The Jets most versatile weapon made sure the green and white-clad crazies at the New Meadowlands Stadium didn't need to pull out the defibrillators Thursday night. After three consecutive heart-palpitating victories, the Jets finally avoided any late-game drama in a 26-10 win over the Bengals.
Brad Smith scored a pair of pivotal second-half touchdowns to lift the Jets (9-2) to their fourth straight win and set up a Monday night showdown with the Patriots (9-2) on Dec. 6 with sole possession of first place in the AFC East at stake.
Smith scored on a 53-yard end-around run and 89-yard kickoff return to help the Jets overcome a sluggish first half. Ryan's defense, plagued by late-game collapses in recent weeks, held the reeling Bengals (2-9) to 34 yards in the second half. The Jets forced three turnovers and effectively erased Cincinnati's top three threats Terrell Ownes (three catches for 17 yards), Chad Ochocinco (four catches for 41) and Cedric Benson (41 rushing yards). The Bengals gained just 163 total yards. Mark Sanchez completed 16 of 28 passes for 166 yards and one touchdown and an interception.
The Jets needed just 47 seconds to erase a 7-3 halftime deficit. Brad Smith's 53-yard touchdown run put the Jets up again. Smith, who had 92 yards on the ground and a touchdown in last year's season finale against the Bengals, needed just one block from Dustin Keller before he sprinted around the left side untouched for the score.
On second down from the Jets' 36, Sanchez escaped pressure, rolled right and avoided Michael Johnson before the ill-advised pass. Linebacker Rey Maualuga stepped in front of Shonn Greene for the easy pick.
The Bengals, however, couldn't take advantage of the miscue and a questionable roughing the passer call James Ihedigbo's personal foul on Palmer on fourth down extended the drive, but Aaron Pettrey missed a 27-yard field-goal attempt to keep the Jets ahead.
The Jets extended their lead to 17-7 thanks to a Bengals miscue on a punt return. Steve Weatherford's punt apparently hit Andre Caldwell before Inhedigbo recovered the ball on the Cincinnati 14. Cincinnati Coach Marvin Lewis opted not to challenge the ruling even though it appeared on replays that the ball didn't touch Caldwell, who was running down the field trying to block.
Two plays later, Sanchez's 13-yard touchdown strike to Santonio Holmes gave the Jets a double-digit cushion with 4:09 left in the third quarter. The Bengals used a little bit of good fortune to draw closer early in the fourth. Weatherford's punt grazed Josh Mauga's left elbow before going just 23 yards. Pettrey's 28-yard field goal drew the Bengals to within 17-10, but Smith answered with his second big play of the night on the ensuing kickoff.
Smith weaved through traffic en route to an 89-yard return for a touchdown to give the Jets a 24-10 lead three minutes into the fourth quarter. Smith ran the final 50 yards without his left shoe, which came off and settled near the 45-yard line.
Trevor Pryce sacked Palmer in the end zone for a safety to widen the Jets' lead to 26-10 with 6:52 to go in the game.
The Jets trailed 7-3 at halftime thanks to six first-half penalties, including two on the Bengals' lone scoring drive of the half. Drew Coleman's questionable helmet-to-helmet hit on Terrell Owens in the end zone late in the second quarter aided Cincinnati on a 10-play scoring drive that culminated in Palmer's 5e-yard TD pass to Jordan Shipley with less than a minute remaining before intermission.
The Jets squandered a chance on their ensuing drive when Nick Folk hooked a 44-yard field goal attempt just before halftime. Bengals coach Lewis' decision to call a timeout just before Folk knocked it through the first time paid off.
From nydailynews.com