Mark Brunell, 11-17 for 118 yards and 2 TDs, lead the Jets to a 21-17 victory over Philadelphia on Thursday night.
With starter Mark Sanchez set to spend more time as an offense coordinator than a quarterback on Thursday night, Jets backup QB Mark Brunell got the keys to the team’s offense and showed he still has something left in the tank in the team’s final preseason game vs. Philadelphia.
The 17-year vet threw for 118 yards and 2 TDs, completing 11 of 17 passes along the way. Brunell punctuated his night when he connected with Santonio Holmes on a 51-yard touchdown pass at the outset of the 4th quarter to take the lead from the Eagles.
“I think the evidence is in the fact that we moved the ball,” Brunell told the Associated Press. “Any time you learn an offense, it takes a little time to get comfortable, but I feel like I’m there now.”
Holmes, seeing his last action before he has to start a 4-game suspension for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy, finished the game with 4 receptions for 97 yards and a TD. After the game, the former Super Bowl MVP had nothing but praise for his 40-year-old teammate.
“I know he’ll probably kill me,” Holmes said to the Newark Star-Ledger, “but the old guy’s still got it in him.”
Coach Rex Ryan was equally impressed with Brunell’s play. “A 124 quarterback rating is pretty impressive; two touchdown passes,” Ryan said, sounding star-struck by the performance. “I was really happy with the way Mark played today.”
Starting QB Sanchez, who was held out of the game, was given a chance to call some plays for Brunell as to further familiarize himself with the playbook before the Jets Monday night opener next week vs. Baltimore.
“I thought Mark [Sanchez] did really well,” Brunell said. “Certainly he has a good feel for the game and made some very smart calls in there, so it was pretty impressive for a young guy.”
Third-string Kellen Clemens started the second half by leading the Jets on a scoring drive that ended with a 14-yard TD run by Danny Woodhead. He left after the series with an apparent arm injury. Clemens, who took a pay cut to re-sign with the team earlier this week, finished 7-13 for 70 yards.
The only blemish for the Jets was their continuing struggles with turnovers. They lost 3 fumbles, including another from rookie RB Joe McKnight who has fumbled 3 times so far this preseason.