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Favre and Coles Find Each Other and Set Career Highs as the Jets Top the Cardinals 56-35
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It was a coming out party this afternoon at the Meadowlands as the Jets beat the Cardinals 56-35 to run their record to 2-2 as they move into the bye week.
Turnovers marred the beginning of the game as the Cardinals first drive of the afternoon ended on a Anquan Boldin fumble which was recovered by Hank Poteat. Three plays later Brett Favre throws across the field to be intercepted by Chike Okeafor and returned all the way to the Jets 16. The defense stands up and the Card settle for a Neil Rackers field goal attempt. However, Kris Jenkins pressures up the middle to block the kick and the Jets are set up at the 49 yard line.
On this drive, the Jets set the tone for the game on one big play. The Jets rune 3 plays and are left with a 4th and one. Instead of punting the ball away, they go for it, and Thomas Jones rushes for the first down. The drive continues into the second quarter, when an initial TD to Bubba Franks is nullified on a Nick Mangold penalty. Two plays later, Brett Favre hits Laveranues Coles with a 12 yard TD pass, the first of 3 for the duo, putting the Jets up 7-0.
Three plays into the next drive, Darrelle Revis intercepts a Kurt Warner pass on the right side from the Cardinals 32 yard line, and takes it the distance to put the Jets up 14-0. After a short drive by the Cardinals, Brett Favre hits Coles again deep up the left side for a 34 yard TD pass, 21-0 Jets. Another turnover 2 plays into the Cards drive occurs as Warner is intercepted by Eric Smith. An 8 play drive follows that ends with a Jay Feely 20 yard field goal. 24-0 Jets.
Still another turnover befalls the Cardinals on the next drive. Three plays in, Calvin Pace sacks Kurt Warner, forcing a fumble that is recovered by David Harris, setting the Jets up on the Cardinals 40. 7 plays later, and 2 yards out is the third Favre to Coles connection as the Jets end the half up 31-0.
It does get interesting in the second half. The Cardinals take the opening kickoff, and go straight down the field, 6 plays in 2:21 ending in an Edgerrin James 4 yard TD run putting the Cards on the scoreboard. After the Jets go 3 and out on the next drive, the Cards go 13 plays over 5:06, and James scores his second TD from 2 yards out, then adds the 2 pt conversion making the score 34-15 with 5:41 to go in the third quarter.
Arizona does recover the ensuing onside kick at their own 46 yard line, and go 7 plays before rookie Tim Hightower scores from one yard out. They fail on the 2 point conversion attempt leaving the score at an interesting 34-21.
Here the Jets come up with the drive they need, crossing over to the 4th quarter, on a 12 play drive that ended in Favre's 4th TD pass, 17 yards to Jerricho Cotchery, putting the Jets up 41-21. The Cards come right back with a 7 play 2:21 drive that ends with a Warner 8 yard TD pass to Boldin. 41-28 Jets.
On the very next drive, a great call by Brian Schottenheimer on 4th down, instead of running for the first down, Favre hits Jerricho Cotchery on a 40 yard TD pass, Cotchery's second of the game and Favre's 5th, and the Jets lead 48-28.
The seesaw match continued as the Cardinals drive right down the field for a Kurt Warner 14 yard TD pass to Jerheme Urban, and the Cardinals close the gap once again to 48-35. The following Jets drive ends with a Jay Feely missed field goal attempt from 44 yards out.
The Jets put it on ice on the Cards next drive. David Bowens sacks Kurt Warner on the first play of the drive, and Calvin Pace recovers the ball on the Cardinals 29. 4 plays later, Favre hits Dustin Keller for his career high 6th TD pass for the game, and Leon Washington adds a 2 point coversion to put the game at the final score of 56-35.
Darrelle Revis ends the game with his second interception, but the game was not without a scary moment. Anquan Boldin is hit and lands very awkwardly on a pass thrown to him deep and is down and not moving for several minutes. He ended up being taken off on a stretcher after showing little movement. We all hope that Boldin is OK.
So the Jets run their record to 2-2 going into the bye week. For the game, Brett Favre was 24-34 for 289 yards, his career high 6 TDs and 1 INT. Thomas Jones rushed 18 times for 46 yards. Laveranues Coles led the way for the receivers with 8 catches for 105 yards and a career high 3 TDs. Jerricho Cotchery added 4 catches for 67 yards and 2 TDs.
Kurt Warner was 40-57, 472 yards, 2 TDs and 3 INTs. Edgerrin James rushed 9 times for 29 yards and 2 TDs. Steve Breaston and Larry Fitzgerald caught 122 yards a piece, 9 catches for Breaston and 8 for Fitzgerald. Boldin added 10 catches for 119 yards and 1 TD.
