The 2008 New York Jets season was the franchise's 39th season in the National Football League (NFL), the 49th season overall, and the third and final under head coach Eric Mangini. The team succeeded in improving upon their 4–12 record from 2007, but did not make the playoffs for the second straight season.
Offseason
Signings The Jets used a large amount of salary cap room to make several high-profile acquisitions in the offseason. On February 29 the team signed former Pittsburgh Steelers left guard, Alan Faneca, to a five-year, $40 million contract. The deal made Faneca the highest paid offensive lineman in the National Football League. The Jets then signed former Arizona Cardinals linebacker, Calvin Pace, to a six-year, $42 million deal. Pace had 6 ½ sacks in 2007, and was considered to fit well with the Jets' 3–4 defense. The Jets continued to attempt to improve the offensive line by signing Detroit Lions right tackle Damien Woody to a five-year $25.5 million contract.
Other notable free agent signings included fullback, Tony Richardson; cornerbacks, Andre Woolfolk and Ty Law; tight end, Bubba Franks; and running back, Jesse Chatman.
Perhaps the Jets most significant offseason acquisition was veteran and former Green Bay Packers quarterback, Brett Favre. Favre, the NFL's all-time leader in touchdown passes, completions, passing yards, interceptions, wins and consecutive starts by a quarterback at the time of his retirement, was picked up in a trade during training camp.
Departures S Erik Coleman (signed with Atlanta Falcons as an unrestricted free agent) TE Sean Ryan (signed with Miami Dolphins as an unrestricted free agent) OT Anthony Clement (signed with New England Patriots as an unrestricted free agent) CB Andre Dyson (released) WR Justin McCareins (signed with Tennessee Titans as an unrestricted free agent) QB Chad Pennington (signed with Miami Dolphins as an unrestricted free agent)
Trades Trade 3rd and 5th round draft picks to the Carolina Panthers for DT Kris Jenkins Trade LB Jonathan Vilma to the New Orleans Saints for 4th round draft pick. Trade DT Dewayne Robertson to the Denver Broncos for a conditional draft pick in the 2009 NFL draft. Trade 4th round conditional draft pick in 2009 to the Green Bay Packers for QB Brett Favre.
NFL draft
Staff
Final roster New York Jets 2008 final roster Quarterbacks Kellen Clemens Brett Favre Brett Ratliff
Running backs Thomas Jones Tony Richardson FB Leon Washington
Wide receivers David Clowney Laveranues Coles Jerricho Cotchery Brad Smith Chansi Stuckey Wallace Wright
Tight ends Chris Baker Bubba Franks Dustin Keller Offensive linemen Alan Faneca G D'Brickashaw Ferguson T Wayne Hunter T Nick Mangold C Brandon Moore G Robert Turner C Damien Woody T
Defensive linemen Kenyon Coleman DE Mike DeVito DE Shaun Ellis DE Kris Jenkins NT C. J. Mosley DE Sione Po'uha NT Linebackers Eric Barton ILB David Bowens OLB Vernon Gholston OLB David Harris ILB Marques Murrell OLB Calvin Pace OLB Cody Spencer ILB Bryan Thomas OLB Jason Trusnik OLB
Defensive backs David Barrett CB Ahmad Carroll CB Drew Coleman CB Abram Elam SS James Ihedigbo FS Ty Law CB Dwight Lowery CB Hank Poteat CB J. R. Reed SS Darrelle Revis CB Kerry Rhodes FS Eric Smith SS
Special teams James Dearth LS Jay Feely K Reggie Hodges P Mike Nugent K Reserve lists Erik Ainge QB (IR) Jesse Chatman RB (IR) Brad Kassell LB (IR) Danny Woodhead RB (IR)
Practice squad Kareem Brown DE Jehuu Caulcrick FB Kenwin Cummings LB Stanley Daniels G Marcus Henry WR Ryan Keenan G Ropati Pitoitua DE (IR) Brandon Renkart LB Brian Schaefering DE
rookies in italics Pro Bowlers in bold 53 active, 5 inactive, 8 practice squad
Schedule Matchups were determined at the end of the 2007 season based on the league's scheduling formula. Along with home and away games against each of their traditional rivals in the AFC East, the Jets played each of the teams from the AFC West and NFC West divisions, as per the NFL's annual rotation. They also played games against the Tennessee Titans and Cincinnati Bengals, who finished 2007 third in the two remaining AFC divisions. The NFL revealed its schedule for all 256 regular season games on April 15, 2008. One notable game in the schedule was the Jets' first game televised on the NFL Network, against the division rival New England Patriots. Game times from weeks 12 through 17 were subject to change in accordance with the NFL's flexible scheduling policy; two games were affected by this policy.
Preseason Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 at Cleveland Browns W 24–20 1–0 Cleveland Browns Stadium Recap2 Washington Redskins L 10–13 1–1 Giants Stadium Recap3 New York Giants W 10–7 2–1 Giants Stadium Recap4 at Philadelphia Eagles W 27–20 3–1 Lincoln Financial Field Recap
Regular season Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 September 7 at Miami Dolphins W 20–14 1–0 Dolphin Stadium Recap 2 September 14 New England Patriots L 10–19 1–1 Giants Stadium Recap 3 at San Diego Chargers L 29–48 1–2 Qualcomm Stadium Recap 4 September 28 Arizona Cardinals W 56–35 2–2 Giants Stadium Recap 5Bye 6 October 12 Cincinnati Bengals W 26–14 3–2 Giants Stadium Recap 7 October 19 at Oakland Raiders L 13–16 3–3 Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Recap 8 October 26 Kansas City Chiefs W 28–24 4–3 Giants Stadium Recap 9 November 2 at Buffalo Bills W 26–17 5–3 Ralph Wilson Stadium Recap 10 November 9 St. Louis Rams W 47–3 6–3 Giants Stadium Recap 11 at New England Patriots W 34–31 7–3 Gillette Stadium Recap 12 November 23 at Tennessee Titans W 34–13 8–3 LP Field Recap 13 November 30 Denver Broncos L 17–34 8–4 Giants Stadium Recap 14 December 7 at San Francisco 49ers L 14–24 8–5 Candlestick Park Recap 15 December 14 Buffalo Bills W 31–27 9–5 Giants Stadium Recap 16 December 21 at Seattle Seahawks L 3–13 9–6 Qwest Field Recap 17 December 28 Miami Dolphins L 17–24 9–7 Giants Stadium Recap Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Standings
Regular season results
Week 1: at Miami Dolphins
Game summary
The Jets started with quarterback Brett Favre against a Miami Dolphins team that was sporting new starting quarterback and former Jets starting quarterback Chad Pennington. Favre got the Jets on the scoreboard first in the first quarter with a play-action pass that found Jerricho Cotchery at the 10-yard line en route to a 56-yard touchdown. However, Mike Nugent sprained his thigh on the following kickoff, and when he attempted and missed a 32-yard field goal attempt, Nugent was brought out of the game. Miami then responded, with Chad Pennington marching the Dolphins down to the 6-yard line. From there, Pennington connected with Anthony Fasano for a 5-yard touchdown, tying the game. On the following drive for the Jets, coach Eric Mangini, faced with the possibility of missing a 40-yard field goal if he allowed an uncertain Mike Nugent to kick the ball, opted for Favre to continue on 4th down and 13 yards. Favre, under pressure, threw up a high ball and rookie Chansi Stuckey jumped up for the catch in the end zone, giving the Jets a 13–7 lead. Rather than put Nugent out to the field for a PAT, Mangini opted to go for two points, but the option failed.
In the 3rd quarter, Favre brought the Jets back to the red zone, moving them to the 6-yard line. From there, Favre handed off the ball to Thomas Jones, who ran in for the touchdown. Along with an extra point from Mike Nugent, the Jets now had a 20–7 lead. Due to miscommunication, Chad Pennington was forced to use two time-outs early in the 4th quarter. Late in the 4th quarter, Pennington moved Miami down the field, including connecting on a 14-yard pass from 4th-and-7 at midfield. Pennington completed an 11-yard touchdown pass to David Martin with 3:27 remaining, cutting the Jets' lead to 6 points. The Jets, who ran the clock down to the two-minute warning, went three-and-out on their drive, giving the ball back to Miami at their 34-yard line with 1:53 remaining. Pennington moved the team down the field, getting to the 18-yard line with 18 seconds on the clock. On 3rd-and-10 from the 18-yard line, Pennington attempted a throw to Ted Ginn Jr. in the back of the end zone, but it was intercepted by Darrelle Revis, sealing the six-point win for the Jets.
With the win, the Jets began their 2008 season at 1–0.
Brett Favre, in his Jets debut, completed 15 of 22 passes for 194 yards and 2 touchdowns (with a passer rating of 125.9).
Scoring summary Scoring summary Q Team Time Scoring play Extra pointScore1 NYJ08:42TD Jerricho Cotchery, 56 pass from Brett Favre Mike Nugent kick 7 7–0 2MIA12:41 TD Anthony Fasano, 5 pass from Chad Pennington Dan Carpenter kick 7 7–7NYJ 14:52TD Chansi Stuckey, 22 pass from Brett Favre 6 13–73 NYJ 01:08TD Thomas Jones, 6 run Mike Nugent kick 7 20–74 MIA 09:28TD David Martin, 11 pass from Chad Pennington Dan Carpenter kick 7 20–14
Week 2: vs. New England Patriots
Game summary Coming off their divisional road win over the Dolphins, the Jets played their Week 2 home opener against their AFC East foe, the New England Patriots. The Jets had the first opportunity to score in the first quarter, but a 31-yard field goal attempt by new kicker Jay Feely was wide right. New York then trailed as Patriots kicker Stephen Gostkowski got a 21-yard field goal. In the second quarter, the Jets continued to trail as Gostkowski kicked a 37-yard field goal. Brett Favre got the Jets down to the 3-yard line, but after three running plays resulting in 0 net yardage, the Jets settled for a 21-yard field goal to get on the board.
In the third quarter, New England capitalized on an interception by Brandon Meriweather off a Brett Favre pass. The Patriots increased its lead 6 plays later as RB Sammy Morris got a 1-yard TD run and Gostkowski nailed a 28-yard field goal. In the fourth quarter, the Jets tried to rally as QB Brett Favre completed a 2-yard TD pass to WR Chansi Stuckey. However, the Patriots pulled away with Gostkowski's 27-yard field goal.
With the loss, New York fell to 1–1.
Scoring summary Scoring summary Q Team TimeScoring play Extra pointScore1 NE 03:00 FG Stephen Gostkowski, 21 yd field goal 3 3–0 2NE 13:16FG Stephen Gostkowski, 37 yd field goal 3 6–0NYJ 07:28FG Jay Feely, 21 yd field goal 3 6–33 NE 06:20TD Sammy Morris, 1 yd run Stephen Gostkowski kick 7 13–3NE00:17FG Stephen Gostkowski, 28 yd field goal 316–34 NYJ 10:18TD Chansi Stuckey, 2 yd pass from Brett FavreJay Feely kick 716–10NE 05:18FG Stephen Gostkowski, 27 yd field goal 3 19–10
Week 3: at San Diego Chargers
Game summary Hoping to rebound from their divisional home loss to the Patriots, the Jets flew to Qualcomm Stadium for a Week 3 MNF duel with the San Diego Chargers. In the first quarter, New York took flight as CB David Barrett returned an interception 25 yards for a touchdown. The Chargers responded with kicker Nate Kaeding getting a 36-yard field goal, along with QB Philip Rivers completing a 1-yard TD pass to FB Mike Tolbert. In the second quarter, San Diego increased its lead with CB Antonio Cromartie returning an interception 52 yards for a touchdown. The Jets answered with QB Brett Favre completing a 3-yard TD pass to WR Laveranues Coles. The turning point in the game occurred on the following kickoff, an on-side kick, which traveled only 15 yards before the Chargers picked up the ball. They then added a touchdown, with Rivers completing a 27-yard TD pass to WR Chris Chambers. Following another interception, the Chargers scored again with a 6-yard TD pass to TE Antonio Gates.