Jets 21-13 Texans (Oct. 31, 2024) Game Recap

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – Instead of Odell Beckham Jr., Garrett Wilson would have taken your spot among the NFL's greatest catchers.

With one hand, of course.

Wilson made an impressive 26-yard touchdown catch early in the fourth quarter, and the New York Jets ended a five-game losing streak by defeating the Houston Texans 21-13 on Thursday night.

“I just threw one there and he made an unbelievable catch,” quarterback Aaron Rodgers said. “That was a huge play. … That’s a game-changing play.”

Rodgers had three touchdown passes, including another earlier one-handed score from Wilson and a 37-yard toss to recently signed Davante Adams, and the Jets (3-6) won for the first time in four games under interim coach Jeff Ulbrich.

With the Jets trailing 10-7 and facing the Texans 26-3 and 19, Rodgers threw the ball up to Wilson in the end zone. The star wide receiver jumped up and held his right hand up with both legs spread in the air – looking like Michael Jordan's “Jumpman” logo.

The move was initially called an incomplete pass, but Ulbrich countered.

“Oh my God,” Ulbrich said. “I mean, I spoke to the referee when they reviewed it. I said, “Just for posterity's sake, you have to say that it is so so that it goes down in history.”

A video recording confirmed that Wilson's shin was in the end zone, and a touchdown was called to give the Jets a 14-10 lead with 12:54 left.

It sent fans at MetLife Stadium into a frenzy after there had been little to cheer up to that point.

Wilson's catch was reminiscent of former Giants star Beckham's one-handed grab against Dallas in 2014.

“The fact that it’s even brought up in this convo is a blessing to me,” Wilson said. “I am honored.”

It also helped offset a missed touchdown by the Jets when rookie Malachi Corley made a mental error that wiped out his first NFL score.

As the Jets played at the Texans' 19 early in the second quarter, Corley took Rodgers' throw and raced down the right sideline. Corley raced into the end zone, but just before he crossed the goal line, he dropped the ball from his right hand in celebration.

A video review showed he hadn't reached the end zone before he dropped it. So Corley was credited with an 18-yard run and a fumble. And because it rolled out of the end zone, it was a touchback and a turnover.

“First of all, you can’t do that.” Ulbrich told what he had told Corley. “Second, you owe us one.”

Rodgers finished 22 of 32 for 211 yards. His 37-yard touchdown pass to Adams, who was previously cleared after being evaluated for a possible head injury, gave the Jets a 21-10 lead with 2:56 left. It was Adams' first touchdown catch since being acquired from Las Vegas earlier this month.

Ka'imi Fairbairn hit a 29-yard field goal with 39 seconds left to make the eight-point game, but Adams recovered the onside kick and the Jets were able to kneel down and seal the victory.

CJ Stroud was 11 of 30 for 191 yards for the Texans (6-3), who were playing with injured receivers Stefon Diggs and Nico Collins. It was the first of three consecutive primetime games for Houston, with a Sunday night home game against them on November 10th and a Monday night meeting in Dallas on November 18th.

“It's embarrassing to come out here in a prime time game and be embarrassed because it's never fun,” Stroud said. “We have to get better in many areas and that starts with me. There are plays I need to make and throws I need to make.”

Fairbairn missed two field goals for Houston. With the Texans trailing 14-10, Fairbairn made it a tie game when he kicked a 43-yarder – but Eric Watts was called for unnecessary harshness on the attempt, so Houston opted to accept the penalty and keep the ball.

The Jets went on defense and the Texans were forced to attempt a 27-yard attempt, but Fairbairn missed his kick at the left post – the score was 14-10.

Joe Mixon's 3-yard touchdown run capped a 98-yard drive for the Texans, who took a 7-0 lead late in the second quarter.

The Jets tied the score on their first possession of the second half when Rodgers completed a 21-yard pass to Wilson, who grabbed the ball with one hand and ran into the end zone for the game-winning touchdown.

Riley Patterson, who was signed to the active roster hours before the game to replace the injured Greg Zuerlein, hit the left post on the extra point, but the ball deflected inward and passed the crossbar.

Fairbairn's 54-yarder put the Texans back ahead 10-7 with 4:11 left in the third quarter.

“The most frustrating thing is that we were the better team,” Houston right tackle Tytus Howard said. “We let the game get away from us, especially in the second half.”

Slow start

Rodgers was 7 of 14 for just 32 yards in the first half – his fewest in the first two quarters of 10 or more attempts in his career. His previous low was 37 on 12 attempts against Denver on Nov. 1, 2015, while with Green Bay.

“I played as poorly as I could in the first half,” Rodgers said, “and knew I had to get better from there.”

Injuries

Texans: Texans LG Kenyon Green was sidelined at halftime with a shoulder injury.

Jets: LG John Simpson left in the second quarter with a groin injury and did not return. … Backup OL Jake Hanson also left just before halftime with a hamstring injury. … CB Michael Carter II left the team with a back injury.

Next

Texans: Host Detroit on “Sunday Night Football” Nov. 10.

Jets: November 10th at Arizona

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL