• Recap
• Bleachers

Jets pull off stunning late rally and beat Lions in OT

Nov 8, 2010 - 2:07 AM Detroit, MI (Sports Network) - Nick Folk kicked a 36-yard field goal on the final play of the fourth quarter and won it with a 30-yard boot in overtime, as the New York Jets scored the final 13 points to pull off a stunning 23-20 victory over the Detroit Lions at Ford Field.

The Jets trailed 20-10 before Mark Sanchez scored on a one-yard run with 2:46 left in the fourth quarter, then got the ball back after a Lions punt soon after and drove for Folk's game-tying kick.

New York won the toss to start overtime and Sanchez hit Santonio Holmes with a 52-yard pass to set up Folk's winning field goal, as the Jets (6-2) bounced back after a 9-0 loss to Green Bay last Sunday.

"I think the entire team is just a resilient bunch," Sanchez said. "When we need it the most it seems that we find a way to win games. We didn't do it last week, but this week we just didn't want it to slip."

Matthew Stafford threw for 240 yards with a pair of touchdowns for Detroit (2-6) before leaving the contest with an apparent shoulder injury.

The Lions took a 10-point lead early in the fourth quarter when Stafford lofted a two-yard touchdown pass to Nate Burleson. The score was set up by a defensive pass interference call on Eric Smith when he dragged down Brandon Pettigrew on the one-yard line.

"I wasn't comfortable with the 10-point lead at all," Burleson said. "If we would have gotten another touchdown then I would have relaxed. But I was sitting on the sidelines on my toes, on the edge of my seat hoping the clock would run down as much as it could. For some teams 10 points is comfortable, but not with the Jets."

Neither team seriously threatened again until the Jets took over at their own 44 with just under 4 1/2 minutes remaining. Sanchez then engineered a six-play drive that featured two completions to Dustin Keller for 31 yards and the quarterback finished it by diving into the end zone from a yard away.

The Jets had just one timeout remaining and kicked deep, but came up with the defensive stop and got the ball back with 1:40 to play at their own 22. Sanchez converted an early third down with an 11-yard pass to Keller and a late hit by Julian Peterson on a catch by LaDainian Tomlinson moved the ball to the Detroit 28 with 40 seconds left. After three plays netted eight more yards, Folk came on and drilled the tying kick.

It didn't take long for the Jets to finish the amazing comeback, as Sanchez hooked up with Holmes on the second play after the kickoff in overtime to set up the winning field goal.

Sanchez completed 22-of-39 passes for 323 yards with an interception. Holmes had five receptions for 114 yards and Keller caught four passes for 59 yards.

Jahvid Best had 48 yards rushing and 40 yards receiving for the Lions, while Burleson had a big game with seven catches for 113 yards and a touchdown.

During the opening series of the game, the Lions made it to the 10-yard line thanks to two costly Jets penalties making up for 20 yards of the 80-yard drive. Stafford capped the march with a seam pass to Pettigrew for a 10-yard touchdown.

The Lions defense was stout to begin the game, limiting the Jets to only 30 yards and two first downs during the first quarter.

But New York's offense picked it up in the second quarter when Sanchez found Holmes with a 31-yard pass. During the same play, the Lions had a roughing the passer penalty which put the ball on the 12. The Lions red zone defense, however, stiffened and forced a 31-yard Folk field goal with 4:46 left in the first half.

Penalties plagued Detroit as it had nine in the first half for 83 yards. The Lions ended the game with 102 penalty yards.

Four minutes after Folk's field goal, Sanchez heaved a 74-yard touchdown pass to Michigan native Braylon Edwards with one minute left in the half to give the Jets their first lead of the game, 10-7.

The second half opened up when Louis Delmas stripped the ball away from Edwards to give the Lions possession on New York's 47-yard line. Stafford completed three passes for 42 yards to set up a first down inside the five and scored on a bootleg from the one moments later.

The touchdown run came after a roughing the kicker call on 21-yard field goal attempt when Jason Hanson was taken out by Trevor Pryce. Hanson left the game after the penalty, forcing Ndamukong Suh to try the extra point and the rookie hit the right upright for a 13-10 game.

Sanchez was picked off in the end zone on New York's ensuing possession.

Game Notes

The Jets improved to 4-0 on the road...Jets linebacker Bart Scott, a Detroit native, had five solo tackles and a sack...New York has won three straight in the series to even it at 6-6...The Jets were penalized 11 times for 99 yards...Edwards had three catches for 78 yards...The Jets visit Cleveland next Sunday, while the Lions head to Buffalo.