New York Jets history: 1970 season

Week Six: Buffalo Bills

Buffalo overcame a solid effort from the Jets’ defense to beat the home team by 10-6.

Making his first career start, QB Al Woodall (7-16; 63 yards; Int), a second-round selection (52nd overall) of the Jets in the 1969 Draft, basically managed the game.

Gang Green’s defense came within a penalty call of stealing a win. With the Jets leading, 6-3, in the fourth quarter, DB Al Atkinson intercepted a pass from Bills’ QB Dennis Shaw in the end zone. A holding penalty on Tannen negated the pick, however, and Buffalo scored the winning touchdown two plays later (Durso; Oct. 26, 1970; p. 50).

1970s New York Jets Cheerleaders

Week Seven: New York Giants

Big Blue came alive in the second half to win the inaugural meeting between the New York City-based franchises, 22-10.

The Jets led, 10-3, late in the third quarter before the roof caved in. After a goal line stand by Gang Green’s defense preserved the seven-point edge, the Giants forced a safety to pull within 10-5. Big Blue then scored two touchdowns in less than two minutes to take a 19-10 lead (Anderson; Nov. 2, 1970; p. 71).

This loss was the Jets’ fifth straight setback, a then-franchise record (Anderson; Nov. 2, 1970; p. 71). Previously, Gang Green had never dropped more than four straight contests, most recently in 1966.

Week Eight: At Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers handed the Jets their sixth consecutive loss, 21-17.

The six straight losses tied the longest winless streak in club history. New York had previously failed to record a victory in six games (0-5-1) at the commencement of the 1965 season.

This loss began a seven-game losing streak for the Jets at Pittsburgh, including the playoffs. New York didn’t win at Pittsburgh until Dec. 19, 2010, when the visitors eked out a 22-17 triumph.

Week Nine: At Los Angeles Rams

Gang Green finally snapped its skid, 31-20.

New York’s offense enjoyed an explosive afternoon. Woodall (10-17; 261 yards; 3 TD) found WR Don Maynard on a pair of 40-yard passes in the second quarter, which set up touchdowns from Caster and RB George Nock, respectively (Anderson; Nov. 16, 1970; p. 64).

The 31 points scored by the Jets in this game were the most scored against Los Angeles in 1970, and the most points allowed by the Rams in any game since they surrendered 35 points to the Minnesota Vikings in a 35-7 loss on Oct. 16, 1966 (Anderson; Nov. 16, 1970; p. 64).

Week 10: Boston Patriots

On the strength of Nock’s two second half touchdown runs, the Jets completed a season sweep of the listless Patriots, 17-3.

The Patriots’ offense was dreadful in this contest, amassing only eighty total yards, the fewest ever allowed by the Jets in a game at that point (Anderson; Nov. 23, 1970; p. 51). Previously, the Jets held Miami to 111 yards in a 19-14 win on Sept. 9, 1966.

New York has subsequently limited three opponents to fewer than 100 total yards: the Green Bay Packers (84 yards) in a 28-3 win on Dec. 20, 1981; the Patriots (57 yards) in a 31-7 win at New England on Sept. 19, 1982; and the Cincinnati Bengals (72 yards) in a 37-0 win in the final game at Giants Stadium on Jan. 3, 2010.

Week 11: Minnesota Vikings

Gang Green shocked the then 9-1 Vikings, 20-10.

Against what would turn out to be the NFL’s top-ranked defense in 1970, New York’s offense clicked. Woodall (8-12; 106 yards; TD) kept his poise, while Nock (117 yards; 32 carries; TD) and Boozer (61 yards; 18 carries) ran wild. With his 117 yards, Nock, who was a 16^th-round pick (416th overall) of the Jets in the 1969 Draft, earned the only 100-yard game of his career.

Week 12: Oakland Raiders

The Raiders clipped the Jets in the final second, 14-13, to snap New York’s three-game surge.

With the Jets leading, 13-7, in the last half-minute, Raiders’ QB Daryle Lamonica led the game-winning 70-yard touchdown march. Oakland tied the score on a 33-yard strike with one second remaining as Jets’ CB Earlie Thomas accidentally knocked the ball forward during a collision with Hicks, and Raiders’ WR Warren Wells came down with the ball. Backup QB and K George Blanda then sank the deciding extra point (Anderson; Dec. 7, 1970; p. 66).

Week 13: At Miami Dolphins

Miami edged New York, 16-10, as a result of K Garo Yepremian’s two field goals in the contest’s final two minutes.

In the loss, Boozer (114 yards; 18 carries) was solid for the Jets on the ground.

Week 14: At Baltimore Colts

Gang Green’s disappointing season culminated with a 35-20 setback in Baltimore. The loss left the Jets with a 4-10 record, the worst in the franchise’s 11-season history at that point; the New York Titans had finished 5-9 in 1962.

Colts’ backup QB Earl Morrall shined after replacing QB Johnny Unitas late in the first quarter; Unitas was just receiving rest as the Colts had secured a postseason spot. Morrall, who had been yanked in the Colts’ loss to Gang Green in Super Bowl III after throwing three picks, fared better in this finale. He completed 18 of his 33 pass attempts for 348 yards and four touchdowns against only one interception on the afternoon.

Morrall appeared pleased after the game. He said, “I wasn’t thinking about the Super Bowl game. That was a game, and this was a game, and looking back doesn’t do any good. I’ve thought all along that I could still play and I think this game proved it (Anderson; Dec. 20, 1970; p. 1).”

Aftermath

Despite several solid wins, the 1970 season had been a disaster for Gang Green. Still, much of the carnage had occurred without Namath, and he was set to return for 1971. The team could only improve. Right?