Even though Bilal Powell had just scored the game-winning touchdown, there was the little matter of a yellow flag at the line of scrimmage.
"I don't know what happened," Powell said after the 23-17 victory. "All I know is I was tired and I was in the end zone. I'm not a big celebration guy. I was just waiting for the confirmation that it was a touchdown."
BP and the Jets got that confirmation. And we'll do the celebrating for Powell with this week's edition of Inside the Numbers.
Walking Off into the SunsetHow many walkoff touchdowns — TDs on the last play of regulation or in overtime — have the Jets had in their history?
Powell's 19-yard mad dash for the win was only the Green & White's seventh all-time. Everyone remembers the one before Powell's — Eric Decker's 6-yard TD pass from Ryan Fitzpatrick to beat the Patriots last Dec. 27 and his Lambeau-like leap to commemorate it. Here are the first five:
Nov. 10, 1974 — Jets 26, Giants 20. Emerson Boozer 5-yard pass from Joe Namath, 8:07 into OT.
Sept. 21, 1986 — Jets 51, Dolphins 45. Wesley Walker 43-yard pass from Ken O'Brien, 2:35 into OT.
Oct. 18, 1987 — Jets 37, Dolphins 31 (replacement game). Eddie Hunter 8-yard pass from Pat Ryan, 14:26 into OT.
Sept. 8, 2002 — Jets 37, Bills 31. Chad Morton 96-yard kickoff return, 0:14 into OT.
Nov. 14, 2010 — Jets 26, Browns 20. Santonio Holmes 37-yard pass from Mark Sanchez, 14:44 into OT.
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Mr. Third-and-1**Before his two touchdown runs, Powell had a pair of third-and-1 conversions. He's taken over from Fitzpatrick and Matt Forte as the man who needs the ball in his hands on crunch-down-and-one.
The two conversions make Powell 7-for-7, tying him for the second-best season of third-down/fourth-down-and-1 conversions in Jets history behind QB Richard Todd (9-for-9, all on runs, in 1979) and John Riggins (7-for-7, all runs, 1972). Of course this distinction will disappear if Powell fails to convert on a rush or reception this year.
Forté was 6-for-6 on his rushing attempts before being stopped for a 3-yard loss vs. the Colts, but he also was the intended receiver on three failed third-and-1 pass plays this year.
Move Those ChainsIncluding his last carry of the SF game, Bilal racked up an amazing 11 rushing first downs, nine of them in the second half and OT. Why amazing? Here are the Jets he joined with that performance:
■ He was the first to reach 10 first downs in a game since RB Thomas Jones had 11 vs. the Rams in 2008.
■ He was the first with at least 10 first downs in a road game since Curtis Martin had 10 at Indianapolis in 2001.
■ He had the most rushing first downs in a road game since Adrian Murrell had 11 at Cincinnati in 1997.
■ His seven second-half first downs (not including two in the OT period) are the most in a half since Jones ' 8 in the first half of the abovementioned Rams game, and the most in a second half since Martin's 8 in the 2004 season opener vs. the Bengals.
Lastly on the first down front, Powell now has 44 first downs on the season, moving ahead of Forté (43) and Brandon Marshall (40) for the team lead.
The last time two RBs topped the Jets in first downs wasn't long ago — 2013, when Powell led with 48 and Chris Ivory was second with 35. For the last five of his six seasons in green and white (he had no first downs as a rookie), Powell has notched 175 first downs (112 rushing, 63 receiving). That's easily the most on the Jets since 2012.
