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Favre overcomes late pick, rallies Jets past Chiefs

Oct 26, 2008 - 10:10 PM By Doug Mittler PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey (Ticker) -- Brett Favre and the New York Jets woke up just in time to prevent what would have been a humbling defeat.

Favre shook off three interceptions to throw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Laveranues Coles with a minute remaining Sunday as the Jets rallied for a 28-24 victory over the struggling Kansas City Chiefs.

"It's tough to win games like that week in and week out," said Favre, who has been picked off seven times in the last three games. "I give them credit, they played hard and they were relentless."

Rookie Brandon Flowers returned his second interception of the day 91 yards for a score midway through the fourth quarter to give the Chiefs (1-6) a 24-21 lead.

But the Jets (4-3) responded with the help of Leon Washington's 37-yard punt return to midfield.

After completing his first three attempts of the drive, Favre lofted a pass into the front-left corner of the end zone to Coles, who reached back in front of cornerback Dimitiri Patterson to snag the ball with one hand.

"Brett trusted me and I was able to make the play," said Coles, whose status this week was up in the air due to a concussion. "I don't want to say it was natural, but that's what I'm supposed to do."

Washington scored a pair of first-half touchdowns and returned three punts for 71 yards for the Jets (4-3), who lost in overtime to the Oakland Raiders last week.

"That's been my role since I've been here, try to bring some momentum to the team," the 5-8 Washington said. "Small guy in stature, big heart."

New York was looking to pad a 21-17 lead and drove keep into Kansas City territory when Favre tried to thread a pass over the middle to Chanci Stuckey.

But Favre's ill-advised throw instead went directly to Flowers, who raced virtually untouched down the sideline to give the Chiefs the lead with 7:48 left.

The Jets had regained the lead on a 1-yard TD run by Thomas Jones with 48 seconds left in the third quarter, capping a 13-play, 72-yard drive. The march was kept alive when Chiefs linebacker Derrick Johnson dropped an interception with an open field in front of him.

The Jets responded behind Favre, who completed 28-of-40 passes for 290 yards and two scores.

"I'll go down swinging, however that may be," Favre said.

The Chiefs were forced to start third-stringer Tyler Thigpen at quarterback for the second time this season due to injuries to Brodie Croyle and Damon Huard.

"The job has been handed to me," said Thigpen, a second-year player from Coastal Carolina who completed 25-of-36 attempts for 280 yards and two TDs. "I'm going to step in and play football. I'm going to take advantage of it. It's an opportunity for me."

Kansas City again played without star running back Larry Johnson, who was deactivated for the second straight week due to off-the-field issues. Rookie Jamaal Charles led the Chiefs in rushing with five carries for just 45 yards before leaving in the first half with an ankle injury.

Despite a few breakdowns, the Chiefs were an improved team defensively. Flowers, a second-round pick from Virginia Tech, added eight tackles.

"He played well. A lot of guys have played better in the last few weeks," Chiefs coach Herman Edwards said. "We gave ourselves a change. Give the guys credit. They did a good job."

Edwards' counterpart, Eric Mangini, seemed more relieved than satisfied with the performance by his Jets, who have a key AFC East contest at Buffalo next week.

"Turnovers are the great equalizer. We have to do a better job of protecting the ball," Mangini said.

Connor Barth, signed just last week, kicked a 30-yard field goal early in the third quarter to give the Chiefs their first lead at 17-14.

Favre led the Jets on a 10-play, 72-yard touchdown drive to open the game, completing 6-of-7 passes for 68 yards on a march that concluded with an 18-yard screen pass for a score to Washington.

The Jets controlled play for the first 14 minutes, but that changed abruptly when Flowers intercepted Favre and returned it 27 yards to the Jets 38. The Chiefs capitalized on a 19-yard touchdown pass from Thigpen to Tony Gonzalez early in the second to tie it at 7-7.

New York's offense remained stalled until Washington burst up the middle for a 60-yard TD run, the longest of his career, to give New York a 14-7 lead with 1:57 left in the first half.

With the help of an official's review, the Chiefs tied the game on an 11-yard TD pass from Thigpen to Mark Bradley with four seconds left before halftime. Bradley originally was ruled to have stepped on the back line, but the call was overturned.

The Chiefs had just three interceptions all season before picking off Favre twice in the first half.

The Jets celebrated the 40th anniversary of their lone Super Bowl triumph. The halftime ceremony featured many members of the 1968 team that stunned the heavily favored Baltimore Colts in the Super Bowl III, including Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Namath.