Testaverde Shows He's Not the Retiring Type By Karen Crouse New York Times 10/10/05 EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J., Oct. 9 - It was clear which player the crowd came to see Sunday at Giants Stadium. When 41-year-old Vinny Testaverde jogged onto the field for his first series in nine months, in his first game as the Jets' quarterback in two years, the fans gave him a standing ovation that Testaverde said "sent chills through me." But early on, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' offense was like the straight man hogging the stage. The Buccaneers held the ball for 22 minutes 50 seconds in the first half, running 48 offensive plays to the Jets' 15. But in the end, Testaverde and the Jets won back the applause with a 14-12 victory over previously unbeaten Tampa Bay. Testaverde, signed Sept. 27 and replacing the ineffective Brooks Bollinger, said his greatest fear was going out and not playing well. "The first game back after a long time off, that's certainly a concern," he said. "The first pass I threw, I had zip on the ball, and I put it where I wanted to. I felt good from there." Testaverde and the rest of the offense rose to the challenge issued by Coach Herman Edwards at halftime. With the Jets trailing, 9-7, Edwards told his offense, "Take the ball and go score a TD." It was no simple request. With Curtis Martin's 2-yard run in the second quarter, the Jets ended an offensive-touchdown scoring drought of seven-plus quarters and 120:24, dating to the second quarter of their overtime loss in Week 3 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. In that game, the starting quarterback Chad Pennington and his backup Jay Fiedler were lost to shoulder injuries. Testaverde, who had watched that game from the couch of his Long Island home, would follow Edwards's orders to a T. Under his command, the Jets drove 59 yards in 10 plays, with Martin covering the final yard to give the Jets a 14-9 lead. It was the Jets' longest scoring drive in three games, and it liberated them from their recent futility. It was one for the ageless. "I hope my agent negotiates my part in the Disney movie," said left guard Pete Kendall of Testaverde, who was the fourth-oldest quarterback to start an N.F.L. game in the Super Bowl era, after Steve DeBerg, Warren Moon and Doug Flutie. Testaverde completed 13 of 19 passes for 163 yards, which led Kendall to say: "The guy goes in and makes enough plays in the passing game to keep the Buccaneers honest. He did a good job managing the game for us." The Jets (2-3) snapped a two-game losing streak. The Buccaneers (4-1) pulled to 14-12 on a 30-yard field goal by Matt Bryant with four minutes left in the game. It was set up by Testaverde's only interception, by Ronde Barber. The Buccaneers then drove from their 12 to the Jets' 34 in the final minute. But time ran out after Brian Griese found Joey Galloway on a 26-yard pass across the middle. Tampa Bay was without a timeout and could not stop the clock to set up a field-goal attempt by Bryant, who also made kicks from 35, 36 and 43 yards. The Jets' defense held Tampa Bay, which had converted 47.6 percent of its third downs in its first four games, to 2 third-down conversions in 14 attempts. Griese was sacked three times - twice by defensive tackle Dewayne Robertson. Cornerback Ty Law intercepted Griese once and had a second interception negated by a pass-interference call. Griese was 27 of 42 passing for 226 yards. The interception by Law in the second quarter set up an 8-yard scoring drive that was capped by Martin's first touchdown of the season. His 2-yard score was no small relief considering that the previous week against Baltimore, Martin twice failed to get into the end zone on a drive that started at the Ravens' 1. "The worst feeling in the world for a running back is to get stopped on the 1-yard line no matter what the circumstances are," said Martin, who gained 59 yards on 23 carries. "If the defense gets you the ball that close and you don't capitalize, it's disheartening to the defense. It takes the air out of their sails." Laveranues Coles was Testaverde's favorite target with 6 catches, 5 that resulted in first downs, for 89 yards. Seventeen of Coles's 22 receptions this season have gone for first downs or touchdowns. "That's a credit to 'Dinger's offense," said Coles, a reference to the offensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger, whom Coles described as a chess master who puts his players in good positions. "I'm just the pawn," Coles said with a laugh. The only catch by Coles that did not go for a first down came during the opening series of the second half. Testaverde was 3 for 3 on the drive, his biggest completion going to tight end Doug Jolley on third-and-1 at midfield; Jolley turned it into a 16-yard gain. Martin had 7 carries for 18 yards on the drive. "It was a big lift for our whole team, seeing Vinny go out there and get the cheers and seeing him go out there in his few throws and connect like that," Law said. "When Vinny and the receivers and the offensive line have their schemes together, they can be just as dominating as we can be" on defense.