Randy Bullock kicked a 40-yard field goal with 36 seconds left and the Jets moved a half-game ahead of the Steelers and Chiefs with a 19-16 victory over the Dallas Cowboys on Saturday night.
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The Jets (9-5) were unable to convert the turnover into points after Cowboys defensive end Demarcus Lawrence stopped Jets running back Chris Ivory in the backfield on fourth-and-goal from the Cowboys 3-yard line.
Fitzpatrick connected on 10 of 12 passes for 132 yards and one touchdown in the fourth quarter, and directed two go-ahead drives. The play helped set the stage for Bullock’s winning kick.
The Cowboys fell to 4-10 and were officially eliminated from play-off contention.
For more than three quarters, it was unclear which team wanted to lose more.
Jets quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick came alive in the fourth quarter on a nine-play, 70-yard touchdown drive. Fellow receiver Eric Decker had 55 yards on six receptions, including a 3-yard score that put NY up 16-13 earlier in the fourth quarter.
But the Cowboys refused to go quietly.
Yet, as the New York Jets recorded a hard-fought 19-16 win over the Dallas Cowboys in a game that they needed desperately to keep pace in the crowded AFC, Decker and Marshall in particular stand out for their overall toughness and their ability to get it done when they were truly needed. They tied it on Dan Carpenter’s 50-yard field goal that bounced off the right upright with 1:55 remaining.
The offense will stall and Cowboys Nation will get their first glance at backup quarterback Kellen Moore. The Jets retained control of the ball after a video review. He has thrown 10 touchdowns against 1 interception over the past four games – good by any measuring stick – and his production has allowed Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker to hit some franchise records.
Once again, the fast start on the road the Jets had hoped for never materialized.
Owner Jerry Jones sealed this team’s fate months ago when he determined that Brandon Weeden and Matt Cassel would be adequate replacements at quarterback for an injured Romo.
While getting praise from all corners of the locker room, Fitzpatrick deflected the focus off him and onto the team in the same ESPN report.
Maybe the Jets are a destiny team. Unfortunately for Dallas, no one was in the vicinity except for cornerback Darrelle Revis, who scampered 24 yards on the return. All of them are not going to be pretty.
And it might have turned out to be exactly that kind of night earlier this year, especially during the Jets’ seemingly long-ago midseason slump. The defense also has 35 sacks this season, in part due to the blanket coverage provided by the secondary.
If the Cowboys can run the game plan the way they did against a very good Jets defense – run the ball a lot, use shorter passes – and give Moore a week of practice as a starter so he is more comfortable with Dez Bryant and Jason Witten, then they could steal a few games to finish the season.
Dallas Cowboys QB Matt Cassel was benched in the first half against the New York Jets in favor of Kellen Moore Saturday.
Garrett did not commit to Moore starting next week at Buffalo.
Moore was thrown into a tough situation for the first National Football League action of his professional career.
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But, as Bowles noted at halftime to CBS, the Jets continued to shoot themselves in the foot. It was a weak call, but Bullock missed the 45 yard field goal, and the Jets trailed at the half, 10-9.
