Oilers Punch the Jets Out of Playoffs, 24-0 : AFC: Cody Carlson leads Houston to its 11th win in a row, a 24-0 victory that eliminates New York.

Reserve quarterback Cody Carlson guided the Houston Oilers to a 24-0 victory over the New York Jets Sunday night, knocking the Jets out of the playoffs.

The victory stretched Houston’s (12-4) winning streak to 11 games. The Oilers already had secured a first-round bye and a home game for the second round of the playoffs. It was Houston’s first ever 12-victory season.

The Jets (8-8) could have reached the playoffs with a victory, but their loss sent the Pittsburgh Steelers (9-7) against Kansas City next Saturday.

It was the fifth time in the last six games the Jets scored seven points or fewer. They lost their last three games.

“We were beaten by a superior team,” Jet Coach Bruce Coslet said. “That’s unfortunate, because we were playing for a playoff spot. Maybe we’re just not there yet. This is the first time we’ve had our rear ends handed to us.”

The Oilers and Jets scuffled on the field several times in the first quarter, but the real brawl was on the Oilers’ sideline.

Defensive coordinator Buddy Ryan took a punch at offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride shortly after Houston got the ball with 37 seconds left in the half. Instead of running out the clock, Carlson attempted two passes, fumbling the second attempt.

The Jets’ Bill Pickel recovered at Houston’s 18 with 24 seconds to play, giving the Jets a chance to score before the half. But the Jets missed a field goal and Houston led 14-0 at the half.

After the squabble between Ryan and Gilbride cooled down, the Oilers set about dispatching the Jets, who also were shut out in the their finale last season, against New Orleans. New York gained 169 yards.

Carlson, subbing for injured Warren Moon, directed the Oilers to a 14-0 halftime lead and made it look easy, going to 22 yards to Ernest Givins and eight yards to Gary Brown for the scores.

Carlson, playing despite a groin injury that hampered his running ability, completed 23 of 38 passes for 247 yards. Moon is sidelined with a broken rib, but he’s expected to be ready for the playoffs.

“This keeps the momentum going, but we have to learn from our mistakes,” Carlson said. “We have to polish some things offensively, but it is a good feeling to win and keep the streak going.”

A 38-yard field goal by Al Del Greco in the third quarter made it 17-0, then Brown ran 16 yards for the final touchdown.

Brown gained 85 yards Sunday to go over 1,000 yards, despite starting only seven games. He finished with 1,002.

The Oilers recorded a team-record six sacks, including four on Esiason.

“I didn’t think they were in the upper echelons of the top two or three teams,” Esiason said. “but tonight they made a believer out of me.”