Countdown to Camp: 91
As we look ahead to training camp in late July, we're going to take a daily retrospective look back at some random people, moments and games from Jets history...
The Current 91
Youngster Claude Pelon played well in preseason last year and found himself getting defensive reps in the season opener. However, he was soon relegated to the practice squad where he spent the rest of the year. Does he still have the potential to get in the mix?
The Greatest
It looked like he was destined to be overtaken by a certain youngster, but we're still giving the edge to Sione Po'uha:
The other 91's
Sheldon Richardson, Paul Frase, Josh Evans...
The '91 season
Although they only went 8-8, the 1991 season had a satisfying conclusion as the Jets grabbed a wild card berth in a winner-takes-all showdown in Miami. After they blew a late lead, the Jets improbably tied the game on a long field goal by Raul Allegre as time expired and then won in overtime on another Allegre kick, after major contributions from Rob Moore and Johnny Hector. Allegre had only joined the team a few days earlier after an injury to Pat Leahy.
The wild card game in Houston proved frustrating as the Jets got down close to the goal line four times but couldn't punch it in and ended up losing a winnable game 17-10.
The Jets deserved to be in the playoffs because they were a better team than their record indicated, blowing several games that they definitely should have won, including a memorable loss to the Bears on Monday Night Football.
Ken O'Brien was somehow the team's only pro bowler despite only throwing for 10 touchdown passes in 16 starts. Blair Thomas led the team in rushing although it was his fumble that cost the team a certain win in Chicago. Moore and Al Toon almost had thousand-yard receiving seasons and Jeff Lageman registered 10 sacks.
91 of the best
The old record for the longest pass play in Jets history - before Wesley Walker's 96-yard catch in the mid-eighties - was this 91-yarder from Joe Namath to wide receiver/tight end Rich Caster:
Let us know if there's any connections to 91 that we missed...