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Martin's injury caps sad season for Jets


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Martin's injury caps sad season for Jets

By Chris Ruddick

Sports Network

Which feat would you rather see accomplished - three-peat Super Bowl titles or three-peat NCAA football titles? Both could happen this year...

[Join the talk!] The only thing Jets fans had to look forward to was to see whether or not Curtis Martin would reach 1,000 yards rushing for an NFL-record 11th straight year to open his career.

Now that is gone, as Martin will undergo surgery and miss the remainder of the season because of a knee injury suffered way back in Week 2 against the Miami Dolphins.

"Being the competitor that I am, it's hard for me to know when not to compete. At that time I usually turn to people around me whose opinions I trust, and that's what I did," Martin said, referring to his decision to have surgery. "I knew how I was feeling out there for the majority of the season. But it just reared it's head to the point where I had problems just jogging. I continued the same routine in hopes of playing this game but I just couldn't do it this week."

Prior to Sunday, Martin had started every game for the Jets for the last seven years and missed just the fifth regular season games of his career. The last time Martin was inactive for a regular season game was on October. 11, 1998 when the Jets traveled to St. Louis to face the Rams.

"You're disappointed for Curt (Martin)," said quarterback Brooks Bollinger. "We all know what he's like, going after it and the kind of guy he is and we all know it hurts him not to be out there, but in this league and obviously on this team you learn to look to the next guy to step up and play...You certainly feel for Curtis and he's the leader of this team and you're always going to miss something in the huddle with him. Those guys today stepped (up) and it's a team effort and they did a tremendous job."

One year removed from his first NFL rushing title, Martin rushed for 735 yards on 220 attempts in 12 games this season. He scored five rushing touchdowns and now stands at 100 (90 rushing, 10 receiving) for his career.

JETS SHOW SOME LIFE

With Martin on the sidelines the Jets put forth an inspiring effort in topping the Oakland Raiders, 26-10, on Sunday at a chilly Meadowlands.

Mike Nugent kicked four field goals and Cedric Houston ran for 74 yards and a touchdown, while Bollinger completed 14-of-26 passes for 119 yards with a touchdown for the Jets (3-10), who put an end to a seven-game losing streak.

"He (Bollinger) did a good job of running; he did a good job of protecting the ball, not turning it over and that's always a key," said Jets head coach Herman Edwards. "If you don't turn the ball over you always have a chance and the last couple of weeks we've played that way, we haven't turned the ball over. If you do that we're going to have a chance to win."

John Abraham led a dominant Jets defense that chased Marques Tuiasosopo all day long. They also made former teammate Lamont Jordan a non-factor, as he was able to muster just 49 yards in the loss.

"We had a hell of a week of practice. Everybody came ready to play," Abraham said after the game. "We talked all week about not giving LaMont too much; not because he was our teammate, but because he is an explosive back. You give him five yards and he can take it to the house. The thing was not to give him big runs. I think we did a good job of containing him today."

UP NEXT

The Jets hit the road this week to face the Miami Dolphins.

New York holds a 41-37-1 lead in its all-time series with Miami, including a 20-14 home victory in Week 2, and a home-and-home sweep last season. The Dolphins last defeated the Jets in 2003, winning both ends of a home-and-home.

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Mike Nugent kicked four field goals

Wow, that 2nd round pick is ripping up the NFL.

His longest FG on Sunday was a 35-yard chip shot.

How about his great "cannon leg" that you guys said he had?

Nuggie is now 1/47 on touchbacks this year. :shock:

Good use of a 2nd round draft pick.

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Wow, that 2nd round pick is ripping up the NFL.

His longest FG on Sunday was a 35-yard chip shot.

How about his great "cannon leg" that you guys said he had?

Nuggie is now 1/47 on touchbacks this year. :shock:

Good use of a 2nd round draft pick.

He's no Katzenmoyer that's for sure.

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