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Coming off a disappointing loss to the eventual Super Bowl IV-champion Kansas City Chiefs in the 1969 American Football League (AFL) Playoffs, the Jets sought to soar into a new era of football in 1970. (’69 Season Review)
Merger
As planned, the AFL merged with the NFL in 1970 to create a single 26-team league. The former AFL teams moved into the new three-division American Football Conference (AFC), while most of the old NFL teams were placed in the three-division National Football Conference (NFC). This basic alignment with East, Central, and West divisions in each conference lasted until the current four-division structure was implemented in 2002.
To balance out the conferences—the AFL had six fewer teams than the NFL—the NFL’s Pittsburgh Steelers, Cleveland Browns, and Baltimore Colts moved to the AFC.
Ironically, less than two years after falling to the Jets in Super Bowl III, the Colts would be joining the Jets in the AFC East.
1970 NFL Draft
The Jets endured mixed results in this draft. Their first-round pick (20th overall), DB Steve Tannen, played five serviceable seasons with Gang Green, but injuries hampered his effectiveness. Tannen’s best season came in 1972, when he tied for third in the league with seven interceptions.
New York made a solid second-round pick (46th overall) in TE Rich Caster. In eight seasons with the Jets, Caster was selected to three Pro Bowl teams.
The Jets also acquired talent via trade on this draft day. New York received FS WK Hicks from the Houston Oilers in exchange for a fifth-round draft choice (Murray Chass; New York Times; Jan. 28, 1970; p. 73). Hicks’ eight interceptions in 1970 would be tied for third most in the NFL.
Week One: At Cleveland Browns
In the debut of ABC-TV’s Monday Night Football, the Browns held off the Jets by 31-21.
Monday Night Football would remain an ABC fall staple for 35 years, until the program moved to its current home, ESPN, in 2006.
Ironically, against the New England Patriots on Dec. 26, 2005, the Jets lost the final ABC Monday Night Football contest by the same 31-21 final as they did in Cleveland. Talk about bookmarking!
QB Joe Namath (18-31; 298 yards; TD; 3 Int) was mediocre in this season opener, while RB Emerson Boozer (58 yards; 15 carries; 2 TD) and RB Matt Snell (108 yards; 16 carries) each enjoyed solid evenings. WR George Sauer (10 receptions; 172 yards; TD) also shined under the lights.
Gang Green was sloppy against the Browns. The visitors set a team record by amassing 161 penalty yards, and their 13 penalties tied a team record, which they had previously reached in the “Heidi Game” at Oakland on Nov. 17, 1968 (George Usher; Newsday; Sept. 18, 1978; back page).
The Jets’ current record for penalties in a single game, 20, was reached in a 27-20 win over the Buffalo Bills on Sept. 22, 2013 (Dennis Waszak, Jr; The Poughkeepsie Journal; Sept. 23, 2013; p. 5).
Week Two: At Boston Patriots
The Jets rebounded against the Patriots, evening their record with a 31-21 triumph (Dave Anderson; New York Times; Sept. 28, 1970; p. 58). Wow, what’s with that 31-21 score?
In the win, Namath (9 -20; 96 yards; TD) was efficient, as were Boozer (90 yards; 16 carries; TD) and Snell (85 yards; 26 carries; TD).
Week Three: At Buffalo Bills
Gang Green collapsed after building a 24-10 second quarter lead, and lost 34-31.
Special teams hindered thee Jets in the setback with K Jim Turner missing five of his six field goal attempts. Turner blamed himself for the loss, saying, “I had a bad day; the loss was my fault. I have no excuses. The wind was a problem, but the wind in Shea is a problem too, and I kick well there. No excuses (Anderson; Oct. 5, 1970; p. 76).”
Even worse than Turner’s performance, however, was Snell’s status. The reliable running back was lost for the year with a ruptured right Achilles tendon, and although he attempted to play in each of the next two seasons, his career was essentially over (Anderson; Oct. 5, 1970; p. 76).
Week Four: Miami Dolphins
Helped by an anemic Jets’ offense, Miami spoiled New York’s home opener at Shea Stadium, 20-6.
Namath (17-40; 240 yards; 3 Int) didn’t have much help. Snell was obviously inactive, and Sauer missed the final three quarters with a pulled leg muscle (Anderson; Oct. 11, 1970; p. 1).
This loss marked the first regular season game where the Jets were held without a touchdown since they failed to reach pay dirt in a 14-3 loss at Buffalo on Nov. 13, 1966. The Chiefs had kept the Jets out of the end zone in the previous year’s playoffs, though (Anderson; Oct. 11, 1970; p. 1).
Week Five: Baltimore Colts
In the first rematch of Super Bowl III, the Colts defeated the Jets, 29-22.
Namath (34-62; 397 yards; TD; 6 Int) struggled, but the six interceptions he threw soon became the least of the quarterback’s worries. During the game, Namath suffered a bruised thumb in addition to a “sprained wrist,” an injury that team orthopedist Dr. James A. Nicholas described as “minor.” Namath was concerned, though, saying, “It hurts pretty bad. It’s the first time I’ve ever been worried about an injury (Anderson; Oct. 19, 1970; p. 70).”
As it turned out, Namath, who hadn’t missed a game because of injury in his six-year career until this point, had good reason to be worried. A subsequent x-ray revealed that the quarterback’s wrist was actually fractured, and Namath missed the remainder of the season (Joseph Durso; New York Times; Oct. 21, 1970; p. 57).
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 16th-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?
