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Posted at 3:10 p.m., Sunday, December 30, 2007

NFL: Nugent's FG gives Jets 13-10 OT win over Chiefs

By DENNIS WASZAK Jr.
AP Sports Writer

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — The New York Jets treated the fans who showed up — and those who stayed awake — to an overtime victory in their season finale.

Mike Nugent kicked a 43-yard field goal, after having a 33-yarder negated by a penalty, 5:13 into the extra period to give the Jets a 13-10 win over the Kansas City Chiefs today.

With both offenses struggling and a freezing rain falling throughout, not even the return of Chiefs coach Herman Edwards to Giants Stadium could spice up this one. Edwards coached the Jets from 2001-05 and led them to the playoffs three times.

Nugent made the 33-yarder that appeared to win it, but the Jets were called for holding. The officials didn't announce who the penalty was on. After Edwards called a timeout, Nugent sliced the uprights to give the Jets (4-12) the victory.

The Jets ran out to midfield to congratulate Nugent while the remaining fans cheered wildly. The victory sent the Jets off on a positive note after so much was expected following a 10-6 season and a playoff appearance in coach Eric Mangini's rookie campaign.

The loss was the ninth straight for the Chiefs (4-12), who had tied it at 10 with just under three minutes remaining in regulation.

Thomas Jones finished with 98 yards on 25 carries and caught a 15-yard touchdown pass from Kellen Clemens, who started for the Jets after missing last week with a rib injury. Clemens was 13-of-25 for 115 yards.

Kansas City tied it at 10 with 2:59 remaining when Brodie Croyle found Jeff Webb in the back of the end zone for a 26-yard touchdown.

Croyle and the Chiefs looked impressive on the nine-play, 83-yard drive that took just under 4 minutes. On third-and-6, Croyle connected with Samie Parker for 16 yards, then hit Kris Wilson for 9 yards to put the ball on the 26.

Webb took off down the right side and got behind cornerback Hank Poteat, and Croyle threw a perfect pass to tie it. Croyle, who missed most of Kansas City's game last week at Detroit when he bruised his throwing hand, was 20-of-43 for 195 yards.

The Jets took a 7-0 lead 1:53 into the second quarter on Jones' 15-yard reception off a shovel pass from Clemens, the running back's first TD catch this season.

The drive was helped by a little trickery. With New York facing a third-and-3 from Kansas City's 44, running back Leon Washington took a direct snap, rolled to his right and hit a wide-open Wallace Wright for a 36-yard gain. After Jones lost a yard on a run and Clemens was sacked by Jared Allen, New York had a third-and-goal from the 15. Clemens took the snap and the pocket collapsed quickly, but he tossed to Jones, who zigged to his left and then zagged to his right before getting into the end zone.

Kansas City's John Carney kicked a 40-yard field goal with 5:08 left in the first half to make it 7-3.

Nugent capped a 13-play, 59-yard drive by the Jets with a 27-yard field goal with 13 seconds remaining in the half.

The stadium was only about half full when the game started, and Edwards didn't receive much of a reception — positive or negative — when he and his Chiefs took the field. He was booed early in the game when he went out to talk to the officials about challenging a play that couldn't be challenged, and again when he called timeouts to try to ice Nugent before each of his kicks in overtime.

The Chiefs had just 38 net yards of offense in the first half, compared to the Jets' 169. One of the few bright spots for Kansas City was Tony Gonzalez breaking the NFL record for receptions by a tight end, when he caught his 816th career pass early in the third quarter.