Shaun Suisham's fifth field goal of the afternoon — a 46-yarder in overtime — gave the Washington Redskins a 23-20 victory over the Jets at the Meadowlands. Clinton Portis ran for 196 yards and a TD, spoiling an impressive performance from QB Kellen Clemens.
If this was the beginning of the Clemens era at quarterback for the Green & White, fans have to be excited about the future. After a 14-point Jets lead vanished, the second-year passer calmly engineered a game-tying scoring march late in the final minutes of regulation. He was successful through the air Sunday, passing for 226 yards and a TD, and he also ran for 48 yards, 1 yard behind team leader Thomas Jones' 49 yards.
"I thought he played great. I was very proud of the way he ran the huddle," Jones said. "He went out there and performed, throwing the ball well and making the right reads."
"I felt pretty comfortable, I really did," Clemens said. "I had a great cast around me and a lot of support."
Despite an early deficit, Washington chipped away. The Jets kept the visitors out of the end zone for three quarters, holding the ‘Skins at bay on Suisham's first four field goals.
Clinging to a 17-12 advantage past the midway point of the third quarter, the Jets thought they had reclaimed momentum. Abram Elam came on a safety blitz and made contact with QB Jason Campbell. His hurried toss was intercepted by LB Eric Barton at the Jets 18.
"We had a great defense called and we got some pressure on the quarterback," Barton said. "He just threw it up and I happened to be there."
That brought the offense on the field and it looked poised to get back on the scoreboard. But the officials ruled against the Jets on a critical play, giving the Redskins possession once again. Jerricho Cotchery lost the ball at the ‘Skins 18 as he was sandwiched between two defensive backs and rookie S LaRon Landry recovered. Despite a replay challenge by head coach Eric Mangini, referee Ron Winter upheld even though it appeared Cotchery never had control.
The ‘Skins capitalized off the turnover as Portis punched it in from a yard out. That culminated a six-play drive and preceded Campbell’s two-point strike to Antwaan Randle El.
"We have done a good job at stopping the run at different points," said Mangini after the Redskins totaled 296 yards on the ground. "I think it’s a function of us needing to do a better job at it."
Mike Nugent’s 30-yard field goal with 10 seconds left in regulation sent the game into a fifth frame. Clemens then moved his troops into Redskins territory, but the defense held and got the ball back to Campbell and Portis.
“I was proud of the way the guys fought in all three phases,” Mangini said. "But we didn't quite finish it."
The Jets played like a 7-1 team for most of the first half, racing to a 17-3 lead. Prolific return man Leon Washington was up to his old tricks, Clemens directed a pair of scoring drives on the team’s two opening possessions, and rookie TE Joe Kowalewski got into the end zone for the first time.
But the Redskins made it a one-possession game at the half as Suisham hit his second and third field goals. The third make, a 22-yarder, was set up by a gusty onside kick. Rock Cartwright pounced on a loose Suisham ball that Elam was unable to handle.
Kowalewski’s 1-yard reception came after a nice play-action fake from Clemens to Jones. The second-year passer rolled right and hit his wide open target, who backed his way into the end zone.
In a euphoric state, Kowalewski celebrated with a jump into Chris Baker’s arms, an emphatic spike, a salute to the crowd and bearhugs with every person he could find on the sideline.
”Sometimes this year I felt like I got kicked off the horse," Kowalewski said later. "I was inactive and had some bad plays in some games and it’s been tough. But the thing about this league is that no one else is going to pick you up. You have to do it yourself. You've got to go back there after you get kicked in the teeth and get back into it.
"Just getting into the end zone, it makes all the hard work and everything, the off-season, coming here — it's just worth it. It was great, it really was."
It took just 13 seconds for the Jets to more than double their point total from the previous week. Washington got a running start before handling the opening kickoff. He quickly shifted direction to the left, was sprung by a Chris Baker block, and then finished an 86-yard touchdown.
Washington, in his second season from Florida State, became the first player in Jets history and the 11th in NFL history to have three kickoff return touchdowns in a season.
The return and a Redskins field goal kept Clemens on the sideline for the game’s opening moments. But he maintained enough warmth to complete 11 of 17 in the opening half for 98 yards and the score. He was particularly effective with his feet, buying time before a 30-yard completion to Jerricho Cotchery on one play and scrambling for 18 yards on third-and-7. He eventually slid down and was blasted late by LB London Fletcher. The yellow laundry tacked on another 15 yards and Clemens jumped back to his feet and was none the worse for wear.
"He left a pretty good mark. I saw a yellow streak three inches long on my helmet later," Clemens said of the illegal hit. "It didn't anger me, but it fired me up. They were trying to hit me, knock me down, get me rattled."
With their sixth consecutive loss, the Jets head into the bye week with a 1-8 record.
"There have not been a lot of blowouts — we are in every game," Clemens said. "We just continue to come up short. I don’t question the heart, the desire, or the work ethic of this team."
More Tackles for Harris
Rookie ILB David Harris, making his second start in place of the IR-ed Jonathan Vilma, came up with even more tackles this week than he did last week, when he had 17 tackles according to the pressbox statistics. Against Washington Harris was credited with 24 tackles. However, unlike last week when he was involved in six tackles at or behind the line, this week he was involved in only two tackles, both for no gain.
Ironman Forced to Sit
Laveranues Coles, the only NFL wideout to start all 96 regular-season games from 2001-06, extended his streak to 104 last week. But Coles suffered a concussion against the Bills, missed the entire week of practice and was among the gameday inactives. Entering Sunday’s contest, Coles' six TD catches had accounted for half of the team’s offensive touchdowns.
Justin McCareins took Coles’ place, catching three balls for 32 yards. Cotchery, who uncharacteristically had a key drop in overtime, paced the club with five receptions and 90 receiving yards.
Deacon Davis
The Jets moved Chris Davis up to the active roster Saturday and he was in uniform against the Redskins. Davis, a member of the practice squad most of the season, played collegiately at Wake Forest from 2002-05 and spent parts of two seasons in the CFL with the Montreal Alouettes.
Davis got into the stat book before leaving with a shoulder injury, gaining 3 yards on an end-around.
Barton Boom
Barton started the Jets' second defensive series of the second half with his first sack of the season and the Jets' only sack of the game of Campbell, and he finished that drive with his first interception since 2004. An Alexandria, Va., native, Barton grew up just minutes outside the nation’s capital.
Military Appreciation Day
Prior to kickoff, the Green & White honored all the men and women who represent the nation in the United States Armed Forces.
Maureen Murphy and John Murphy served as honorary captains. Their son and brother was a Navy SEAL who lost his life in a firefight in eastern Afghanistan. Lt. Michael P. Murphy was posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor — the highest award for valor in action against an enemy force which can be bestowed on an individual serving in the Armed Forces.
