2004 New York Jets Season: Gang Green

2004 New York Jets Season: Gang Green

2004 New York Jets: Gang Green

There were many times during the 2000s when the New York Jets put together a solid foundation capable of winning football games as a team. Although they often played in the shadow of their division rivals, the New England Patriots, the Jets still fielded a team talented enough to win on any given Sunday, and the 2004 New York Jets season proved it.

Season Overview

In the 2004 New York Jets season, the team went 10-6, finishing four games behind the New England Patriots in the AFC East Division. The Jets went 6-2 at home in Giants Stadium and 4-4 on the road. They finished 3-3 in divisional play and 7-5 in conference play.

Offensive Firepower

Chad Pennington Under Center

Chad Pennington wasn’t just a serviceable quarterback in the NFL — he was modestly successful and had his fair share of good moments. Pennington went 8-5 as a starter and completed 242 of 370 pass attempts for 2,673 yards and 16 touchdowns while throwing just 9 interceptions. He was also able to scramble out of danger when he needed to, rushing 34 times for 126 yards and 1 touchdown.

Curtis Martin Powers the Ground Game

The Jets had a steady running game thanks largely to the swift mobility of running back Curtis Martin. Martin led the way with 271 rushing attempts for 1,697 yards and 12 touchdowns, adding 41 receptions for 245 yards and 2 touchdowns, and he produced at critical times for his team. Running back LaMont Jordan chipped in with 93 rushing attempts for 479 yards and 2 touchdowns.

A Balanced Receiving Corps

Wide receiver Santana Moss had 45 receptions for 838 yards and 5 touchdowns. Wide receiver Justin McCareins had 56 receptions for 770 yards and 4 touchdowns. Wide receiver Wayne Chrebet had 31 receptions for 397 yards and 1 touchdown. Fullback Jerald Sowell served as a reliable receiving option with 45 receptions for 342 yards and 1 touchdown. Tight end Chris Baker had 18 receptions for 182 yards and 4 touchdowns. Wide receiver Jonathan Carter had 10 receptions for 173 yards and 1 touchdown, and tight end Anthony Becht had 13 receptions for 100 yards and 1 touchdown.

The 2004 Draft Class

Wide receiver Jericho Cotchery was taken by the Jets with the 108th pick in the fourth round of the 2004 NFL Draft. Coming out of North Carolina State, Cotchery didn’t see much production on offense in his rookie season, but he contributed on special teams, posting 13 kick returns for 362 yards and 1 touchdown.

A Stingy Defense

The true strength of the Jets was their defense. Linebacker Eric Barton had 77 tackles, 2.5 sacks, 1 interception, 1 forced fumble, and 4 fumble recoveries. Middle linebacker Jonathan Vilma was taken by the Jets with the 12th pick in the first round of the 2004 NFL Draft, and coming out of the University of Miami (Florida), he didn’t disappoint — recording 77 tackles, 2 sacks, 3 interceptions for 58 yards and 1 touchdown, and 1 fumble recovery. Free safety Erik Coleman had 73 tackles, 2 sacks, 4 interceptions, and 1 fumble recovery.

Cornerback David Barrett had 63 tackles, 2 interceptions, and 1 forced fumble. Strong safety Reggie Tongue had 54 tackles, 1 interception, 1 forced fumble, and 1 fumble recovery. Defensive end Shaun Ellis had 11 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, and 1 fumble recovery. Nose tackle and defensive tackle Jason Ferguson had 3.5 sacks and 2 forced fumbles. Cornerback Donnie Abraham had 2 interceptions for 66 yards and 1 touchdown, along with 2 fumble recoveries for 39 yards and 1 touchdown. Defensive tackle Dewayne Robertson had 3 sacks and 1 forced fumble. Defensive tackle James Reed had 2 sacks. Defensive end and nose tackle Bryan Thomas had 1.5 sacks. Defensive back Terrell Buckley had 3 interceptions and 1 forced fumble, and cornerback Jon McGraw had 2 interceptions and 1 forced fumble.

Playoff Run

Wild Card Thriller in San Diego

In the Wild Card Round on January 8 at Qualcomm Stadium, the Jets traveled to San Diego to take on the Chargers and pulled off a 20-17 overtime win. Chad Pennington played a key part in the victory, completing 23 of 33 passes for 279 yards and 2 touchdowns. Santana Moss also had a strong game, catching 4 passes for 100 yards and 1 touchdown.

The Chargers struck first as wide receiver Keenan McCardell hauled in a 26-yard touchdown reception with 9:26 remaining in the second quarter. The Jets answered with a 13-yard touchdown reception by Anthony Becht with 2:54 left before halftime. Santana Moss delivered the key moment of the game with 10:29 remaining in the third quarter on a 47-yard touchdown reception, and kicker Doug Brien added a 42-yard field goal with 1:23 remaining.

After three quarters, things looked well in hand for the Jets, but the Chargers weren’t going away quietly. Kicker Nate Kaeding got San Diego back in it with a 35-yard field goal with 10:43 remaining in the fourth quarter, and just before regulation expired, tight end Antonio Gates tied it with a 1-yard touchdown reception with 0:11 left. It took nearly the entire first overtime period to determine a winner, with the Jets emerging victorious when Doug Brien kicked the game-winning 28-yard field goal with 0:05 remaining.

Divisional Round Heartbreak The following week in the Divisional Round on January 15, the Jets found themselves on the wrong end of the same 20-17 score, falling to the Pittsburgh Steelers in overtime at Heinz Field. Most of this Jets team, nicknamed “Gang Green,” would make it back to the playoffs just two years later in 2006, but changes were coming that would eventually bring forth an era in which the Jets became a scarier football team for all the right reasons. Even so, the 2004 New York Jets season remains one of the more memorable near-misses of the Chad Pennington era.