Patriots' punt return TD with seconds remaining stuns Jets

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It had been a long time since a punt return for a touchdown in the National Football League, and it couldn't have come at a better time.

Jones' 84-yard return for a touchdown, in which he crossed the goal line with five seconds remaining in regulation, was the difference between the two teams.

"I've never been part of a game like that at any level of football," said the longest tenured player on the team.

The way that game ended was amazing. It was very similar to a movie script. I think of all the football movies, like "Rudy," "Any Given Sunday" and "Remember the TITANS"

In 2010, the Eagles' DeSean Jackson had a 65-yard punt return for a touchdown in the final 30 seconds of the game.

The only touchdown in Sunday's game was a game-winner with less than 30 seconds remaining in regulation, marking the third time since the 1970 merger that a touchdown has been scored with less than 30 seconds remaining.

Larry Csonka's rushing touchdown with 17 seconds remaining in the Dolphins' win over the Chiefs was one of the other ones.

Jones said he was surprised to have the opportunity because the Jets had been punting the football closer to the sideline on the day in question.

Jones, who led the NCAA with two punt return touchdown in his senior year at the University of Houston, returned the punt to the 16-yard line.

He ran towards the right sideline, building up speed as he moved up the field, before cutting to the inside around the 50-yard line as Mann tried to bring him down. Jones was not touched as he sprinted down the field.

The 5-foot-8, 175-pound Jones said that his first thing was ball security, making sure he tracked the ball. That would not have been possible without my teammates. I was following my teammates and saw the punter and thought I should be able to go the distance.

Kevin Faulk returned a kick 86 yards for a touchdown in Week 11 of the 2002 season.

It is the first punt return touchdown for the Pats in the fourth quarter since 1996, against the New York Giants.

Jones did not return two punts in the second half because of an ankle injury. He said that part of the reason it was special was that his parents attended their first football game.

The touchdown was not nullified by a penalty for a block in the back because Mack Wilson Jr. made contact with the Jets' captain.

He said that he believed it was a penalty, but that Jones shouldn't have gotten that far with the return. I'm responsible for that. The ref has the final say on the penalty. They did not think it was a penalty. I put it on the chin. I can't believe it. I don't feel good about letting my team down.

He thought the block was legal.

I was in front of him as I ran. He said that he would have used a one-armed push technique instead of a full-blooded blow if he was behind the other man.

Mann hung one out in the middle on his 10th attempt after handling the elements well up to that point.

Mann is in his third season out of Texas A&M. I probably needed to get it out of bounds or hang it up for my troops to cover.

On Sunday, the Jets play the Bears.

With their 14th straight victory over the Jets, the New England Pats visit the Minnesota Vikings on Thursday.