1996 New York Jets season

Offseason

After three seasons with quarterback Boomer Esiason as the starter, the Jets decided to go in a different direction and released Esiason in the offseason. They signed Neil O'Donnell, who had just led the Pittsburgh Steelers to the Super Bowl, to replace him in the hopes he would duplicate his success with the Steelers. The Jets received the first pick in the NFL draft in April and drafted wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson out of the University of Southern California. The Jets also signed offensive tackles Jumbo Elliott and David Williams and receivers Jeff Graham and Webster Slaughter. The Jets spent $70 million in the offseason on free-agent and rookie contracts.

NFL draft

Main article: 1996 NFL draft

Personnel

Staff/coaches

Roster

Season

O'Donnell was the starter for the first six games of the season, but they went 0–6 under him. He suffered a season-ending shoulder injury during pregame warmups before the seventh game. Longtime Buffalo Bills backup quarterback Frank Reich replaced him, but he didn't fare much better. They lost to Jacksonville and Buffalo, before the now lowly 0–8 Jets beat former Jets QB Boomer Esiason and his new team, the Arizona Cardinals (although Esiason didn't play for Arizona in that game), at Sun Devil Stadium for what would become their only win of the season in their first game against the Cardinals since 1978. Kotite announced his resignation on December 20.

Schedule

Game summaries

Week 6: vs. Oakland Raiders

First quarter

• No scoring Second quarter
• OAK – Cole Ford 26-yard field goal, 13:04. Raiders 3–0.
• NYJ – Nick Lowery 43-yard field goal, 11:23. Tie 3–3.
• OAK – Rickey Dudley 23-yard pass from Jeff Hostetler (Cole Ford kick), 6:43. Raiders 10–3.
• OAK – Cole Ford 35-yard field goal, 0:21. Raiders 13–3. Third quarter
• NYJ – Nick Lowery 24-yard field goal, 10:11. Raiders 13–6. Fourth quarter
• OAK – Daryl Hobbs 3-yard pass from Jeff Hostetler (Cole Ford kick), 14:25. Raiders 20–6.
• OAK – Rickey Dudley 2-yard pass from Jeff Hostetler (Cole Ford kick), 7:25. Raiders 27–6.
• NYJ – Alex Van Dyke 3-yard pass from Frank Reich (Nick Lowery kick), 3:48. Raiders 27–13.
• OAK – Joe Aska 30-yard run (Cole Ford kick), 3:20. Raiders 34–13. ;Top passers
• OAK – Jeff Hostetler – 17/28, 188 yards, 3 TD, INT
• NYJ – Frank Reich – 15/31, 177 yards, TD, 2 INT ;Top rushers
• OAK – Joe Aska – 21 rushes, 136 yards, TD
• NYJ – Adrian Murrell – 20 rushes, 102 yards ;Top receivers
• OAK – Rickey Dudley – 4 receptions, 60 yards, 2 TD
• NYJ – Henry Bailey – 3 receptions, 42 yards

Week 9: at Arizona Cardinals

First quarter

• NYJ – Nick Lowery 37-yard field goal, 2:47. Jets 3–0. Second quarter
• NYJ – Keyshawn Johnson 34-yard pass from Frank Reich (Nick Lowery kick), 14:53. Jets 10–0.
• NYJ – Richie Anderson 1-yard run (Nick Lowery kick), 0:16. Jets 17–0. Third quarter
• ARI – Larry Centers 1-yard pass from Kent Graham (Greg Davis kick), 7:35. Jets 17–7.
• ARI – Larry Centers 2-yard pass from Kent Graham (Greg Davis kick), 5:47. Jets 17–14. Fourth quarter
• NYJ – Adrian Murrell 1-yard run (Nick Lowery kick), 12:51. Jets 24–14.
• ARI – Rob Moore 6-yard pass from Kent Graham (Greg Davis kick), 11:47. Jets 24–21.
• NYJ – Reggie Cobb 2-yard run (Nick Lowery kick), 4:55. Jets 31–21. Top passers
• NYJ – Frank Reich – 22/31, 254 yards, TD, 2 INT
• ARI – Kent Graham – 17/32, 255 yards, 3 TD, INT Top rushers
• NYJ – Adrian Murrell – 31 rushes, 199 yards, TD
• ARI – LeShon Johnson – 12 rushes, 85 yards Top receivers
• NYJ – Keyshawn Johnson – 7 receptions, 94 yards, TD
• ARI – Rob Moore – 7 receptions, 143 yards, TD

The 0-8 Jets were desperately looking for their first win of the season as they faced the Cardinals in Arizona. In the first quarter, Nick Lowery opened the score for the Jets with a 37-yard field goal. By the second quarter, the Jets powered through with two touchdowns from Keyshawn Johnson and Richie Anderson. However, by the third quarter, the Cardinals scored two touchdowns of their own, cutting the Jets' lead to three. Fortunately, in the fourth quarter, the Jets scored two more touchdowns, en route to their first victory of the season as they defeated the Cardinals 31–21.

Standings

References

1. [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/play-index/tgl_finder.cgi?request=1&match=game&year_min=1940&year_max=2012&game_type=R&playoff_round=&game_num_min=0&game_num_max=99&week_num_min=0&week_num_max=99&game_day_of_week=&game_time=&time_zone=&game_location=&surface=&roof=&game_result=&overtime=&league_id=&team_id=crd&opp_id=nyj&conference_game=&division_game=&tm_is_playoff=&opp_is_playoff=&tm_is_winning=&opp_is_winning=&tm_scored_first=&tm_led=&tm_trailed=&c1stat=&c1comp=gt&c1val=&c2stat=&c2comp=gt&c2val=&c3stat=&c3comp=gt&c3val=&c4stat=&c4comp=gt&c4val=&order_by=game_date&order_by_asc=Y Arizona Cardinals v New York Jets]