The Jets, down 20-10 at the half, got scores from receiver Brandon Marshall, who connected with quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick on 9-yard touchdown pass, and two field goals from kicker Randy Bullock, including the 31-yard game-winner, to keep their playoff hopes alive. Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — New York Giants kicker Josh Brown’s franchise record ended at 29 straight field-goal attempts made when he pulled a 48-yarder wide left, helping the New York Jets to a 23-20 overtime win at MetLife Stadium on Sunday.
The Jets, down 20-10 at the half, got scores from receiver Brandon Marshall, who connected with quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick on 9-yard touchdown pass, and two field goals from kicker Randy Bullock, including the 31-yard game-winner, to keep their playoff hopes alive.
The Giants, who got a fifth-straight 100-yard receiving performance form receiver Odell Beckham Jr. (six receptions for 149 yards, one touchdown), saw their dynamic receiver come up with a huge 72-yard second quarter touchdown that gave the Giants a 17-10 second quarter
Offensively, the Jets dominated the Giants in nearly every major statistical category, including time of possession in the first half of play.
However, after finding some early-game success running the ball with Chris Ivory, whose 37 rushing yards on their second possession helped set up Bullock’s 24-yard field goal to break the scoreless tie, the Jets’ offense went cold.
The Giants grabbed a 7-3 lead at the top of the second quarter on Dwayne Harris’ 80-yard punt return for a touchdown. With that return, Harris became the third Giants player in franchise history, and the first since Jimmy Patton in 1955, to record touchdowns on both a punt return and kickoff return.
The Giants had a chance to build their lead in the second quarter when Ivory lost the ball for just the second time this season after being stripped by middle linebacker Jasper Brinkley.
Following the turnover, the Giants drove all the way to the 1-yard line only to have to settle for a 20-yard field goal to make it 10-3.
The Jets knotted the game on their ensuing drive when Fitzpatrick (36 of 50 for 390 yards and two touchdowns) connected with running back Bilal Powell on a third-down pass conversion going for 25 yards.
The Giants would go on to score 10 unanswered points to close out the second quarter, the touchdown pass to Beckham and a 35-yard field goal by Brown, to make it 20-10.
After a scoreless third quarter, the Giants had a chance to put the game away on their first drive of the fourth quarter, a drive that saw the Jets commit two key penalties on third-down attempts.
With 4th-and-goal at the 2-yard line, quarterback Eli Manning’s pass, intended for receiver Rueben Randle, was picked off by Jets safety Rontez Miles. The Jets converted that turnover into a 24-yard field goal to cut the Giants’ lead to 20-13.
Then, Fitzpatrick, who finished with 22 rushing yards on five carries, picked up 15 yards on a 4th-and-6 from the Giants’ 36. Two plays later, Fitzpatrick connected with Marshall on a 9-yard touchdown pass to tie the score at 20-20 with 32 seconds remaining to send the game into overtime.
NOTES: Giants return specialist Dwayne Harris’ punt return for a touchdown was the first by a Giant since receiver Domenik Hixon scored on a 79-yard on Dec. 16, 2009 against Dallas. … Jets DE Mike Catapano was ruled out of the third quarter after suffering a foot injury. … WR Jeremy Kerley was also ruled out of the game in the second half with a migraine. … The Giants lost LT Ereck Flowers early in the third quarter to a left ankle sprain. … WR Odell Beckham’s five straight 100-yard receiving games ties him with Homer Jones for the longest streak in franchise history. Jones set his streak over the 1967-68 seasons.
