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Favre, Coles lead Jets over Cardinals

Sep 28, 2008 - 11:32 PM By Joe Rizzo PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey (Ticker) -- It took all of four games for Brett Favre to thrust himself into the New York Jets record book.

Favre tied Joe Namath's 36-year-old team record with a career-high six touchdowns, including three to Laveranues Coles in a record 34-point second quarter, en route to a wild 56-35 victory over the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday.

Favre completed 24-of-34 attempts for 289 yards and helped the Jets build a 34-0 halftime lead despite being held scoreless in the first quarter. Coles had eight receptions for 105 yards, with all three scoring strikes coming in the second quarter.

"I can't tell you how many people within this organization have told me if you just throw the ball to (Coles), he'll make a play," Favre said. "Our communication has been great, regardless of what people may think. We talk about more things than we have actually gone out and practiced."

"I know there have been some things said about me, like not being happy about him coming here, but none of that is true," Coles said. "We've had great conversations from the time he walked through the door."

Wearing their throwback New York Titans uniforms, the Jets again slugged it out in an offensive battle reminiscent of their American Football League days. They scored at will in the final three quarters despite a short week after a 48-29 loss Monday night in San Diego.

"That was a little more exciting than it had to be," Jets coach Eric Mangini said.

A scary injury to Arizona star wide receiver Anquan Boldin diminished one of the best days of Favre's storied career.

With 27 seconds remaining, Boldin was hit hard by Jets safety Eric Smith and immediately went limp. Both teams rushed off the benches and commenced in a prayer circle as Boldin was tended to by medical staffs and brought off the field on a backboard.

Boldin regained consciousness and extremity movement, but an ambulance carted him directly from the field and into the X-ray room. Still in full uniform and without his helmet, Boldin was then moved on the same gurney and taken to a hospital for observation.

"It's about the only thing on my mind right now," Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner said. "I can't get it out of my mind. I just told him I love him and I'll be praying for him. I just want to see him walk into the facility again."

Arizona defensive tackle Darnell Dockett, who went to Florida State with Boldin, reported that the receiver's son was in the stands behind the Cardinals bench.

"I just looked up and saw his son," Dockett said. "I have kids. What can you say? I know what kind of guy he is. I wouldn't doubt that he's on that plane in an hour and starts talking about next week against Buffalo."

The Cardinals (2-2) host the Bills next week, while the Jets (2-2) are on a bye.

The 34-point second quarter broke the eight-year-old club record for points in a period, set in October 2000 in a wild Monday night win here against the Miami Dolphins. It almost wasn't enough, though.

The Cardinals cut the deficit to 34-21 in the third, but Favre connected with Jerricho Cotchery for a 17-yard TD with 11:46 remaining to increase the lead. Cotchery, who caught four passes for 67 yards, added another score just over four minutes later to give New York a 48-28 advantage.

"I thought the fourth-down touchdown was the key play," Mangini said.

Warner paced the Cardinals with 472 passing yards and two touchdowns, but threw three interceptions and fumbled four times - three of which the Jets recovered.

Defensive tackle Kris Jenkins made the key play of the first quarter, bulling over the snapper to block Neil Rackers' 37-yard field-goal attempt, setting up the Jets at the Cardinals 49-yard line. It was the fourth blocked kick of the mammoth defensive tackle's career.

The Jets then marched to the Cardinals 1, only to have a negative run and a touchdown-nullifying holding penalty push them back to the 12. But on 3rd-and-goal, Favre found Coles in the back of the end zone to give New York a 7-0 lead just moments into the second quarter.

Just two plays later, cornerback Darrelle Revis stepped in front of Warner's pass to the right side and easily grabbed an interception, jogging into the end zone for the first touchdown of his two-year career.

On their next drive, Favre marched New York 83 yards in four plays, capping it off with a 34-yard scoring strike to a wide-open Coles down the left sideline.

Arizona elected to try to generate some offense in the waning moments, but Warner fumbled on a sack by linebacker David Bowens, who recovered at the Cardinals 22. With two seconds left on the clock, Jets coach Eric Mangini sent out Jay Feely, who converted from 30 yards to make it 34-0 at the half.

Then the fireworks really started.

Warner drove the Cardinals to three straight touchdowns, holding the Jets to just five plays in that span. Arizona cut the deficit to 34-21 with 2:50 left in the third quarter on rookie Tim Hightower's 1-yard scoring plunge.

Arizona's Edgerrin James earlier had TD runs of 4 and 2 yards to finish off drives, one of which was aided by the recovery of an onside kick.

Arizona's final hopes were extinguished when, with no timeouts left, Calvin Pace recovered another fumble by Warner at the Cardinal 29 with 3:06 left. Favre's final TD to Dustin Keller was on fourth down, with the Jets electing to continue the offensive splurge rather than run out the clock.

"The season's not over," Dockett said. "We've lost two games. I've lost a lot of games since I have been here. We have to find our identity. We'll be all right. I'm glad we're playing at home next week."