1989 New York Jets Team Season Highlights "A Breath Of Fresh Air"

[Music] [Music] this film is brought to you by New York Life and its dedicated agents proud sponsors of the NFL's team highlight films New York Life that company you keep [Music] [Applause] [Music] in the New York Jets very first game of the 1980s Darrell Ray's hard earned six points set the tone for the entire decade a ten year long roller coaster ride of record breakers and Heartbreakers that would leave players and fans breathless [Music] quarterback Richard Todd set an NFL standard when he completed 42 passes in a single game in 1980 however it was standard procedure to waste such efforts and the Jets lost the game anyway [Music] although they finished four and twelve and appeared to be spinning their wheels the Jets were quietly making a lot of little strides forward and like Bruce Harper dancing through the defense the Jets were sneaking up on people and beginning to blow past them [Music] pat lanes overtime field goal that beat playoff bound Houston dropped the Jets a lesson in winning and the Jets got the chance to put their new knowledge to the test in 1981 [Music] despite an O and three start the Jets were soon dueling with the dolphins for first place these fans are on their feet 21 seconds remaining as Todd is back to pass he's looking into the Jerome bottoms touchdown during the Jets instant credibility and the Jets also won bragging rights to New York with nine sacks in a rout of the Giants ironically the New York sack exchange would come back to help it stunned rivals in week 16 when the Giants needed a Jets win to make the playoffs but the Jets were playing for their own first postseason berth since 1969 and hardly needed the extra incentive [Music] the sack exchange tallied nine more as the Jets bomb their way into the playoffs [Music] [Music] there is nobody in this ball park who is seated they are all standing inclusion of one of the most exciting ever seen a chance trail 30 27:10 seconds remaining the season right third in the season time at the 2-yard line dejected Richard Todd leaves the field he nearly pulled the miracle off nearly pulled the steam back from a 24 to nothing deficit [Music] [Applause] [Music] the Jets were young and healed quickly and in 1982 unveiled a deadly new weapon [Music] [Applause] Freeman MacNeil became the first jet to lead the NFL in rushing and he led the Jets right back into the playoffs Todd hands it off the McNeill right side here's big deal right side McNeil's 202 yards rushing for the second-most in playoff history and sent the Jets into Los Angeles for the second round of the Superbowl tournament against the defending world champion Raiders the Jets did not back down [Music] [Applause] [Music] what a great hit the Raiders withstood the Jets best shots until the final five fabulous minutes for 59 remaining 1410 LA McNeil the long setback Todd Rob's back the pass he's looking deep [Applause] it wasn't a waters the particle [Applause] [Music] pluck it back the pan heat pumps fires all the milk [Applause] here in the fourth one they can run the clock out the Raiders do not have any timeouts remaining [Music] city championship [Music] in the worst possible conditions for the Jets offense it was clear that the AFC championship would be decided on the other side of the ball [Applause] [Music] [Music] after a scoreless first half the Jets stood 30 minutes from Pasadena [Music] but as in the season before the Jets Super Bowl Drive bogged down in the mud and their championship dreams washed away with the rain [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] dreams were born and dreams died but the support of the fans never wilted we love kids you know I don't care how many games you lose or having games they went we got a deer yes it just a hell of a team [Applause] the Jets celebrated their 25th year in a new home but the reception they got from the fans across the Hudson was as warm as it had ever been at Shea [Applause] and from the front row all the way up to the rafters the fans investment in Joe Klecko and the New York Stock Exchange continue to yield high dividends [Music] Mark Gastineau racked up the NFL single-season record 22 sacks as the Jets two-fisted approached a football amazed them in the Meadowlands Shuler comes in motion from right to left the job hack their left side turns throws a pass to Ryan on the right side [Applause] the Jets were again rushing into a bright new era in 1985 they paused to honor a legend of another day and the first Jets player ever elected to the Hall of Fame [Music] 1985 became a banner year for jet quarterbacks old and new it was Kendall Brian's first full year as a starter and he started off by breaking Joe Namath's 15 year old mark for the longest pass in Jets history his 96 yarder to Wesley Walker help make O'Brien the Jets first regular season NFL passing champion [Music] not since 1968 at the Jets offense been so hard to stop in week 11 New York bombarded Tampa Bay with the team record 62 points and the big play offense meant more big games in week 12 are returned to first place hinged on a battle with New England that went into overtime three yard field goal attempt for first place in the AFC East here comes the snap here comes the kick it is a bit [Applause] in overtime 16:13 the celebration was sweet but short for the jet still had to fight their way into the playoffs in the season's final game [Music] looking long he needs it down the middle and it's going to be intercepted the touchdown [Music] kurz own provided the spark as the jet shocked Cleveland 37 to 10 and stole their way back into the playoffs but for truly grand larceny no one could top Wesley Walker's great game robbery of 1986 [Music] when I made to catch I was in a dream run I didn't realize that what had happened and I still don't I dropped back and waited and waited and just waiting for Wesley to get anywhere near the end zone and threw it about as hard as I could and the next thing I knew Wesley was flying through the air made a great catch and rolled in the end zone says we won the coin toss I knew we were going to score everything was going our way at that point [Applause] [Music] after that win the eight straight that followed seemed easy especially with the emergence of the unanimous all NFL wide receiver al tuned Bryan beat Russia fires going long down the sideline for tuna in the endzone [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] tune led the Jets back into the AFC playoffs where they embarked on another outlandish sequence of postseason palpitations Walker flank to the right tune to the left Pat Ryan the quarterback [Music] [Applause] [Applause] [Music] oh it's gonna be a place liquor going [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] what [Applause] a champion [Music] for a team that had grown accustomed to snatching unlikely wins itself letting a 10-point lead slip away in four minutes was too much to face [Music] then in the second overtime the Jets were unceremoniously booted from the playoffs for the rest of the 1980s they wouldn't return the loss left a dark cloud over the Jets but they played hard through a stormy season Jojo can't sell back to his own 10-yard line running for the far side he's got some wrong Townsel to the 50 20 30 40 bingo touchdown Tojo towns [Music] slowly the Jets regain their poise reinvigorated their spirit and not back on stride [Music] Alton led the AFC in receptions and by 1988 the Jets had undergone a complete restoration of their pride [Music] once again the Jets had the nerve to look anyone in the league dead in the eye anyone [Music] in the 1988 season finale the Giants needed a win to make the playoffs for the Jets this was the playoffs we got Oh Jack there [Music] Marty Lions led the Jets to eight sacks but the Giants were still leading by a point in the final minute when Ken O'Brian looked to Mickey Schuler and altoon on a desperate drive to victory [Music] a passive electronic [Applause] [Music] in 1989 the Jets welcome some new bodies to help fulfill the promise of the season before but in week three in Miami it was the familiar form of altoon that caught the eye [Music] toons 10 catch 159 yard a was a sight to behold but the Jets longest score of the day almost went unseen 42 yard field goal attempt that's blocked in the line and is picked up by the New York Jets running along the left side and he may go all the way for a touchdown along the fault line George Ratajkowski picked it up and he's got a touchdown [Applause] entering the fourth quarter a New York still trailed 32 19 and with the Dolphins poised to strike a final blow it was the Jets who bowled them over [Music] New York role to the Miami one where number 79 Mike hate cleared the way to the end zone for Johnny Hector then Hector added some new moves to his power running and pulled the Jets even back to pass O'Brien throws over the right side it's good to the 5 touchdown the Jets are in again with three minutes remaining the pressure was on the Jets defense to stop Dan Marino cornerback James hasty made quick work of it Dan Marino goes straight back rolls out to the left looking you can throw on the run of each eyes over the left side it is set the private jets James hasty makes the intercept James hasty intercepts Hasty's second interception of the day broke the Dolphins resolved then ken O'Brien and Roger Vinc broke their backs no pride back the best rows over the left side and his touchdown New York's 21 point fourth-quarter comeback seemed to signal smooth sailing ahead but for the next five weeks the Jets labored on a long hard climb of a mountain of bad breaks interrupted by individual bursts of greatness that always seemed to happen when everyone was watching someone else [Music] [Applause] [Music] flashing onto the scene was Jojo Townsel a one-time reserve who became the team's 1989 MVP after only nine catches in three years the council hauled in 45 averaging 44 yards on his five touchdowns and became the team's brightest light in a dark stretch of games across the line a second-year safety reappeared with an even more powerful presence that he has shown in his Pro Bowl rookie season Eric McMillan wreaked havoc on opposing offenses from every conceivable angle [Music] [Applause] for touchdown he is Macmillan's instinctive attraction to the ball and his big play sensibility added up the three touchdowns on the season including an NFL record tying to buy fumble recovery [Music] all season long McMillan razzle dazzled his way around the sophomore jinx returning to the Pro Bowl this time as a starter big trade Heyward takes the handoff goes up the middle goes for five yards more humble loose ball the Jets heaven putting up a Zurich ago he's ahead of everyone they'll have to catch him 1 minutes closing again he's down to the 20-yard line touchdown McMillan's accomplice was his fellow second-year star James hasty back to pass throws after the left side intercept a touchdown by hasty they still on the right side goes in despite its offensive inclinations the secondary was hardly a finesse crew [Music] Pastis relentless in-your-face attitude spread to number 42 John boutté and the rest of the Jets defensive backs who kept the team energized while the offense recharged [Music] in week 9 in New England the electricity was once again in the air good job watching the left side McNeil carries Russell up the left sideline inside the 5 touchdown he goes all the way alright goes back the pass fakes a handoff throws deep down to the left side way downfield touchdown [Applause] [Music] New York built a twelve-point fourth quarter lead on its best two-way play of the season but victory goes as often to the lucky as to the good and the Jets had been running a little low on luck mark.wilson at quarterback dumps back and throws long way down the middle [Applause] New England took the lead and even the feistiest Jets let their spirits sag especially with veteran miracle workers Walker and tune injured but the other part of the Jets comeback connection did not give up ken O'Brien looked three times to tight end keith nubert and gave pat leahy one chance to kick New York back into the win column [Music] [Applause] the New York Jets win it 27:26 [Music] he had delivered all decade long and Lahey once again proved himself to be the Jets connoisseur of crunch-time Stars young and old savor the season's sweetest moment and hope once again flickered in the hearts of the faithful but as the season wound down their faith would be tested as rarely before [Music] though the Jets push their bodies to the limit they never could quite get off the ground [Music] bad luck snowball and New York was buried under an avalanche of injuries octopus is Ryan on first I'll fix truck flow down the left side John has it he's in the 45-yard line [Music] neither the staunchest veteran nor the freshest rookie was immune the Jets lost 25 different players who missed a total of 198 games and while the Jets all-pro receivers bravely played through pain multiple injuries began to take their toll even on them [Music] the Jets salvaged a pair of winds late in the year and closed out 1989 were the same four and 12 record they had opened up with in 1980 this was a cycle that needed to be broken and encouraging words and the pat on the back were no longer enough the Jets needed an infusion of new blood and were gasping for a breath of fresh air as the 90s begin a new breeze is blowing in from the Northeast the New York Jets have selected dick Steinberg a weather tested football and to take command of football operations throwing the ball all the lights and that to provide new leadership on the field Steinberg hand-picked 43 year old Bruce costless ease okay for four years he drew up the Cincinnati offense offense and is now ready to help pen a totally new chapter in the history of the Jets put your hat on button put your hat on put your chin straps we're playing football now I'm not there really to talk about past history it's a breath of fresh air because we want to make history if we might be so bold to say that but I'm not gonna sugarcoat it it's not gonna be easy I'm not gonna kid you or the players know that too they're they have to be committed and I've asked for that commitment already and the response has been wonderful they're tired of losing a renewed vigor should come from the Jets defensive front seven a blend of experience and youth that will be scheming less and attacking more [Music] number 56 Jeff Lonmin the Jets number one draft pick in 1989 was custom-built for this style [Music] his fiery intensity and his ability to penetrate into the backfield promised to make him a top-flight stand-up linebacker the 1990 LLL also be used in certain situations as a fourth down linemen this alignment will likely enhance the performance of the Jets talented young defensive linemen like number 90 Dennis Byrd [Music] the defensive line is characterized by a guy like Dennis Berg we think right now the defensive line is one of the strengths of our team we say this because they're all two and three and four year players right at the critical time where they're either going to become players or we'll find out about them otherwise and we're excited to be working with these people Byrd came into his own with two and a half sacks against San Diego last season and the development of number 96 Rahn Stallworth Marvin Washington Gerald Nichols Paul phrase and Scott mercero helped produce the Jets back-to-back wins over the Chargers and the Falcons straight back the passes bela rolling out the left big rush party buzzer Oh first interception first of all I want it to be fun that's my number one thing but the only way it can be fun is to win and if you don't win it's not fun I don't care what profession you're in that's good right there having played eight years of tight end under Paul Brown and Bill Walsh cause Latinos the subtle moves that can help a player reach his potential that's step some of you were coming around the deal like this waiting on the ball in going like that those guys will come in side a and pick it off that was good he stepped back boom just a half a step that's all it takes and he knows that the most crucial difference between champions and also rads is in the mind get the players mentally prepared to win never wait that's one of the the keys this year is to establish what it feels like to win and win consistently that's Brian a safety playing corner and he covered it's like a go of where to go Brian damn and like I said I've asked these players for a commitment they're gonna have to give up some of themselves to make the team whole again I want to keep them flying to the ball guys flying to the ball if it's through a process of maybe a little fear thrown in they might be replaced if they're not doing the job I'll do that and I'm dead serious about that I was a player I know what it's like on the other side of that that table it shouldn't take much prodding to get the Jets offense excited about playing for kosslyn one of football's most dynamic offensive thinkers ken O'Brien and number 11 Tony Eason will battle for the starting quarterback job [Music] and the winner should be well cared for provided the offensive line remains physically intact [Music] [Applause] [Music] past Hatcher's Tom cell tomb Schuler and Chris Burkett should combined with running backs Hector McNeil Vic and a B brown to foster the balanced but explosive attack crosslet envisions on both sides of the ball [Music] plus special attention to special teams [Applause] I can promise the fans that it'll be an exciting brand of football and will be an attacking team on offense defense and special teams and I think that's the way you have to play it in today's football I don't know if we'll win one game or 16 games but we're going to shirt you know toss our hat into the ring every week play hard see how it come down [Music]

Channel: Sports Odyssey

Views: 5,705

Rating: 4.8620691 out of 5

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Id: RS32qig8d4M

Length: 35min 37sec (2137 seconds)

Published: Tue Aug 20 2019