a 3rd down to make the halftime score 21-7 in favor of the 1968 team.

The third quarter came and went quietly, the only real scoring attempt coming on a Nick Folk 52 yard field goal attempt that missed wide right, and the third quarter ended with the score remaining 21-7.

The 2010 Jets moved to within 11 points when Nick Folk connected from 30 yards out to make the score 21-10.  The ’68 Jets came right back, however, driving 8 plays for 70 yards, culminating on another Bake Turner TD reception from Joe Namath, this time from 13 yards away to make the score 28-10 in favor of the 1968 Jets.  The current squad blocked a punt with 0:35 left, but it was too little, and far too late, as the final score was 28-10 in favor of the Super Bowl III champions.  Much like after the 45-3 game this season against New England, Rex said after the game “I’ll play them again right now.  I still think we are the best team, I got outcoached.”  The emotions showed on the field immediately after the game, as Rex and his dad Buddy embraced near midfield and left the field together, both in obvious tears.

The player of the game was Broadway Joe, who went 23-37 passing for 302 yards and 4 scores.  Matt Snell rushed 12 times for 31 yards.  Don Maynard led all receivers with 6 catches for 110 yards and 1 TD.  George Sauer added 6 catches for 78 yards and 1 score, and Bake Turner contributed 2 catches for 63 yards, both for TDs.  “That Namath was just too good today..”coach Ryan said after the game.

In a losing effort, Mark Sanchez was 21-38 passing for 222 yards, 1 TD, and 2 INTs.  “Ground and Pound” couldn’t get much going at all, with LaDanian Tomlinson rushing 15 times for 31 yards. Shonn Greene added 33 yards on 7 attempts.  “We couldn’t get much going all day.  They were giving us different looks…we just couldn’t get in a rhythm.”, said Mark Sanchez.  Braylon Edwards led the receiving corps of the 2010 team with 4 catches for 78 yards.  Santonio Holmes added 5 receptions for 58 yards and the lone team TD.

So the 1968 Jets are the Best Jets Team Ever.  I hope you have enjoyed the series as much as I have enjoyed bringing it to you.