Seahawks Can’t Hold Lead as Jets Rally to Win, 17-14

Quarterback Ken O’Brien Sunday rallied New York from behind for the first time in his career and also helped the Jets do something they had never done before, beat the Seattle Seahawks.

O’Brien tossed a 15-yard touchdown pass to Wesley Walker with 5:11 to play as the Jets rallied from a 14-point deficit and ended years of frustration against Seattle by downing the Seahawks, 17-14, at Giants Stadium.

The victory was the Jets’ first against the Seahawks in eight games and gave New York (6-2) sole possession of first place in the AFC East.

“It’s a great feeling,” said O’Brien, who completed 13 of 25 passes for 182 yards and 2 touchdowns. “We haven’t done that since I’ve been here. It’s not really a pretty win, but it’s a big win. It’s much more meaningful to come back and win a close one like that than to win, 42-0.”

O’Brien, who was sacked seven times for 59 yards in losses, hit Walker on a post pattern and the speedy receiver held onto the ball despite taking a hard lick from Terry Taylor.

The Jets entered the second half trailing, 14-0, and rallied behind a rugged defense and an offense led by O’Brien, a third-year pro, and running back Freeman McNeil, who gained 151 yards on 22 carries.

O’Brien and McNeil, who missed last week’s game with a fractured rib, combined on a 16-yard scoring pass with 4:10 left in the third quarter to cut the Seahawks’ lead to 14-7.

The Jets closed the gap to 14-10 early in the fourth quarter when Davlin Mullin intercepted a Dave Krieg pass at the Seattle 40 and returned it to the Seahawks’ 26. Four plays later, Pat Leahy booted a 41-yard field goal.

The Jets’ winning drive covered 91 yards in seven plays. O’Brien hit four passes to four different receivers on the march to account for 72 of the yards.

Seattle (4-4) scored all its points in the second quarter. Krieg hit Daryl Turner on a 45-yard touchdown pass early in the quarter. It marked the 26th consecutive game that Krieg has thrown a touchdown pass, the second-longest streak in NFL history.