:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/44255044/wannstedt.0.0.jpg)
The date was October 23, 2000. It was Monday Night Football, and the 5-1 New York Jets were hosting the 5-1 Miami Dolphins. It was Al Groh's first and only year as the Jets' head coach, and they were off to a terrific start. However, the game could not have started worse for the home team. At the end of the third quarter, the Jets were down 30-7. Yet the Jets hadn't given up the fight. Spurred by Wayne Chrebet, who will be inducted into the team's Ring of Honor, the team made a furious rally in the fourth quarter, eventually tying it up before winning in overtime by a score of 40-37. That comeback is the second largest fourth-quarter comeback in league history, and the largest comeback in team history. It is considered by nearly all observers to be one of the greatest comebacks in National Football League history. Let's take a quick look at some of the key plays:
It's the fourth quarter, 13:54 remaining. The Dolphins are up 30-7. Vinny Testaverde dials up the long bomb to Laveranues Coles, who somehow wrestles it away from the defender.
The Jets are down just a touchdown now, 30-23, with 4:01 remaining. On the previous drive, Bryan Cox sacks Jay Fiedler and forces the Dolphins to punt. After a botched kick, the Jets have a short field. Chrebet breaks free at the most opportune time, as he did throughout his career, and makes an insane diving leap to snag the ball and tie up the game.
After the Dolphins take a quick lead, there's :48 remaining on the clock and the Jets are within range of tying up the game yet again. They convert a 4th-and-1 with just a few more yards to go, and Groh dials up the trick play that nobody was expecting. Jumbo Elliot comes down with the ball, and we have overtime.
It's overtime. The Dolphins are driving. They aren't much further than a first down from being in field goal range, when Fiedler makes a pass that's intercepted by Marcus Coleman. The stadium is going wild. Coleman's interception gives the team a chance to win, and John Hall caps the victory with a 40-yard field goal.