NY Jets 24, Oakland 22

OAKLAND, Calif., Jan. 6 (UPI) -- John Hall's booming 53-yard field goal with 59 seconds remaining Sunday lifted the New York Jets into the playoffs with a 24-22 victory over the Oakland Raiders.

Tom Tupa saved the day for the Jets by fielding a low snap and giving Hall a good hold for his kick.

"It was the biggest one I've ever made," said Hall, who is in his fifth year with the Jets.

The win was the first for the Jets (10-6) in Oakland since 1962 and clinched a wild card berth. New York will go on the road next weekend in the wild card round against either the Raiders or Miami.

"For this team, it's long overdue," Jets rookie coach Herman Edwards said.

The AFC West champion Raiders (10-6) closed the season with three straight losses, costing them a first-round playoff bye. Sunday's defeat coupled with New England's win over the Carolina Panthers gave the Patriots a first-round bye.

"Three weeks in a row, we got beat on virtually the last play of the game," Raiders coach Jon Gruden said. "It's hard to breathe, its hard to see straight. We need to go out and play the game and quit reading about how old and how tired we are."

The Jets had a disturbing trend of late-season failures, compiling a 15-31 record in December and January since 1991 and missing a chance to lock up a playoff berth last week with a 14-9 loss at home to the lowly Buffalo Bills.

The field goal was especially sweet for Hall, who was wide left on a 35-yard field goal attempt with 12 seconds left in a costly 10-7 loss to Detroit last season when the Jets dropped their final three games and missed the playoffs with a 9-7 record.

"They could have easily cut me off last year, but they didn't," Hall said of the Jets' decision to stay with him as their kicker.

It appeared the Jets were on the verge of suffering another heartbreaking defeat when Brad Daluiso, signed on Thursday by Oakland to replace injured Sebastian Janikowski, kicked a 37-yard field goal with 6:05 left to give the Raiders a 22-21 lead.

But the Jets got a reprieve when Oakland failed to convert what appeared to be a certain first down. On third and two at the Oakland 37, quarterback Rich Gannon rolled to his right and overthew wide-open tight end Roland Williams at the 45 with 2:23 left.

"I just missed him," Gannon said. "I was a little quick. It's a throw I usually make. I was anticipating going to (Jon) Ritchie in the flat and when I checked back to Roland, there was a retreating linebacker and he jumped up and kind of forced me to reshuffle."

After rookie Santana Moss returned the ensuing punt 11 yards, the Jets started the winning drive at their own 36 with 2:12 remaining. Facing third and 10, Vinny Testaverde rolled to his right and threw a 15-yard pass to Kevin Swayne, who has played in both the XFL and the Arena League in the past year.

Testaverde then made a risky throw across the field, but connected with Laveranues Coles on the left sideline for a 10-yard gain. Coles finished with five receptions for a career-high 111 yards.

Following an incompletion, Testaverde threw a four-yard pass to tight end Anthony Becht, who was tackled by rookie safety Derrick Gibson at the Oakland 35. On third and six, Testaverde again intended to hit Becht, but the pass went off the hand of Raiders linebacker William Thomas.

Facing a fourth and six at the Oakland 35, Jets rookie coach Herman Edwards decided to go for the field goal. With a playoff berth on the line, Hall watched Tupa trap a low snap and then blasted the ball through the uprights.

Tom did a good job of holding it," Hall said. "I knew the ball was good. I just hoped it had enough distance."

"We know he has enough leg, no question about it," Testaverde said. "It's the biggest kick I've ever been around."

The Raiders still had 59 seconds to get into field goal range, but could not even manage a first down. Rich Gannon threw an incompletion and hit Charlie Garner with a short pass, but the running back was tackled for no gain. Gannon attempted to hit Jerry Rice over the middle on the next play, but he was well covered by Ray Mickens.

On fourth and 10 at the Oakland 20, Gannon barely eluded defensive end John Abraham and threw an incompletion with 29 seconds left.

The Jets were 0-8-1 here since 1962 and had lost seven of their last eight games overall to Oakland before Sunday.

New York's Curtis Martin, who was named to his third Pro Bowl last week, was held to 50 yards on 16 carries and finished second to Kansas City's Priest Holmes for the NFL rushing title. Martin had 1,505 yards and Holmes rushed for 1,555 yards.

"I'll give up the rushing title and any awards, any personal recognition to make the playoffs at any time without any hesitation," Martin said.

Testaverde, who absorbed media criticism during the week after openly questioning the play calling of offensive coordinator Paul Hackett, was 18 of 29 for 230 yards, including a 40-yard touchdown to Coles, with two interceptions.

"This is especially satisfying after the week we've been through," Testaverde said. "After last year, this is certainly gratifying and it feels great."

Rookie LaMont Jordan scored on a 46-yard run in the third quarter and the Jets received a touchdown from special teams when Chris Hayes blocked a punt and rookie Jason Glenn recovered it at the Oakland four and raced into the end zone.

Gannon, who also spoke out of turn this past week when he said the Raiders "lacked discipline" after last week's loss at Denver, was 23 of 38 for 224 yards, including an 18-yard touchdown to Williams.

Daluiso kicked field goals of 23, 44 and 37 yards, but missed a 28-yarder and an extra point.

Janikowski missed the game due to cellulitis, a swelling condition in his kicking foot.

"He (Janikowski) was in the hospital for three days," Gruden said. "He kicked the ball around a little yesterday. We expect to have him ready (next week), but you really can't say for sure."