Garrett Wilson’s 1st sensational grab more important than last in Jets win

Yes, Garrett Wilson made the one-handed Catch of the Year, a go-ahead 26-yard grab that reminded many of another wide receiver who patrolled the same stadium back in the day. But how about Wilson’s other one-handed catch in Thursday night’s 21-13 win over Houston, Jeff Ulbrich’s first as Jets head coach?

Wilson’s first one-handed grab – a 21-yard touchdown in which, just before Houston sandwiched him in the pocket, Aaron Rodgers delivered a no-look strike past a diving Jalen Pitre  – was more important. That play not only put the Jets on the board after a horrible first half that included rookie Malachi Corley inexplicably fumbling a touchdown at the half-yard line; Wilson’s first touchdown also got the ball rolling and pulled New York out of the darkness.

“It’s a huge win,” said Wilson, who had nine catches for 90 yards, including the two one-handed touchdowns. “If we want to do what we want to do, it had to start with one, and this is that one. So, it’s not as big as the next one because it’s behind us now, but it’s one to get us rolling, get us started.”

But most will remember Wilson’s instant classic, the one on which he “Mossed” Texans rookie Kamari Lassiter in a shin-down touchdown snag early in the fourth quarter. That catch gave New York (3-6) a lead it wouldn’t relinquish with 12:54 left in the game.

“Oh my goodness,” said Ulbrich, who’s now 1-3 as interim head coach. “I was talking to the ref when they were reviewing it. I’m like, ‘Just for the sake of posterity, you have to say that’s in just so it goes down in history.’ I mean, it would rival the Odell catch, you know? It was amazing.”

Also amazing was the Jets’ defense, which racked up eight sacks – two each by Jamien Sherwood and Micheal Clemons — on Wilson’s college quarterback, C.J. Stroud.

“They stood on their head; they were incredible,” said Rodgers, who was 22 of 32 for 211 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. “They kept us in the game, turnover down in plus-territory, held them to field goals. Incredible performance.”

Those field goals were all Houston got in the second half, and the Jets made the Texans drive 98 yards after a 75-yard punt by Thomas Morstead – to score their only touchdown, in the second quarter.

“A really cool game for this team, man,” Ulbrich said after the win over first-place Houston (6-3). “After three weeks of a lot of adversity, a lot of setbacks, some self-imposed, for them to have the resiliency and come back and play the way they did against a really good opponent, I was proud of them.”

Rogers was proud of his newest teammate, Davante Adams, who posted his first touchdown reception in a Jets uniform and registered seven catches for 91 yards.

Now, the Jets take the weekend off before heading to Arizona (4-4) on Nov. 10.