Offensive Plays of the Year: Five Backstories

[flgreen]

Offensive Plays of the Year: Five Backstories

Posted by Randy Lange on June 6, 2011 – 12:48 pm

Eric Allen primed the pump Sunday and today it’s time to bring you our list of the Jets’ top five prime offensive plays of the 2010 regular season.

First you can go back to the videotape for some of the very best offense the Jets had to give to get into the playoffs — the videos have just recently gone live on newyorkjets.com. Then you can then jump over to Facebook.com/Jets to vote for your favorite “Plays of the Year.” The polls will be open all this week, and then beginning June 13 we’ll reveal your picks AND move on to the defensive plays of the year. On June 20 new footage will feature the best special teams plays. And on June 27 we’ll repeat the process with our Playoff Plays of the Year.

Here are some of the details to refresh your memory on the offensive gems.

RB LaDainian Tomlinson, 26-yard TD run, Game 4, Oct. 3, at Buffalo

On a day when he passed Tony Dorsett for seventh on the NFL’s all-time rushing list, Tomlinson recorded his first 100-yard game as a Jet and his 133-yard effort was his highest output in almost three years. He scored two touchdowns in the 38-14 victory and this play in the third quarter was vintage LT — just ask Bills S Donte Whitner.

WR Jerricho Cotchery, 10-yard reception, Game 9, Nov. 14, at Cleveland

What does “Play like a Jet” mean? Look no further than J-Co’s gutsy grab in the thrilling OT win over the Browns. On third-and-9, Cotchery, despite playing with a herniated disk and then sustaining a groin strain while running the route on this play, somehow made the diving catch of Mark Sanchez’s throw across his body to extend the drive in the extra session.

WR Santonio Holmes, 37-yard TD reception, Game 9, Nov. 14, at Cleveland

The Super Bowl XLIII MVP was a clutch performer all year for the Green & White, registering a game-changing play in four Jets wins. In this one, as time was running out and both sides were no doubt preparing to accept a 20-20 draw, Holmes snared Sanchez’s slant pass between Browns defenders and accelerated for the goal line and the game-winning score with 16 seconds left on the OT clock.

WR Braylon Edwards, 42-yard reception, Game 10, Nov. 21, vs. Houston

The Jets had frittered away a 23-7 lead early in the fourth quarter and were staring at the bleak prospects of a four-point home loss to the Texans. But the Green & White never gave up, and suddenly they were back in the game as Edwards got open down the right sideline to grab Sanchez’s pinpoint pass at the Houston 6 with 16 seconds left. Next play, Sanchez-to-Holmes pulled out the 30-27 win.

QB Mark Sanchez, 7-yard TD run, Game 14, Dec. 19, at Pittsburgh

Without an offensive touchdown since Thanksgiving, down by seven and facing fourth-and-1 at the Steelers 7 midway through the third quarter, Rex Ryan gave Brian Schottenheimer the green light and the OC made an ingenious call. Everyone at Heinz Field sold out on the run up the gut, but Sanchez kept the ball and rolled untouched off the Jets’ left side for the tying score en route to the inspiring 22-17 triumph.

[flgreen]

I'll go with the Edwards catch against Houston. I also might give the credit to Sanchez, as well as Edwards.

It was for a win (Sanchez made the winning throw on the next play ) it was a great, long, throw, and catch>

[JiFtheOracle]

After thinking this through, this is a tough list.

If it were to include the playoffs it would be easy for me. BE's catch vs. Indy, Holmes catch vs. Pats or Greene's run vs. Pats.

But just the regular season is tough.

I love J-Co's catch being in there. But I'd probably remove LT's TD vs. the Bills and put Holmes vs. the Lions in there.

Also, I'd have to have some love for Brad Smith's shoeless run in there.

[Bleedin Green]

After thinking this through, this is a tough list.

If it were to include the playoffs it would be easy for me. BE's catch vs. Indy, Holmes catch vs. Pats or Greene's run vs. Pats.

But just the regular season is tough.

I love J-Co's catch being in there. But I'd probably remove LT's TD vs. the Bills and put Holmes vs. the Lions in there.

Also, I'd have to have some love for Brad Smith's shoeless run in there.

While it certainly didn't break the game open or do anything big time, that Cotchery play is still a great one to see every time. It does make it tough to pick one play, but if we're including playoffs, while the ones you mentioned are all great choices, I take Edwards TD against the Pats in a heartbeat. That was one of my favorite plays in years. I agree with some of your others points, but it's pretty obvious they tried to get one play in for each of the top offensive players, thus the reason they didn't double up on the Holmes plays and why they included the LT TD against the Bills (although it was a pretty sick juke). Although on that note, it is a little surprising they didn't give a nod to a play each by Smith and Keller.

Of the plays listed I would probably say the Braylon catch against the Texans would've been my favorite, with the Holmes TD just a little bit short of that. The difference being, with the Holmes TD against the Browns while nobody expected that to happen the way it did, I think after that defensive stand and Leonhard's punt return, there was a pretty good feeling Folk would have a chance to get the Jets the win. In the Texans game, with so little time and such a distance to go, even as bad as the Texans D may've been, I don't think people expected what happened to happen, and then after Braylon made that catch, you pretty much knew the Jets just won the game.

[JiFtheOracle]

While it certainly didn't break the game open or do anything big time, that Cotchery play is still a great one to see every time. It does make it tough to pick one play, but if we're including playoffs, while the ones you mentioned are all great choices, I take Edwards TD against the Pats in a heartbeat. That was one of my favorite plays in years. I agree with some of your others points, but it's pretty obvious they tried to get one play in for each of the top offensive players, thus the reason they didn't double up on the Holmes plays and why they included the LT TD against the Bills (although it was a pretty sick juke). Although on that note, it is a little surprising they didn't give a nod to a play each by Smith and Keller.

Of the plays listed I would probably say the Braylon catch against the Texans would've been my favorite, with the Holmes TD just a little bit short of that. The difference being, with the Holmes TD against the Browns while nobody expected that to happen the way it did, I think after that defensive stand and Leonhard's punt return, there was a pretty good feeling Folk would have a chance to get the Jets the win. In the Texans game, with so little time and such a distance to go, even as bad as the Texans D may've been, I don't think people expected what happened to happen, and then after Braylon made that catch, you pretty much knew the Jets just won the game.

True...totally forgot about the BE TD and I have no clue how. It was ******* awesome!!! I think what I liked about Holmes was that TD made the dream a reality but I take it back, BE's TD >>>> Holmes. It was beastly. God I really want both of them back.

[GhostOfGlennFoley]

Watching that Bootleg always makes me think that maybe Schotty isn't retarded...maybe

[Doggin94it]

Cotchery's catch, no doubt. Such a gutsy and critical play. The others are big plays, athletic plays, but plays you see multiple times a year across the nfl. Cotchery's catch was a one time only event

[Vudu]

True...totally forgot about the BE TD and I have no clue how. It was ******* awesome!!! I think what I liked about Holmes was that TD made the dream a reality but I take it back, BE's TD >>>> Holmes. It was beastly. God I really want both of them back.

I really want them both back. Santonio is unstoppable on that fade to the corner of the endzone play and Braylon is just beastly. I never get sick of watching that play against the Pats in the playoffs where he drags both their probowl players in the endzone...beastmode.

[Bleedin Green]

I really want them both back. Santonio is unstoppable on that fade to the corner of the endzone play and Braylon is just beastly. I never get sick of watching that play against the Pats in the playoffs where he drags both their probowl players in the endzone...beastmode.

Completely agree on all accounts. If I had to pick one of the two, it would be Edwards over Holmes, but given how important Sanchez is to the future of this team, I've believed since day one of the offseason they should be the two most important FAs the Jets have and both be kept on the team. That play was amazing and it's those types of plays that I always love, because while it takes an unbelievable amount of skill to pull off, it's also one of those plays that just shows pure determination and wanting it more than the other guy. It was even more impressive given that it was the playoffs, against two players and for a TD, but it immediately reminded me of that 3rd and 15 to Keller back in 2008 in OT against the Pats.

That J-Co catch definitely qualifies as well.

[stoicsentry]

J-Co catch was amazing!!!!!!!

Here is a link

I bet you he was thinking, "are you serious, Mark? No one else is open? Aw, hell!"