1991 New York Jets Team Season Highlights "Learning To Fly"

[Music] [Applause] [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] [Music] [Music] the 1991 New York Jets looked to the skies and dreamed of someday soaring high among the NFL's elite [Music] it was a transformation abandoned players still noon to each other and to a system became a team that shocked everyone but themselves in their first playoff game since 1986 the Jets took Houston by storm as rookie linebacker mo Lewis recorded two of New York's force acts and the blitzing secondary delivered two big turnovers [Music] right [Music] the offense called al toons number and he turned in the second-best receiving day and jets postseason history [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] but on this day the Jets couldn't finish what they started on the final play they came up literally inches short back to pass steps into the pocket and prologue a Hail Mary deep downfield [Applause] [Music] the growing pains of a young team often include defeat but one playoff loss shouldn't overshadow what the Jets did to get there [Music] six yards out handoff this time to Blair Thomas runs off rectangle goes into the touch the Jets took some hard hits and made some wrong turns in 1991 but every time it looked like they had run themselves into a dead end they kept running till they found daylight and as they take off into a new era in Jets history they will look back on 1991 as the season they learned to fly like a winner right back to fast steps in the pocket throws long way up in the [Music] coming down there though [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] because [Applause] [Music] on opening day the Jets were looking to infuse the Meadowlands with a new kind of enthusiasm but they used a couple of old-timers to do it Shawn Freeman McNeill the Jets all-time leading rusher don't get the season off on the right foot but it was the right foot of Pat Leahy the NFL's third all-time leading scorer that broke a tie with a minute to play the wall of snap [Applause] for the Jets the wind meant more than just an ordinary W head coach boost cos platoon general manager dick Steinberg have a goal of bringing back the home-field advantage [Applause] they know the players feed off the fans and the fans have the power to turn the Meadowlands into a feared arena for any visitor even the AFC champion News [Music] [Applause] [Music] three the Jets derailed the bills no-huddle Express highlighted by number forty James hasty who in two games against all-pro Andre Reed would hold him to his two worst games of the season on offense it was the Jets who look like the juggernaut back to pass Kenny O'Brien rushed over the website [Music] [Applause] the Jets outgained the bills by nearly 100 yards and held the ball for over 40 minutes what they didn't do was make every minute count he goes back to pass touchdown the Jets failed to put the bills away when they had the chances and Buffalo stole the game in the final minutes it was an eerie scenario that would play itself out again the following Monday night in Chicago [Music] behind the blocking of Dave Cadogan Irv etemon Roger Duffy and Brett Miller running back Blair Thomas ran for a career-high 125 yards the Jets led 13 to 6 and appeared to have knocked the Bears clean out of the ring but once again they failed to deliver the knockout blow and of course it's how as he drives up the middle goes off right tackle and he's pulled down and abuse indicate they had the ball [Applause] the score is best 19 the Jets 13 and you can go to bed unhappy though haunted by three nightmarish losses the Jets kept dreaming big it proved to us that we can play and it also proved that we don't know how to win yet but we're getting there we're real close they beat five against Miami the Jets took one giant step seven yard line hit the center [Applause] once a starter Chris Burkett is singing a new tune as a roll player and he and the Jets are making beautiful music together in sports the most valuable players are the ones who make their teammates better in 1991 Chris Burkett's teammates gave him their Most Valuable Player Award an amazing honor for a player who doesn't even start as a clutch third down receiver Burkett made quarterback ken O'Brien more effective in key situations [Music] on special teams he provided drive and focus and his kick coverage helped first-year punter Louis Aguiar to a first-rate season [Music] and in that critical week five meeting with Miami he single-handedly steamrolled the Dolphins opening the floodgates on the Jets greatest offensive outpouring of the season we're kept pointed the way then pull back Brad Baxter cleared the path to victory Kenny O'Brien under the center hands off down a free-roaming nail drives up the middle picks up good yardage up to the 30 the City [Applause] Freeman Rick Neal with a brilliant run McNeal and wide receiver Rob Moore enjoyed their biggest games of the season three wide receivers back to pass up on the short over the middle [Applause] number ninety dentist bird number 97 Marvin Washington and Jeff lager Minh led a pass rush that sacked Dan Marino four times the most Moreno has ever gone down in a game safety Eric Macmillan delivered the final blow goes back to pass throws down the middle intercepted [Music] [Applause] the Jets had stumbled but hadn't fallen and for the next month they would straighten up and fly right Burkett and the special teams including RJ Coors Don Boyd Odegard Tony Stargell and Macmillan the special teams leading tackler developed a fearsome reputation the following week in Cleveland returned man Eric Metcalf wouldn't even play with them after the Jets gave Metcalfe a refresher on the rules Bernie Kosar gave the Jets a scare as New York fun to a three-point lead Kosar goes back to pass sets up with time South America Boris scrimmage because back to the right [Applause] it may be recovered by the Jets [Music] fumble recovered by James hasty in his fourth season pasty continued to be a breath of fresh air for the Jets and the kiss of death for the opposition the starting secondary that included mike brim Brian Washington and Lonnie young helped defensive coordinator Pete Carroll's unit improve and virtually every category [Applause] middle linebacker Kyle Clifton the team's leading tackler led the Jets to a 17 to 6 win over the Colts and week eight then it was the defensive lines turned to shine [Music] against the Green Bay Packers defensive end Jeff Waterman went out to rub elbows with his old college buddy Don Makowski then rubbed his nose in it with two of his team-leading ten sacks but it wasn't until the last play of the first half that the Jets offense caused any trouble one last-gasp attempt O'Brien back to pass steps in the pocket throws long wind-up in the coming down near the goal line [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] earlier in the season the Jets had learned is how you finish the game not the half that matters starting the season second half it was time to put that lesson to good use the second half is just like the second half of the season it's when we win it or don't win it it's whether we get the fans with us or they go home it's up to you doc mercero helped execute the defensive game plan but the tie didn't turn till over time when putter Louis Aguiar gave new meaning to the term hang time and the Jets strung up the pack was very high in the air not to team great hang time can't run he goes down over one [Applause] while Bobby Houston one of the newest jet celebrated his greatest moment with the team the oldest jet just chalked up another one the teams are lined up and set for the snap placed on his kick pat leahy gave the Jets their fourth win in five games and it looked like smooth sailing to the playoffs instead the Jets ran into the stormy as part of the season the NFL playoff race is a stormy sea and even an old master can't always navigate the changing winds [Applause] the Jets home loss to the Indianapolis Colts was the low point in the season the kind of defeat that embarrasses players and fans to like a child in a growth spurt the Jets had their awkward moments and like parents the coaching staff had to have patience to help this young team grow up [Music] my god I can't believe we blew that play [Applause] not on the same level you understand what I'm saying you got to get on the same level or we can't pick this stuff up [Applause] [Laughter] [Applause] we got to make some plays men everybody's just missing just a little bit we've had our chances well we got to keep the pressure on what's wrong with you we still love you maybe not as much as before but a big reason to love the Jets is their future at quarterback [Music] last year's top draft pick Browning Nagle and second-year pro Troy Taylor number 11 both planned to be there when the Jets reached the top in 1991 though they spent most of their time on the sidelines learning the finer points of the game I'll give it him from Coney Sigma because I think they're scoping me hey that's a good job whatever special twist they give it the Jets are in good hands when passing is the main thrust of the office some of the toughest catches were made by altoon who continues year after year who survived the rugged terrain over the middle downfield could be found robbed more who nearly gained 1,000 yards in just his second year as the Jets passing attack improved by leaps and bounds [Music] in week 11 in New England Terrence Mathis kept the passing game a step ahead of the competition at points per pound Malthus weighed in baby but the game's biggest points were delivered and the wide receiver Goddard said the NFL's biggest utility man gave the Jets the lead but the defense would have to keep it it's the final clearly regulation time one second ago the handoff to one it goes to the goal line he does not get in he doesn't get in the Jets win the game we need this trip going make the dash for the cash right now the anchor men and the dash for the cash are the offensive line [Music] in week 12 against San Diego Jeff Chris well Jim Sweeney Mike hate and Dwayne white paved the way for Blair Thomas [Music] Thomas's pair of scores led the Jets to a 24 to 3 win that settled the Jets account with the charges after two losses last year [Applause] still it would come down to the season's final game in Miami to see if the Jets were going to cash in on the lessons of 1991 [Applause] [Music] [Applause] it's a playoff for a playoff game or so it seems New York Jets at Miami Dolphins getting set for the game which means that the winner goes into the playoffs and the loser goes it's all about you versus their will the Jets won the battle of the line of scrimmage early and water Brad Baxter's team record-tying 11 rushing touchdowns gave the Jets the lead paid off goes the faster he dives in just go ahead six to nothing but the battle had been a costly one the Jets lost Tomas their leading rusher to injury and were forced to put their faith in veteran running back Johnny Hector still rusty from lack of use Hector looks shaky as the dolphins tied the score but the Jets faith in him was unshaken get it there you'll have another opportunity okay we can pound these guys go to the man man in the fourth quarter their faith was rewarded hands off the Hector he drives up the middle breaks out of the clear under the 20 to 25 johnny hector gained 132 yards the most by any jet in three years hector helped new york build a 17 to 13 lead and the Jets tried to stay up as miami threatened in the final minute [Applause] baby this is it fourth and goal from the one one play for the playoff folks all right here we go Marino under the center calling signals goes back to pass throws into the corner [Music] 22:17 44 seconds to go in the game I've never said this before ever in 50 years of broadcasting the game is over folks the game is over folks all season long the Jets had struggled in seeing the victory through to the finish they had 44 seconds to prove they'd finally learned how steps in of the pocket throws long down the middle as thought at the 47 yard line of the table shotgun foreman he hands up the free movement dealer runs wide he goes to the far sideline goes out of bounds with Lady Bird the Jets had signed free agent kicker Raul Alegre just that week but again they believed [Applause] yeah he's gonna make a still lined up and sent signals of being of all the kick is high enough it's deep enough it is [Applause] what a fantastic finish I said the game was over folks it was not over it all boils down to this we got to have it now we're alive baby that's the important thing we keep playing with this we get the ball right back they're gonna have to start taking some chances all right you'll be alive to man coverage they're gonna start coming after it's but they're linebacker okay you can hold them out rolled down June crank right to the right more split right to the left second and 12 at the 38 man in motion to the left side back to the bass Kenny O'Brien throws long deep down to the left side way down a more he's got it in bounds at the 10 yard line to pick them up the Jets are in field goal range this is the season right here folks now they're ready to go again 30 odd straight away the bonus snap place down is kick high enough [Music] [Applause] the Jets of steam in the field [Music] they're in the player any team has to walk before robbers and fly before it wins at all where the New York Jets learning to fly in 1991 well suffice it to say that after they made the playoffs in Miami they didn't need a plane to get home [Applause] I like the level I'm at they now have a decent plane ride home normal Monday okay [Applause] [Music] [Applause]

Channel: Sports Odyssey

Views: 4,544

Rating: 4.8545456 out of 5

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Id: UqAqA2f5IoM

Length: 25min 20sec (1520 seconds)

Published: Fri Apr 26 2019