Jets Q&A: Whew! That was close!

That was some ending, huh?

Breno Giacomini said he never thought the win was in doubt, even as the Titans lateraled the ball down the field in a last-ditch effort to beat the Jets.

"I know that there's been miracles here before, but good thing it wasn't today,'' he said.

With the Jets ahead 16-11, time running out and the Titans at their own 42-yard line, quarterback Charlie Whitehurst threw a 6-yard pass to Dexter McCluster, who lateraled to Leon Washington back at the Tennessee 38. Washington lateraled to Whitehurst for a 20-yard pickup to the Jets' 42, and the quarterback promptly lateraled to Delanie Walker -- this time for 33 yards.

Fortunately for the Jets, Dawan Landry pushed Walker out of bounds at the 9 to end the game.

"Man, that was kind of scary,'' said rookie safety Calvin Pryor, who left the game for a while after suffering a shoulder stinger. "[Walker] thought he had seen daylight, but Dawan did a good job of getting him on the ground.''

Said Giacomini: "That was probably the weirdest game I've ever been in.''

Why was the game so chippy?

For two teams who aren't even in the same division, there seemed to be a lot of hatred on the field. There was the melee that erupted in the third quarter after defensive tackle Jurrell Casey struck Geno Smith in the helmet after exchanging words. Then there was the unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on Titans linebacker Wesley Woodyard for pushing Eric Decker after an incomplete pass from Smith.

Woodyard, however, said he did nothing on the penalty, adding that Decker, his former Broncos teammate, got up and pushed him playfully.

"He caught the ball, fell on the ground, I stood over by him and he got up and pushed me,'' Woodyard said. "[The ref said], 'That's on you, 59.' ''

As for what triggered the brawl, Casey refused to disclose what Smith said to him.

"What he said is between me and him,'' he said. "Just personal.''

What did Chris Johnson say about facing his former team?

The Jets running back said it was "a little weird'' being in the visitors' locker room at LP Field, but in the end, the victory was all that mattered. That doesn't mean he wasn't looking to make a statement against his former club.

"It was motivation, but I just tried to block all of that out and focus on the New York Jets needing a win,'' said Johnson, whose 37-yard run set up Chris Ivory's 1-yard touchdown run with 3:09 remaining. Johnson gained 55 yards on 10 carries.

What was Smith thinking on that safety?

Jets quarterbacks have not fared well in the Music City lately. Last year, Smith committed four turnovers, including a behind-the-back move that resulted in a sack-fumble in the end zone. He didn't turn the ball over Sunday, but he did commit a safety when he was called for intentional grounding in the end zone.

"The guy had a hold of me, I realized I was in the end zone,'' said Smith (16-for-28, 179 yards, one touchdown, no interceptions). "Ivory was standing almost right in front of me, so I just tried to throw it close to his feet, try to get an incomplete pass, and I think my knee may have touched the ground before I had a chance to do that.''

How is Nick Mangold's finger?

The center missed a snap during the fourth quarter after injuring his right ring finger, but he re-entered the game on the 37-yard run by Johnson that set up Ivory's touchdown. Mangold, who had his finger taped, said X-rays were negative.

What was said during Nick Folk's heated exchange with special teams assistant Louie Aguiar?

After Folk missed a 53-yard field-goal attempt that bounced off the crossbar, cameras caught the kicker and Aguiar having an animated discussion. After the game, Folk explained that 53 yards was out of the kicking range he had discussed with the coaching staff before the game. "It was just a simple miscommunication,'' Folk said. "Both parties were frustrated . . . I told myself just hit a good, clean ball and I felt I hit a good, clean ball. I mean, it went dead straight, just six inches too short. It's one of those kicks that you wish you could have back a little bit, but I set out to do what I wanted to do on that kick and just hit the crossbar.''

Later in the second quarter, after a 5-yard penalty for running into Jets punter Ryan Quigley moved the ball to the Titans' 33, Rex Ryan went back to Folk and he kicked a 51-yarder.