The old man can still play.

I checked out the second half of last evening’s Thursday night NFL game between the New York Jets and New England Patriots.

Newsflash: The old man can still play!

Jets QB Brett Favre led his club to a 34-31 overtime victory, giving them sole possession of first place in the AFC East division. But Favre was most impressive after his club blew a 24-6 lead.

With the score tied at 24 in the fourth quarter, Favre and Co. took the field after three consecutive lackluster offensive possessions. Despite the Patriots seemingly having all the momentum, the Jets took a 31-24 lead on a Thomas Jones 1-yard touchdown run, concluding a 14 play, 67 yard drive. Said drive, which chewed up 7:06 off the clock, was vintage Favre. He still had the ability to reach down and put together a professional drive despite his offense having sputtered the entire third quarter (15 yards total offense).

But with 1:06 remaining and no time outs, the Patriots marched 62 yards, culminated by a 16-yard touchdown pass from Matt Cassel to Randy Moss with one second left. That tied the score at 31, heading into overtime.

With the Jets starting OT at their 20-yard line, Favre was sacked and then threw an incomplete pass. With the Jets facing a third and 15, the Pats, with momentum and a raucous crown on their side, needed a stop to force a punt and turn the ball back to their offense on a potentially short field. But as he has done so often throughout an 18-year career, Favre broke the hearts of opponents and their fans when he hit TE Dustin Keller for a 16-yard completion. I sensed the Patriots were pretty demoralized after that play. From there, the Jets offense continued to move the chains with Favre performing his patented late game magic. He completed several throws on the run, including a nice 16-yard completion to Laveranues Coles in which Favre rolled to his right and threw across his body to Coles over the middle. Four plays later, kicker Jay Feely booted a 34-yard field goal for the victory.

Warning to the rest of the NFL: Favre is having fun again. That has never been a pleasant site for opponents.

-------------------------------------------------