Jets-Saints history includes one glorious week — and one shameful Shea Stadium day

The Jets play the Saints at the building known to all as simply the Superdome on Sunday afternoon, and let’s be honest: At first glance this isn’t what you would call one of your more heated or colorful rivalries. Still, it’s had its moments, right from the first meeting at Shea Stadium on Dec. 3, 1972.

Take flight with the Jets

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In that one, Joe Namath led a drive that started at the Jets’ 16 with 90 seconds to go and moved them to the New Orleans 34 with 23 seconds left when he handed the ball off. The Jets had no timeouts, and the Saints did all they could to prevent them from getting off a 42-yard field goal to win the game.

But Bobby Howfield had already drilled five of them, and he was true with this sixth one that gave the Jets an 18-17 win at the gun and improved their record to 7-5 in their only serious run at a playoff bid between 1970 and 1980. Howfield’s mother was in from Bushey, England, and he said her visa would last until just after the Super Bowl.

“I hope she gets to go with me,” he said.