A ticket for a September 1988 game between the Jets and the Cleveland Browns.
The 1988 New York Jets season was the 29th season for the team and the 19th in the National Football League. It began with the team trying to improve upon its 6–9 record from 1987 under head coach Joe Walton. The Jets finished the season with a record of 8–7–1. Although for the second straight year they failed to qualify for the playoffs, they would play the spoiler, as a victory over their cross-town rival New York Giants in Week 16 kept the Giants out of the playoffs due to a series of tiebreakers. For the third time in his career, Ken O'Brien had the lowest rate of interceptions among quarterbacks. He had 7 interceptions in 424 passing attempts.
The Jets endured a major distraction when Mark Gastineau, the team's main pass rusher who appeared to be experiencing a career-renaissance, abruptly retired in midseason to tend to ailing actress Brigitte Nielsen.
Offseason
NFL Draft
Round |
Pick |
Player |
Position |
School/Club Team |
1 |
8 |
Dave Cadigan |
Offensive Tackle |
USC |
2 |
37 |
Terry Williams |
Defensive Back |
Bethune-Cookman |
3 |
63 |
Erik McMillan |
Defensive Back |
Missouri |
3 |
74 |
James Hasty |
Defensive Back |
Washington State |
5 |
119 |
Mike Withycombe |
Guard |
Fresno State |
6 |
146 |
Paul Frase |
Defensive End |
Syracuse |
7 |
172 |
Gary Patton |
Running Back |
Eastern Michigan |
8 |
203 |
Keith Neubert |
Tight End |
Nebraska |
9 |
230 |
Ralph Tamm |
Guard |
West Chester |
10 |
257 |
John Booty |
Defensive Back |
TCU |
11 |
287 |
John Galvin |
Linebacker |
Boston College |
12 |
314 |
Albert Goss |
Defensive Tackle |
Jackson State |
Personnel
Roster
1988 New York Jets final roster |
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Quarterbacks
Running backs
Wide receivers
Tight ends
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Offensive linemen
Defensive linemen
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Linebackers
Defensive backs
Special teams
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Reserve lists
Practice squad
Rookies in italics
Active, Inactive, Practice squad |
Regular season
Schedule
Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Game site | Attendance |
1 | September 4, 1988 | at New England Patriots | L 28–3 | Sullivan Stadium | 44,027 |
2 | September 11, 1988 | at Cleveland Browns | W 23–3 | Cleveland Municipal Stadium | 74,434 |
3 | September 18, 1988 | Houston Oilers | W 45–3 | The Meadowlands | 64,483 |
4 | September 25, 1988 | at Detroit Lions | W 17–10 | Pontiac Silverdome | 29,250 |
5 | October 2, 1988 | Kansas City Chiefs | T 17–17 (OT) | The Meadowlands | 66,110 |
6 | October 9, 1988 | at Cincinnati Bengals | L 36–19 | Riverfront Stadium | 57,482 |
7 | October 17, 1988 | Buffalo Bills | L 37–14 | The Meadowlands | 70,218 |
8 | October 23, 1988 | at Miami Dolphins | W 44–30 | Joe Robbie Stadium | 68,292 |
9 | October 30, 1988 | Pittsburgh Steelers | W 24–20 | The Meadowlands | 64,862 |
10 | November 6, 1988 | at Indianapolis Colts | L 38–14 | Hoosier Dome | 59,233 |
11 | November 13, 1988 | New England Patriots | L 14–13 | The Meadowlands | 48,358 |
12 | November 20, 1988 | at Buffalo Bills | L 9–6 (OT) | Rich Stadium | 78,389 |
13 | November 27, 1988 | Miami Dolphins | W 38–34 | The Meadowlands | 52,752 |
14 | December 4, 1988 | at Kansas City Chiefs | L 38–34 | Arrowhead Stadium | 30,059 |
15 | December 10, 1988 | Indianapolis Colts | W 34–16 | The Meadowlands | 46,284 |
16 | December 18, 1988 | New York Giants | W 27–21 | The Meadowlands | 69,770 |
Game summaries
Week 1
|
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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Jets |
3 |
0 | 0 | 0 |
3 |
• Patriots |
3 |
3 | 10 | 12 |
28 |
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[3]
Week 2
|
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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• Jets |
3 |
3 | 3 | 14 |
23 |
Browns |
3 |
0 | 0 | 0 |
3 |
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Scoring summary |
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| 1 | | NYJ | Pat Leahy 22 yard field goal | Jets 3–0 |
| 1 | | CLE | Matt Bahr 47 yard field goal | Tie 3–3 |
| 2 | | NYJ | Pat Leahy 29 yard field goal | Jets 6–3 |
| 3 | | NYJ | Pat Leahy 23 yard field goal | Jets 9–3 |
| 4 | | NYJ | Roger Vick 1 yard run (Pat Leahy kick) | Jets 16–3 |
| 4 | | NYJ | Roger Vick 3 yard run (Pat Leahy kick) | Jets 23–3 |
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[4]
Week 3
|
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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Oilers |
3 |
0 | 0 | 0 |
3 |
• Jets |
14 |
14 | 3 | 14 |
45 |
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[5]
Week 4
|
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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• Jets |
3 |
7 | 0 | 7 |
17 |
Lions |
3 |
0 | 7 | 0 |
10 |
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[6]
Week 5
|
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | OT | Total |
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Chiefs |
0 |
0 | 3 | 14 | 0 |
17 |
Jets |
3 |
7 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
17 |
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[7]
Week 6
|
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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Jets |
9 |
3 | 7 | 0 |
19 |
• Bengals |
6 |
13 | 7 | 0 |
26 |
- Date: October 9
- Location: Riverfront Stadium, Cincinnati
- Game start: 1:00 p.m.
- Game weather: 51 °F (10.6 °C), wind 9 miles per hour (14 km/h; 7.8 kn)
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[8]
Week 7
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1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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• Bills |
17 |
14 | 3 | 3 |
37 |
Jets |
0 |
7 | 7 | 0 |
14 |
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[9]
Week 8
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1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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• Jets |
6 |
24 | 7 | 7 |
44 |
Dolphins |
7 |
3 | 13 | 7 |
30 |
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[10]
Week 9
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1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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Steelers |
10 |
0 | 0 | 10 |
20 |
• Jets |
0 |
10 | 7 | 7 |
24 |
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[11]
Week 10
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1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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Jets |
0 |
14 | 0 | 0 |
14 |
• Colts |
7 |
3 | 21 | 7 |
38 |
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[12]
Week 11
|
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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• Patriots |
0 |
0 | 7 | 7 |
14 |
Jets |
0 |
3 | 3 | 7 |
13 |
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[13]
Week 12
|
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | OT | Total |
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Jets |
0 |
3 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
6 |
• Bills |
0 |
0 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
9 |
- Date: November 20
- Location: Rich Stadium • Orchard Park, New York
- Game start: 1:00 p.m. EST
- Game attendance: 78,389
- Game weather: 43 °F (6.1 °C) • wind 10 miles per hour (16 km/h; 8.7 kn)
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Scoring summary |
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| 2 | | NYJ | Pat Leahy 23 yard field goal | Jets 3–0 |
| 3 | | BUF | Scott Norwood 25 yard field goal | Tie 3–3 |
| 4 | | BUF | Scott Norwood 26 yard field goal | Bills 6–3 |
| 4 | | NYJ | Pat Leahy 40 yard field goal | Tie 6–6 |
| OT | | BUF | Scott Norwood 30 yard field goal | Bills 9–6 |
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[14]
Week 13
|
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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Dolphins |
7 |
7 | 20 | 0 |
34 |
• Jets |
7 |
17 | 0 | 14 |
38 |
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[15]
Week 14
|
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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Jets |
10 |
10 | 7 | 7 |
34 |
• Chiefs |
14 |
7 | 0 | 17 |
38 |
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[16]
Week 15
|
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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Colts |
6 |
7 | 3 | 0 |
16 |
• Jets |
10 |
0 | 21 | 3 |
34 |
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[17]
Week 16
|
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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Giants |
0 |
7 | 7 | 7 |
21 |
• Jets |
10 |
3 | 7 | 7 |
27 |
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Scoring summary |
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| 1 | | NYJ | Pat Leahy 41 yard field goal | Jets 3–0 |
| 1 | | NYJ | Mickey Shuler 5 yard pass from Ken O'Brien (Pat Leahy kick) | Jets 10–0 |
| 2 | | NYJ | Pat Leahy 20 yard field goal | Jets 13–0 |
| 2 | | NYG | Stephen Baker 5 yard pass from Phil Simms (Paul McFadden kick) | Jets 13–7 |
| 3 | | NYJ | Freeman McNeil 6 yard run (Pat Leahy kick) | Jets 20–7 |
| 3 | | NYG | Stephen Baker 9 yard pass from Phil Simms (Paul McFadden kick) | Jets 20–14 |
| 4 | | NYG | Lionel Manuel 9 yard pass from Phil Simms (Paul McFadden kick) | Giants 21–20 |
| 4 | :37 | NYJ | Al Toon 5 yard pass from Ken O'Brien (Pat Leahy kick) | Jets 27–21 |
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[18]
References
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Franchise | |
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Stadiums | |
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Culture | |
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Lore | |
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Rivalries | |
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Key personnel | |
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Division championships (4) | |
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League championships (1) | |
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Retired numbers | |
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Media | |
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Current league affiliations | |
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Former league affiliation | |
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Seasons (58) | |
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Championship seasons in bold Book:New York Jets |