East Rutherford, NJ (Sports Network) - Shonn Greene scored a touchdown with 4:30 remaining and Dwight Lowery sealed the victory with a 26-yard interception return for a score, as the New York Jets held off the Minnesota Vikings, 29-20, in a game filled with storylines.
The most intriguing story being the start of Randy Moss' second stint with the Vikings, who acquired the All-Pro wideout from the Patriots on Wednesday. Moss, who started his career with seven star-studded seasons in Minnesota (1998-2004), caught four passes for 81 yards and a touchdown.
Mark Sanchez completed 21-of-44 passes for 191 yards for the Jets (4-1), who got five field goals from Nick Folk in a game that was delayed 45 minutes at the start due to lightning.
Greene carried the ball 10 times for 57 yards, while LaDainian Tomlinson rushed for 94 yards on 20 carries for New York, which has won four straight games since opening the season with a loss to the Ravens.
Brett Favre, who played for the Jets in 2008, connected on 14-of-34 passes for 264 yards, three touchdowns and a pick for the Vikings (1-3), who were coming off a bye week. Favre became the first player in NFL history to throw 500 TD passes and record 70,000 passing yards.
Percy Harvin caught five passes for 97 yards and two touchdowns. Adrian Peterson carried the ball 18 times for 88 yards.
"There's a lot of football left. With all the mistakes that we made tonight, we still had a chance to win the game and that's encouraging," Favre said.
Trailing 12-0 early in the third quarter, the Vikings' offense finally came alive. Minnesota converted three third downs on a 10-play, 72-yard drive. Faced with a 3rd-and-17 from the Jets' 37-yard line, Favre launched a deep pass down the right sideline. The football fell into the hands of Moss in the end zone with 2:10 left.
Brad Smith's 86-yard return on the ensuing kickoff set up Folk's 31-yard field goal for a 15-7 New York lead.
Minnesota answered with a touchdown to get within two points. An offensive pass interference call on Moss make it 3rd-and-19 from the New York 34. Favre threw the ball to the middle of the field for Harvin, who sprinted to the left sideline and into the end zone. A failed two-point conversion kept the score at 15-13 with 12:47 to play in the fourth.
Following a series of punts, the Jets started from their own 34. A 16-yard Braylon Edwards catch and 16-yard Tomlinson run had New York at the Minnesota 23. Greene then found a gap on the right side of the line and scampered into the end zone for a 22-13 advantage with 4:30 to go.
Favre and the Vikings made things interesting. After Harvin returned the kickoff 44 yards, Favre put together a five-play drive. Harvin capped the march with an 11-yard catch in the back of the end zone. The extra point cut the deficit to 22-20 with 3:09 left.
After forcing New York to punt, Minnesota got the ball back at its own 16 with 1:48 to play. Following two bad passes, Favre was picked off by Lowery, who went 26 yards the other way for a 29-20 Jets lead.
"I played what I felt. I made a break on the ball," Lowery said of the game- sealing play. "The pressure got there and [Favre] had to hold the ball more than a split second than he wanted to, and the rest is history."
Minnesota got to the New York 39 as time ran out.
The Vikings wasted little time in getting Moss involved. On the first play of the game, Favre handed the ball off to Harvin, who gave the football to Moss on a reverse. Moss then threw a nine-yard pass to Favre. The play was called back after it was ruled Favre was an ineligible receiver. Minnesota added two false start penalties during a three-and-out.
Minnesota did little with its next possession, and a 37-yard punt by Chris Kluwe gave the Jets great field position. Tomlinson rushed the ball three times during a seven-play drive that resulted in a 25-yard Folk field goal.
Folk's 53-yard field goal extended New York's margin to 6-0 with 5:29 to go in the half. On the ensuing Vikings possession, Favre fumbled the snap near midfield.
The Jets put together a 14-play drive as the rain started again. Folk made a 22-yarder to make it a 9-0 game at the break. Minnesota recorded three first downs and 51 yards of total offense in the first half.
Favre fumbled the ball early in the third quarter, which led to a 34-yard Folk field goal for a 12-0 contest.