1986 New York Jets season

The 1986 New York Jets season was the 27th season for the team and the seventeenth in the National Football League. It began with the team trying to improve upon its 11–5 record from 1985 and return to the playoffs under head coach Joe Walton. The Jets finished the season with a record of 10–6, qualifying for the top Wild Card spot in the playoffs despite losing their last five games of the season. They defeated the Kansas City Chiefs in the Wild Card round, but lost to the Cleveland Browns in the divisional round. The loss to the Browns is infamous in Jets history. Leading 20–10 in the 4th quarter, the Jets collapsed when Mark Gastineau hammered Browns quarterback Bernie Kosar seconds after he released a pass; Gastineau was flagged for roughing the passer and the Browns rallied to force overtime and win early in the game's second overtime.

1986 New York Jets season
OwnerLeon Hess
Head coachJoe Walton
Home fieldGiants Stadium
Results
Record10–6
Division place2nd AFC East
Playoff finishWon Wild Card Playoffs (Chiefs) 35–15
Lost Divisional Playoffs (Browns) 23–20
Pro BowlersTE Mickey Shuler
WR Al Toon

The Week 3 game against Miami was memorable as Ken O'Brien and Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino fought a wild shootout that culminated in the Jets winning 51–45 in overtime. Marino threw for 448 yards and six TD passes while O'Brien accumulated 479 yards, four touchdowns, and one interception for what would statistically be the best game of his career.

Roster
1986 New York Jets final roster
Quarterbacks

Running backs

Wide receivers

Tight ends

 Offensive linemen

Defensive linemen

 Linebackers

Defensive backs

Special teams

 Reserve lists


Practice squad



Rookies in italics

Depth chart

Schedule

Regular season
WeekDateOpponentResultGame siteAttendance
1September 7, 1986at Buffalo BillsW 28–24Rich Stadium
79,951
2September 11, 1986New England PatriotsL 20–6The Meadowlands
72,422
3September 21, 1986Miami DolphinsW 51–45 (OT)The Meadowlands
71,025
4September 28, 1986at Indianapolis ColtsW 26–7Hoosier Dome
56,075
5October 5, 1986Buffalo BillsW 14–13The Meadowlands
69,504
6October 12, 1986at New England PatriotsW 31–24Sullivan Stadium
60,342
7October 20, 1986Denver BroncosW 22–10The Meadowlands
73,759
8October 26, 1986New Orleans SaintsW 28–23The Meadowlands
44,246
9November 2, 1986at Seattle SeahawksW 38–7Kingdome
62,497
10November 9, 1986at Atlanta FalconsW 28–14Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium
53,476
11November 16, 1986Indianapolis ColtsW 31–16The Meadowlands
65,149
12November 24, 1986at Miami DolphinsL 45–3Miami Orange Bowl
70,206
13November 30, 1986Los Angeles RamsL 17–3The Meadowlands
70,539
14December 7, 1986at San Francisco 49ersL 24–10Candlestick Park
58,091
15December 13, 1986Pittsburgh SteelersL 45–24The Meadowlands
58,044
16December 21, 1986at Cincinnati BengalsL 52–21Riverfront Stadium
51,619

Week 1 at Bills
See also: 1986 Buffalo Bills season
New York Jets (0–0) at Buffalo Bills (0–0)
1 2 34Total
Jets 7 7 01428
Bills 7 3 01424

at Rich Stadium • Orchard Park, New York

  • Date: September 7
  • Game time: 4:00 p.m. EDT
  • Game weather: 56 °F (13.3 °C) • Wind 12 miles per hour (19 km/h; 10 kn)
  • Game attendance: 79,951
  • Referee: Jerry Markbreit
  • TV announcers (NBC): Marv Albert and Bob Griese
  • Pro-Football-Reference.com
Game information

The Jets spoiled the debut of Bills quarterback Jim Kelly.

Week 2: vs. New England Patriots

The NFL scheduled the Jets to host the Patriots in a rare Thursday night game. The Jets were limited to two field goals as Tony Collins caught two touchdowns in a 20–6 Jets loss where the two teams combined for just 486 yards of offense.

Week 3: vs. Miami Dolphins
1 234OTTotal
Dolphins 7 141770 45
• Jets 3 280146 51
  • Date: September 21
  • Location: Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
  • Game start: 1:00 p.m. EST
  • Game weather: 69 °F (20.6 °C), wind 11 miles per hour (18 km/h; 9.6 kn)
  • Referee: Pat Haggerty
  • TV announcers (NBC): Dick Enberg, Merlin Olsen

Statistics

  • Ken O'Brien 29/43, 479 Yds, 4 TD, INT
  • Wesley Walker 6 Rec, 194 Yds, 4 TD
  • Al Toon 7 Rec, 111 Yds

The Jets-Dolphins rivalry reached an apex in this Week 3 matchup as Ken O'Brien and Dan Marino unleashed ten combined touchdowns, the last a 43-yard score to Wesley Walker and a 51–45 overtime win for the Jets.

Week 4: at Indianapolis Colts

The two teams combined for six fumbles and three interceptions as Pat Leahy booted four field goals and Ken O'Brien had a touchdown throw for the Jets’ 26–7 win.

Week 5: vs. Buffalo Bills

The Jets limited Jim Kelly to 211 yards, one touchdown, and one interception as Mickey Shuler caught the winning 36-yard touchdown for a 14–13 New York win.

Week 6: at New England Patriots

Johnny Hector and Steve Grogan had memorable performances as the Jets raced to a 24–0 halftime lead. Subbing for injured Tony Eason, Grogan stormed the Patriots back in the second half with three touchdowns and a career-high 401 passing yards. Hector, with a career-high 143 rushing yards, also scored three times, and in the final minute Grogan completed a deep pass to Irving Fryar, but Fryar fumbled to the Jets, ending a 31–24 Jets win.

Week 7: Monday Night Football at Denver Broncos

The two teams used four quarterbacks (John Elway, Gary Kubiak, Ken O'Brien, and Pat Ryan) and combined for ten quarterback sacks, 22 penalties (for 172 yards), and just 490 yards of offense as the Jets ran away with a 22-10 win.

Week 8: vs. New Orleans Saints

Despite being shut out 17–0 in the fourth quarter, the Jets beat the Saints 28–23. Al Toon caught three touchdowns against his son's future team and Freeman McNeil added a fourth score. The Jets grabbed three fumbles and picked off the Saints twice.

Week 9: at Seattle Seahawks

Gale Gilbert was intercepted twice as the Jets crushed the Seahawks 38–7. Ken O'Brien threw for 431 yards and four touchdowns as the Jets put up 553 yards of offense.

Week 10: at Atlanta Falcons

Three Ken O'Brien touchdowns in the second quarter were enough to upend the Falcons in a 28–14 final. O'Brien and Falcons quarterback David Archer combined for 672 passing yards.

Week 11: vs. Indianapolis Colts

The Jets picked off Jack Trudeau four times and won 31–16, their ninth straight win putting them at a seemingly commanding 10–1.

Week 12: Monday Night Football at Miami Dolphins

Mounting injuries for the Jets had steadily weakened the club and the repercussions began in a 45–3 massacre by the Dolphins in Miami. Dan Marino tossed four touchdowns and Lorenzo Hampton blasted to 188 all-purpose yards and three scores. Ken O'Brien completed just 11 of 21 passes with an interception, and Pat Ryan took over under center but was picked off himself; the Jets also fumbled twice.

Week 13: vs. LA Rams

Three years after the infamous set-to between Jackie Slater and Mark Gastineau the Rams returned to The Meadowlands and won 17–3. Despite 350 yards of offense the Jets managed the one field goal while coughing up four turnovers and committing eight penalties to one Rams foul.

Week 14: at San Francisco 49ers

Four Niners backs (including ex-Buffalo Bill Joe Cribbs) rushed for 198 yards and three scores as the Niners won 24–10, knocking the Jets to 10–4.

Week 15 vs. Steelers
See also: 1986 Pittsburgh Steelers season
Week Fifteen: Pittsburgh Steelers (5–9) at New York Jets (10–4)
1 2 34Total
Steelers 0 17 02845
Jets 0 14 3724

at Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey

In a Saturday NFL doubleheader with the Broncos–Redskins game following, the Jets hosted the Steelers and were buried 45–24. Ken O'Brien and Pat Ryan combined for 262 yards and two touchdowns but were intercepted three times as five Steelers backs rushed for 175 yards and three touchdowns.

Week 16: at Cincinnati Bengals

The AFC East slipped away from the Jets as they were crushed 52–21 by the Bengals. Boomer Esiason exploded to five touchdowns as the Jets had to settle for a wildcard playoff spot.

Postseason
WeekDateOpponentResultGame siteAttendance
WCDecember 28, 1986Kansas City ChiefsW 35–15The Meadowlands
69,307
DivJanuary 3, 1987at Cleveland BrownsL 23–20 (2OT)Cleveland Municipal Stadium
78,106

AFC Wild Card Playoffs
Wild Card vs Kansas City Chiefs
1 2 34Total
Chiefs 6 0 0915
Jets 7 14 7735

at Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey

  • Scoring
    • KC – Smith 1 run (kick failed)
    • NYJ – McNeil 4 run (Leahy kick)
    • NYJ – McNeil 1 pass from Ryan (Leahy kick)
    • NYJ – Toon 11 pass from Ryan (Leahy kick)
    • NYJ – McArthur 21 interception return (Leahy kick)
    • KC – Lewis recovered blocked punt in end zone (Lowery kick)
    • NYJ – Griggs 6 pass from Ryan (Leahy kick)
    • KC – Safety, Jennings ran out of end zone

AFC Divisional Playoff
Cleveland Browns 23, New York Jets 20 (2OT)
1 2 34OT2OTTotal
Jets 7 3 370020
Browns 7 3 0100323

at Cleveland Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio

Standings
AFC East
W L T PCT DIV CONF PF PA STK
New England Patriots(3) 11 5 0 .688 7–1 8–4 412 307 W1
New York Jets(4) 10 6 0 .625 6–2 8–4 364 386 L5
Miami Dolphins 8 8 0 .500 5–3 6–6 430 405 L1
Buffalo Bills 4 12 0 .250 1–7 3–11 287 348 L3
Indianapolis Colts 3 13 0 .188 1–7 2–10 229 400 W3

References
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