Four years ago, Victor Cruz caught a short pass, took it 99 yards and changed the course of two franchises. The epic play propelled the New York Giants to a Super Bowl, and it sent the New York Jets into a three-year funk. Some might argue they still haven't emerged from it.
Antonio Cromartie could have stopped Cruz, but he whiffed on the tackle.
"Believe me," the Jets' cornerback said Monday, "that's something I've never lost sleep over."
Oh, really? Plenty have, including fans, teammates and coaches.
On Sunday, the Jets and Giants meet in the regular season for the first time since that fateful day. Dec. 24, 2011 -- a.k.a. "The Fight Before Christmas." Once again, the game is dripping with playoff ramifications for both teams. Back then, it was Week 16, so there was no margin for error.
The Jets made a big error, and it cost them dearly. The Cruz touchdown took only 15 seconds, from the snap of the ball to the moment he reached the end zone, but those 15 seconds haunted them for a long time.
But not Cromartie, who said he has no specific recollections from the 29-14 loss, not even the Cruz touchdown.
"No, I wasn't covering him, so that play won't ever stand out for me," he said. "That's a play that's over and done with. It's four years old, so that wouldn't stick with me at all."
Nickel back Kyle Wilson covered Cruz, who caught the third-down pass at the 11-yard line. Cruz should've been tackled immediately, but he hit the brakes, took a half-step backward and watched as Wilson and Cromartie tackled air.
"Yeah, I was in the vicinity," Cromartie said. "I came off my guy to try to help Kyle Wilson on the tackle. I missed the tackle. He went 99 yards."
Safety Eric Smith chased Cruz for 30 yards, but his knees were in such bad shape that he had no shot. The other safety, Brodney Pool, broke late and never got into the play. The Jets' coaches were furious, not knowing why Pool reacted so slowly. A few days later, they discovered Pool, who had a history of migraines, was playing with vision in only one eye after absorbing a head blow earlier in the game. He never alerted the coaches because he wanted to stay in the game.
It was the 13th 99-yard touchdown in league history. The Jets, who dominated the first 28 minutes, crashed faster than someone on an energy-drink rush. They lost the following week in Miami to finish 8-8, triggering a tumultuous offseason. The Giants never lost again and won their fourth Super Bowl title.
The loss was a point of demarcation for the Rex Ryan era. Before then, he was 28-18. Afterward, he went 18-31. The Jets still haven't been back to the playoffs.
Only 11 players on the Jets' roster were in uniform for that game, including four defenders on the field for Cruz's touchdown -- Cromartie, Darrelle Revis, Calvin Pace and David Harris. Nick Mangold played center. He declined to reminisce.
"Shoot, it was so long ago," he said. "I remember being cold."
The Cruz touchdown still produces chills, good and bad, depending on your allegiance.
