By MARK CANNIZZARO
Last updated: 8:48 am
October 13, 2008
Posted: 3:46 am
October 13, 2008
It wasn't a work of art, but it was close to priceless for the Jets, who absolutely, positively could not afford a loss to the Bengals yesterday at Giants Stadium.
They didn't lose, taking care of business in a somewhat uneven 26-14 victory over the Bengals (0-6), who limped into the game having to start an inexperienced backup quarterback from Harvard and had no running game to bail them out.
"A victory is a victory; we'll take it however we get it," Jets nose tackle Kris Jenkins said.
One big reason they got it was Thomas Jones, who scored a career-high three touchdowns, two rushing. That doubled his output from 2007, when he scored one rushing touchdown in 310 attempts.
Jones' first touchdown, a 2-yard reception, tied the game at 7-7 with 7:44 remaining in the first quarter. His second, a 7-yard run, gave the Jets a 17-7 lead with 7:57 remaining in the first half. His third, a 1-yard run with 2:22 remaining in the game put away the victory, ugly though it may have been.
"I don't believe in ugly wins," Brett Favre said. "I believe a win's a win and that one felt as good as any I've been a part of in recent memory."
Favre, who completed 25-of-33 passes for 189 yards and a touchdown, also was intercepted twice near the Cincinnati end zone, squelching potential add-on points.
"I said this two weeks ago: We're not going to complete six touchdown passes every week," said Favre, who threw for six scores against the Cardinals in the Jets' last game. "But we've got to be able to win games like this."
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