Defensive end John Abraham used a stunt, looping to the middle of the Redskins' offensive line, to sack Ramsey. But on second and 17, Coles cut to the middle, Ramsey zipped the ball to him, and Coles darted to the New York 29-yard line. A second-down pass bounced off wide receiver Patrick Johnson's hands, and Ramsey was sacked by defensive end Shaun Ellis on third down, but Hall drilled his 50-yard field goal with plenty to spare.
The Jets responded immediately, with help from safety Ifeanyi Ohalete. Linebacker LaVar Arrington batted away quarterback Vinny Testaverde's pass on the Jets' opening play, and the middle of the defensive line stacked up tailback Curtis Martin on a second-down carry. But Ohalete dived onto the pile late, and the 15-yard personal foul gave the Jets a first down at their 45.
Redskins quarterback Patrick Ramsey is sacked by defensive end John Abraham and Mo Lewis in the first quarter but goes on to ring up 144 first-half passing yards.
(Gary Hershorn - Reuters)
|
|
Testaverde beat a blitz with a quick toss to wide receiver Wayne Chrebet for 14 yards, and tight end Anthony Becht got open on third and four for an 11-yard reception and a first down at the Redskins 13. Martin totaled 11 yards on two rushes. Fullback Jerald Sowell dropped a would-be touchdown pass by Testaverde on first down from the 2, and Martin and Jordan were stopped trying to bulldoze into the end zone on second and third downs. Jets Coach Herman Edwards called a timeout but left his offense on the field on fourth down from the 1.
The Redskins dug in with five defensive linemen. But Jordan, the Suitland High School and University of Maryland star, dived into the end zone and the Jets were in front 7-3.
The Redskins marched 74 yards to reclaim the lead. Ramsey and Coles teamed for a 10-yard pass. Betts spelled Canidate at tailback and reeled off runs of 11, 9 and 5 yards, and got the tough yard that the Redskins needed on fourth and one from the Jets 28. Ramsey made a superb touch throw to drop a pass over Mo Lewis to tight end Robert Royal, who absorbed a hit from safety Jon McGraw and held on to the ball for a 20-yard pickup.
On third down from the 4, McCants got open in the back of the end zone. Ramsey's floating pass wasn't pretty but McCants made the leaping grab for the touchdown.
The Jets moved to the Redskins 37 but stalled and punted. The Redskins made it three scoring drives in three possessions. They started at their 12-yard line, and Canidate ran for three yards on first down. On second down, Coles sprinted past cornerback Donnie Abraham. Ramsey ducked under the blitzing Lewis to avoid a sack, and heaved a pass that Coles had to wait for but hauled in. The 48-yard play moved the Redskins to the Jets 37, and a tumbling catch by Coles soon after produced 22 more yards.
The Redskins bogged down when Ramsey's third-and-six completion to Betts ended up two yards shy of a first down and four yards short of the end zone, but Hall was true from 22 yards for a 13-7 advantage.
Ramsey got the Redskins into trouble early in the third quarter. He thought he had wide receiver Rod Gardner open. But Donnie Abraham stepped in front of him and made the interception, and his 12-yard return put the Jets in business at the Redskins 26. Wide receiver Curtis Conway outmaneuvered cornerback Fred Smoot for a 17-yard catch on third and 15. But safety Matt Bowen knocked away a pass headed for Chrebet in the back of the end zone on third down from the 13. Place kicker Doug Brien nailed a 30-yard field goal to narrow the Jets' deficit to 13-10.
The Jets got even in the fourth quarter after John Abraham sprinted around Redskins left tackle Chris Samuels and stripped the ball from Ramsey. Defensive tackle Jason Ferguson made the recovery for the Jets, and Brien's 41-yard field goal tied the game at 13 with 8:13 to go. The Redskins punted again but stopped Jordan on a third-and-one play to set up the decisive drive.
