Make way for Garrett Wilson, who may have taken Odell Beckham Jr.’s place among the NFL’s best catchers.
With one hand, Wilson made an incredible 26-yard touchdown catch early in the fourth quarter, helping the New York Jets end their five-game losing streak with a 21-13 victory over the Houston Texans on Thursday night.
“I just kind of lobbed one up there and he made an unbelievable catch,” quarterback Aaron Rodgers said. “That was a huge play. … That’s a game-changing play.”
Rodgers threw three touchdown passes, including another one-handed catch by Wilson and a 37-yard pass to newly acquired Davante Adams. This win marked the Jets’ first victory in four games under interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich.
When the Jets were down 10-7 and faced with third-and-19 from the Texans’ 26, Rodgers threw the ball toward Wilson in the end zone. The star wide receiver leaped and reached up with his right hand, spreading his legs in the air like the famous Michael Jordan “Jumpman” logo.
Initially, the play was ruled an incomplete pass, but Ulbrich challenged the call.
“Oh, my goodness,” Ulbrich said. “I mean, I was talking to the ref when they were reviewing it. I was like, ‘Just for the sake of posterity, you have to say that’s in just so it goes down in history.’”
After a video review, it was confirmed that Wilson’s shin touched down in the end zone, giving the Jets a 14-10 lead with 12:54 left in the game.
This moment sent the fans at MetLife Stadium into a frenzy, especially since there hadn’t been much to cheer about until then.
Wilson’s catch was reminiscent of former Giants star Beckham’s famous one-handed grab against Dallas in 2014.
“For it to even come up in that convo, I’m blessed,” Wilson said. “I’m honored.”
It also helped make up for a Jets touchdown that didn’t count when rookie Malachi Corley made a mistake that took away his first NFL score.
With the Jets at the Texans’ 19-yard line early in the second quarter, Corley took the toss from Rodgers and raced down the right sideline. He got into the end zone, but just before he crossed the line, he dropped the ball to celebrate.
A video review showed he hadn’t crossed into the end zone before dropping it. So, Corley was given an 18-yard run and a fumble. Since the ball rolled out of the side of the end zone, it resulted in a touchback and a turnover.
“First of all, you can’t do that,” Ulbrich said about what he told Corley. “Second of all, you owe us one.”
Rodgers completed 22 of 32 passes for 211 yards. His 37-yard touchdown pass to Adams, who had just been cleared after a possible head injury, put the Jets up 21-10 with 2:56 left. It was Adams’ first touchdown catch since being traded from Las Vegas earlier this month.
Ka’imi Fairbairn kicked a 29-yard field goal with 39 seconds left to make it an eight-point game, but Adams recovered the onside kick, allowing the Jets to take a knee and secure the victory.
C.J. Stroud completed 11 of 30 passes for 191 yards for the Texans (6-3), who played without injured receivers Stefon Diggs and Nico Collins. This was the first of three straight prime-time games for Houston, with a Sunday night home game on Nov. 10 and a Monday night game at Dallas on Nov. 18.
“It’s embarrassing to come out here in a prime-time game and get embarrassed like that is never fun,” Stroud said. “We have to be better in a lot of areas and that starts with me. There are plays I’ve got to make, throws I’ve got to make.”
Fairbairn missed two field goals for Houston. With the Texans down 14-10, Fairbairn kicked a 43-yarder to make it a one-point game, but Eric Watts was penalized for unnecessary roughness on the play, so Houston chose to accept the penalty and keep possession.
The Jets made a strong defensive play, forcing the Texans to attempt a 27-yard field goal, but Fairbairn hit the left upright, keeping the score at 14-10.
Joe Mixon scored on a 3-yard touchdown run, finishing a 98-yard drive for the Texans, giving them a 7-0 lead late in the second quarter.
The Jets tied the game on their first possession of the second half when Rodgers threw a 21-yard pass to Wilson, who made a one-handed catch and ran into the end zone for the tying touchdown.
Riley Patterson, who joined the active roster just hours before the game to replace the injured Greg Zuerlein, hit the left upright on the extra point, but the ball bounced inside and went over the crossbar.
Fairbairn’s 54-yard kick put the Texans back in front, 10-7, with 4:11 left in the third quarter. “The most frustrating part is that we were the better team,” Houston right tackle Tytus Howard said. “We let that game get away from us, especially in the second half.”
