Sohn Makes It Some Win for Jets : His 46-Yard Punt Return Sets Up Field Goal in Overtime

In a showdown punctuated by big plays, one of the littlest New York Jets produced the biggest one.

Kurt Sohn, a wide receiver and kick returner who is generously listed at 5-foot-11 and 180 pounds, fielded a punt by Rich Camarillo in overtime and used a pair of crunching blocks to run 46 yards down the sideline to the New England 15-yard line.

On the next play, Pat Leahy kicked a 32-yard field goal to give New York a 16-13 victory over the Patriots and first place in the AFC East.

“You’re playing for first place and I can’t think of any game that could be bigger,” Sohn said. “This win by itself is a big step and the overtime makes it a little sweeter.

“I was setting up just to evaluate how fast they were coming down on their coverage. I didn’t want a miscue at that point. When I got to the (left) sideline and saw only the kicker in my way, I thought it might go all the way.”

Last week, Sohn had a long punt return negated by a penalty. He was asked whether his key return against New England made up for that.

“There’s no way I would trade this one, which helps to win the game, for a longer one which doesn’t make any difference in the game,” said Sohn, a fifth-year player from New York’s Fordham University. “But I don’t look at myself as the hero. That’s a funny term and I don’t know how to relate to it.”

Rusty Guilbeau, Rocky Klever and Matt Mongar also deserve credit for Sohn’s return, according to special teams coach Larry Pasquale.

“Monger, Guilbeau and Klever came to me and said ‘Let’s go left, we can break it,’ ” Pasquale said. “I listen to their suggestions all the time. When they recommend something, 99% of the time we’ll do it. You can have the greatest scheme in the world, but they have to believe in it.”

What Leahy had trouble believing was that he got the call on the next play following Sohn’s run.

“I wasn’t anticipating being thrown in,” said Leahy, whose kick was tipped at the line before it soared through the goalposts. “I was on the sidelines stretching and was still stiff after the runback.

“But the coach yelled, ‘Let’s go!’ and I said, ‘O-O-O-O-K!’ ”

The Jets took a 13-3 lead on an 88-yard touchdown pass play from Ken O’Brien to Wesley Walker in the third quarter moments after a key New England turnover. But the Patriots, who had won six straight games, rallied for 10 fourth-quarter points, including Tony Franklin’s 28-yard tying field goal with 16 seconds to go.

“Coming back felt good,” said Patriot quarterback Tony Eason, who replaced injured Steve Grogan early in the second quarter. Grogan went out with sprained knee ligaments and will be sidelined the rest of the regular season.

“You can’t pay attention to the ebbs and flows. You have to make things happen and I thought we did it in the fourth quarter.”

The Jets are now 9-3, while the Patriots are 8-4 and tied for second with Miami in the AFC East.