1985 New York Jets season
The 1985 New York Jets season was the 26th season for the team and the 16th in the National Football League. It began with the team trying to improve upon its 7–9 record from 1984 under head coach Joe Walton. Among quarterbacks, Ken O'Brien had the lowest rate of interceptions, with only eight interceptions in 488 passing attempts. The Jets finished the season with a record of 11–5, qualifying for the top Wild Card spot in the playoffs. On October 14, during a Monday Night Halftime ceremony, the Jets retired Joe Namath's number 12, and helped inspire the Jets to a 23–7 victory over the Dolphins. In the Wild Card round of the playoffs, they fell at home to the eventual AFC champion New England Patriots 26–14.
NFL Films produced a documentary about the team's season entitled Just The Beginning; it was narrated by Jeff Kaye.
Regular Season Game summaries
Week 1 (Sunday, September 8, 1985): at [1985 [Los Angeles Raiders season|Los Angeles Raiders]]
- Point spread:
- Over/under:
- Time of game:
| Jets | Game statistics | Raiders |
| 14 | First downs | 19 |
| 24–62 | Rushes–yards | 35–122 |
| 192 | Passing yards | 258 |
| 16–29–2 | | 15–22–0 |
| 10–61 | Sacked–yards | 4–24 |
| 131 | Net passing yards | 234 |
| 193 | Total yards | 356 |
| 0 | Return yards | 125 |
| 7–43 | | 4–37 |
| 1–0 | Fumbles–lost | 0–0 |
| 2–10 | Penalties–yards | 7–60 |
| 28:21 | Time of possession | 31:39 |
Week 2 (Sunday, September 15, 1985): vs. Buffalo Bills">1985 Buffalo Bills season">Buffalo Bills
- Point spread:
- Over/under:
- Time of game:
| Bills | Game statistics | Jets |
| First downs | |
| Rushes–yards | |
| Passing yards | |
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| Sacked–yards | |
| Net passing yards | |
| Total yards | |
| Return yards | |
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| Fumbles–lost | |
| Penalties–yards | |
| Time of possession | |
Week 3 (Sunday, September 22, 1985): at Green Bay Packers">1985 Green Bay Packers season">Green Bay Packers
- Point spread:
- Over/under:
- Time of game:
| Jets | Game statistics | Packers |
| First downs | |
| Rushes–yards | |
| Passing yards | |
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| Sacked–yards | |
| Net passing yards | |
| Total yards | |
| Return yards | |
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| Fumbles–lost | |
| Penalties–yards | |
| Time of possession | |
Week 4 (Sunday, September 29, 1985): vs. Indianapolis Colts">1985 Indianapolis Colts season">Indianapolis Colts
- Point spread:
- Over/under:
- Time of game:
| Colts | Game statistics | Jets |
| First downs | |
| Rushes–yards | |
| Passing yards | |
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| Sacked–yards | |
| Net passing yards | |
| Total yards | |
| Return yards | |
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| Fumbles–lost | |
| Penalties–yards | |
| Time of possession | |
Week 5 (Sunday, October 6, 1985): at Cincinnati Bengals">1985 Cincinnati Bengals season">Cincinnati Bengals
- Point spread:
- Over/under:
- Time of game:
| Jets | Game statistics | Bengals |
| First downs | |
| Rushes–yards | |
| Passing yards | |
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| Sacked–yards | |
| Net passing yards | |
| Total yards | |
| Return yards | |
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| Fumbles–lost | |
| Penalties–yards | |
| Time of possession | |
Week 6 (Monday, October 14, 1985): vs. Miami Dolphins">1985 Miami Dolphins season">Miami Dolphins
- Point spread:
- Over/under:
- Time of game: 2 hours, 45 minutes
| Dolphins | Game statistics | Jets |
| First downs | |
| Rushes–yards | |
| Passing yards | |
| | |
| Sacked–yards | |
| Net passing yards | |
| Total yards | |
| Return yards | |
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| Fumbles–lost | |
| Penalties–yards | |
| Time of possession | |
Week 7 (Sunday, October 20, 1985): at [1985 [New England Patriots season|New England Patriots]]
- Point spread:
- Over/under:
- Time of game: 3 hours, 4 minutes
| Jets | Game statistics | Patriots |
| First downs | |
| Rushes–yards | |
| Passing yards | |
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| Sacked–yards | |
| Net passing yards | |
| Total yards | |
| Return yards | |
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| Fumbles–lost | |
| Penalties–yards | |
| Time of possession | |
Week 8 (Sunday, October 27, 1985): vs. Seattle Seahawks">1985 Seattle Seahawks season">Seattle Seahawks
- Point spread:
- Over/under:
- Time of game: 3 hours, 15 minutes
| Seahawks | Game statistics | Jets |
| First downs | |
| Rushes–yards | |
| Passing yards | |
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| Sacked–yards | |
| Net passing yards | |
| Total yards | |
| Return yards | |
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| Fumbles–lost | |
| Penalties–yards | |
| Time of possession | |
Week 9 (Sunday, November 3, 1985): at Indianapolis Colts">1985 Indianapolis Colts season">Indianapolis Colts
- Point spread:
- Over/under:
- Time of game:
| Jets | Game statistics | Colts |
| First downs | |
| Rushes–yards | |
| Passing yards | |
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| Sacked–yards | |
| Net passing yards | |
| Total yards | |
| Return yards | |
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| Fumbles–lost | |
| Penalties–yards | |
| Time of possession | |
Week 10 (Sunday, November 10, 1985): at Miami Dolphins">1985 Miami Dolphins season">Miami Dolphins
- Point spread:
- Over/under:
- Time of game:
| Jets | Game statistics | Dolphins |
| First downs | |
| Rushes–yards | |
| Passing yards | |
| | |
| Sacked–yards | |
| Net passing yards | |
| Total yards | |
| Return yards | |
| | |
| Fumbles–lost | |
| Penalties–yards | |
| Time of possession | |
- Point spread:
- Over/under:
- Time of game: 3 hours, 29 minutes
| Buccaneers | Game statistics | Jets |
| First downs | |
| Rushes–yards | |
| Passing yards | |
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| Sacked–yards | |
| Net passing yards | |
| Total yards | |
| Return yards | |
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| Fumbles–lost | |
| Penalties–yards | |
| Time of possession | |
Week 12 (Sunday, November 24, 1985): vs. [1985 [New England Patriots season|New England Patriots]]
- Point spread:
- Over/under:
- Time of game: 3 hours, 39 minutes
| Patriots | Game statistics | Jets |
| First downs | |
| Rushes–yards | |
| Passing yards | |
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| Sacked–yards | |
| Net passing yards | |
| Total yards | |
| Return yards | |
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| Fumbles–lost | |
| Penalties–yards | |
| Time of possession | |
Week 13 (Thursday, November 28, 1985): at Detroit Lions">1985 Detroit Lions season">Detroit Lions
- Point spread:
- Over/under:
- Time of game:
| Jets | Game statistics | Lions |
| First downs | |
| Rushes–yards | |
| Passing yards | |
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| Sacked–yards | |
| Net passing yards | |
| Total yards | |
| Return yards | |
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| Fumbles–lost | |
| Penalties–yards | |
| Time of possession | |
Week 14 (Sunday, December 8, 1985): at Buffalo Bills">1985 Buffalo Bills season">Buffalo Bills
- Point spread:
- Over/under:
- Time of game:
| Jets | Game statistics | Bills |
| First downs | |
| Rushes–yards | |
| Passing yards | |
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| Sacked–yards | |
| Net passing yards | |
| Total yards | |
| Return yards | |
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| Fumbles–lost | |
| Penalties–yards | |
| Time of possession | |
Week 15 (Saturday, December 14, 1985): vs. Chicago Bears">1985 Chicago Bears season">Chicago Bears
- Point spread:
- Over/under:
- Time of game:
| Bears | Game statistics | Jets |
| First downs | |
| Rushes–yards | |
| Passing yards | |
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| Sacked–yards | |
| Net passing yards | |
| Total yards | |
| Return yards | |
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| Fumbles–lost | |
| Penalties–yards | |
| Time of possession | |
Week 16 (Sunday, December 22, 1985): vs. Cleveland Browns">1985 Cleveland Browns season">Cleveland Browns
- Point spread:
- Over/under:
- Time of game:
| Browns | Game statistics | Jets |
| First downs | |
| Rushes–yards | |
| Passing yards | |
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| Sacked–yards | |
| Net passing yards | |
| Total yards | |
| Return yards | |
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| Fumbles–lost | |
| Penalties–yards | |
| Time of possession | |
AFC Wild Card Playoffs (Saturday, December 28, 1985): vs. New England Patriots">1985 New England Patriots season">New England Patriots
- Point spread:
- Over/under:
- Time of game: 3 hours, 0 minutes
| Patriots | Game statistics | Jets |
| First downs | |
| Rushes–yards | |
| Passing yards | |
| | |
| Sacked–yards | |
| Net passing yards | |
| Total yards | |
| Return yards | |
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| Fumbles–lost | |
| Penalties–yards | |
| Time of possession | |
Awards and honors
- Ken O'Brien, NFL passing leader