The New York Jets snapped their five-game losing streak with a 21-13 win over the Houston Texans on Thursday night at MetLife Stadium.
Naturally, it wasn’t easy.
New York lost an easy touchdown on a rookie mistake by wide receiver Malachi Corley, who dropped the ball just before the goal line. The Jets played the second half with two tackles at guard. Several players left for long stretches due to injury. New York was even called for roughing the snapper on a critical special teams play.
But, the Jets (3-6) can thank wide receiver Garrett Wilson for this win.
Wilson had a game to remember, catching two touchdown passes with one hand. The first was a 21-yarder that he hauled in while running a crossing route in the third quarter.
The second was shades of Odell Beckham Jr., as he contorted his body in the back of the end zone to grab a pass from Rodgers with his right hand. The pass, originally called incomplete, was reversed by a Jets challenge after replay determined that Wilson got his left foot and shin down before his left knee went out of bounds, allowing him to get his right foot down and complete the 26-yard catch.
That second score was critical, as it gave New York a four-point lead. Houston’s next drive ended in a way that the Jets could sympathize with — Texans kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn banged a 26-yard field goal attempt into the left upright to allow the Jets to maintain its four-point lead with 6:54 left.
Four plays before that Jets special teams player Eric Watts was called for roughing the snapper. Incredibly, on Halloween, it didn’t come back to haunt New York.
Wide receiver Davante Adams caught his first touchdown as a Jet late in the game to give New York a two-score lead. It was after he left the game late in the third quarter suffering a head injury and being evaluated for a concussion.
Wilson finished with nine catches for 90 yards. Adams finished with seven catches for 91 yards. Rodgers threw for 211 yards and three scores. Running back Breece Hall rushed for 74 yards.
The Jets’ defense did a great job of keeping the Texans (6-3) offense in check, who were down two receivers due to injury — Nico Collins and Stefon Diggs, the latter of which is out for the season. Quarterback C.J. Stroud was under pressure all night and he was sacked eight times, twice by Jamien Sherwood and Micheal Clemons. Haason Reddick got his first half-sack of the season.
The only touchdown of the first half was scored by Houston following a 75-yard punt by the Jets’ Thomas Morstead.
Houston went 13 plays and 98 yards as Mixon scored a touchdown to put the Texans up 7-0.
Rodgers had 32 first-half passing yards, the offense gained 69 total yards and couldn’t take advantage of New York’s defensive performance, which included a forced fumble by Quinnen Williams and a recovery by Will McDonald IV. New York also had four first-half sacks.
During the game New York lost McDonald late in the first half to a non-contact injury that the Jets said was an ankle injury. Cornerback Michael Carter II suffered a back injury.
Two offensive linemen also went down. Guard John Simpson suffered a groin injury and Jake Hanson suffered a hamstring injury. That led rookie tackle Olu Fashanu to take Hanson’s place at right guard, while Max Mitchell slid into left guard for Simpson.
