It’s Not Pretty, but Majkowski and Colts Win : AFC: In his first start in two years, quarterback survives three fumbles and two interceptions for a 28-25 victory over Jets.

INDIANAPOLIS —  The Majik Man got lucky, no thanks to his butter-fingered teammates and a couple errant passes of his own.

Don Majkowski, making his first NFL start in two years, passed for one touchdown and ran for another as the Indianapolis Colts survived five turnovers and defeated the New York Jets, 28-25, Sunday.

“I felt comfortable, but as the game went on they made a lot of adjustments that took a lot of things away,” Majkowski said. “They made it a lot more difficult to throw the ball, but we mixed it up and . . . found ways to be effective.”

Promoted to start ahead of Jim Harbaugh earlier in the week, Majkowski was 14 of 22 for 159 yards in his first start since he was released by Green Bay after the 1992 season. “It feels good to get my first one over with. I’ve waited for two years,” he said. “We hung in there. We played really well, but at crucial times gave the ball up so many times when we had momentum going, we let them back in the game.”

The Colts (4-5) took a 14-0 lead in the first quarter, but lost three of four fumbles and had two passes by Majkowski intercepted. One was returned 18 yards for a touchdown by Mo Lewis late in the third quarter. A two-point conversion pass from Boomer Esiason to Rob Moore made the score 21-18.

Marshall Faulk, who had a one-yard touchdown run in the third quarter, added a touchdown on a fourth-down, 29-yard carry midway through the final quarter.

The Jets (4-4) came back with a 41-yard touchdown pass from Esiason to Moore with 5:21 left. Then, after an Indianapolis punt two minutes later, Esiason took the Jets to the Colts’ 38, where a fourth-and-one pass to Moore came up two inches short after a hard tackle by Eugene Daniel.

“You need some big plays on both sides of the ball,” Majkowski said. “We came up with a big play when Marshall scored on fourth and one. Then the defense came up and stopped them. That was a big play.”

Faulk, the second player picked in this year’s draft, rushed 24 times for 110 yards. The game ended with Indianapolis at the New York seven after a 31-yard run by Faulk and two unsportsmanlike conduct penalties on the Jets’ Donald Evans, who was ejected.