Testaverde Is Driving Force

Vinny Testaverde ignored the pressure and led the New York Jets to another come-from-behind victory in the fourth quarter.

Testaverde, who has led New York to four fourth-quarter comeback victories, threw a six-yard touchdown pass to Anthony Becht in the final minute Sunday night to give the Jets a 29-28 win over the Indianapolis Colts.

“Considering everything, all the pressure on us winning in December, the playoff pressure, never winning here--at least I hadn’t won here--and being on national television, that’s probably one of the best drives I’ve been associated with coming in a winning game,” Testaverde said.

Testaverde, who also rallied the Jets four times in the fourth quarter last season, has done it each of the last two weeks. And both were won with short touchdown passes to Becht.

“When we got the ball back, I told them we were going to win the game,” Jet Coach Herman Edwards said. “There was no doubt in my mind we were going to win this game.”

Not even with the Jets trailing, 28-22, with 2:48 remaining and without a timeout.

Before the final drive, the Jets’ only touchdown came on Testaverde’s 25-yard pass to Lamont Jordan in the first quarter.

After that, the Jets relied on five field goals by John Hall until Testaverde took control in the closing minutes.

The Jets stopped the Colts on the next series to preserve the victory--and eliminated Indianapolis, Denver, Tennessee and Cleveland from playoff contention.

They also moved them within a half-game of the AFC East-leading New England Patriots.

Testaverde started the decisive drive with a 23-yard completion to Wayne Chrebet and hooked up again with Chrebet on a 16-yard pass.

Then, Testaverde improvised as he scrambled down the field, pitching the ball to Curtis Martin. The play gained 23 yards and put the Jets (9-5) in position to score. Martin rushed for 122 yards in 23 carries.

“There was nobody around except one defender who was going to chase me,” Testaverde said. “I just flipped it back to him.”

On the next play, Testaverde found Martin for a 15-yard gain, and then threw to Becht for the touchdown. Hall kicked the extra point for the lead--and the win.

Testaverde finished 27 for 48 for 285 yards and two touchdowns with two interceptions. Chrebet caught eight passes for 118 yards.

Indianapolis is 5-9.