Jets win with last-second FG

Associated Press

INDIANAPOLIS

Nick Folk kicked a 32-yard field goal as time expired Saturday night, giving the New York Jets a 17-16 first-round playoff victory over the Indianapolis Colts.

New York (12-5) now heads to New England for a third meeting next Sunday.

The Colts (11-6), AFC champions last year over the Jets, thought they had won it when Adam Vinatieri made a 50-yard field goal with 53 seconds left, his longest kick since 2008.

But the Jets got a 47-yard kickoff return from Antonio Cromartie and Mark Sanchez set up the field goal with an 18-yard pass to Braylon Edwards at the Colts 14. New York called timeout with 3 seconds to go, and Folk hit the winner.

New York’s LaDainian Tomlinson rushed 16 times for 82 yards and scored two TDs, both on 1-yard runs.

Peyton Manning was 18 of 26 for 225 yards and one TD.

Jets wide receiver and kick returner Brad Smith suffered a quadriceps injury early in the game, but the Chaney High graduate returned to the field.

The special teams standout left in the first quarter after hurting himself while trying to block a punt. He went to the locker room briefly, then returned to the sideline.

Smith is also a running threat who occasionally steps in for Mark Sanchez when the Jets go to their wildcat offense. He ran for 299 yards and a touchdown this season, and returned two kickoffs for scores.

Smith returned a kickoff 18 yards in the third quarter and carried the ball once for 8 yards.

The Jets trailed 10-7 entering the fourth quarter but Tomlinson’s 1-yard run gave them a 14-10 lead with 9:59 remaining.

Manning led the Colts on a pair of field goal drives, the last coming on Vinatieri’s 50-yarder with just under a minute remaining.

The Colts led 7-0 at halftime, but the Jets opened the second half with a 41-yard kickoff return by Cromartie, then methodically moved down the field. New York went 62 yards in nine plays before Tomlinson’s 1-yard run tied the game with 9:48 left in the third quarter.