Jets v. Colts Postgame

Jets- 29
Colts- 15

Jets: 8-7

With everything to play for the Jets were able to pull off a miraculous win against the Colts to keep themselves in the AFC wild card picture.  At this point everyone knows the reason the Jets won this game.  Peyton Manning was pulled late in the 3rd Quarter in favor of Curtis Painter and the Jets never looked back.  With this win the Jets will control their own destiny next Sunday night when they return home to play the Cincinnati Bengals.  In this win and in scenario the Jets players should be pumped up in front of a loud Meadowlands crowd.

Thumbs Up:

• Thomas Jones and Shonn Greene both had outstanding games in this win.  Jones finished with 23 carries for 105 yards and a touchdown while Greene finished with 16 carries for 95 yards.  Greene seemed to control much of the running early as he punished Colts defenders.  Jones was able to eat up clock in the 3rd and 4th quarter after the Jets got the lead. 

•  Calvin Pace was able to create the fumble and was a major turning point in the game.  

• Brad Smith infused hope in me and other Jets fans with his kickoff return touchdown to start the second half.  The Jets offense looked dead throughout the first half and this kickoff return really put the life back into the team.

Honorable Mention: Jim Caldwell for pulling Peyton Manning.

Thumbs Down:

•  Brian Schottenheimer.  As has been said many times before and will probably continue to be said Schottenheimer gets way too "cute" with his playcalling.  The Jets opened the game backed up against their own endzone with three straight pass plays.  When the Jets got a drive going in the first half Schotty killed it by calling a reverse to Clowney which resulted in a 15 yard loss.  The tools are there for the Jets to be a strong, power running team and Schotty has to rely on that attack.

• David Clowney can't make run 15 yards backwards on that reverse play.  He needs to realize when the play is blown up.

Game Thoughts:

The Jets need one more win to get in.  Jets v. Bengals next week at 8:30 will decide out playoff hopes.  I wish I was going but instead I will be in front of a computer in Ireland at 1:30 A.M. praying for a win.  LET'S GO JETS.

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Jets v. Colts Preview

With the AFC Playoff picture getting clearer and clearer it looks like the Jets have a golden opportunity to gain control their own destiny by the end of the day.  However, this assumes that the Jets will actually be able to win a game against the 14-0 Colts.  The Colts have been good all season and it looks like Peyton Manning will be playing a complete game today unless their is a blowout in either direction.  The Jets will have to use their #1 defense and rushing attack to shut down Manning and keep him off field.

What to watch for...

• How long will the Colts starters play?  This involves a lot more than just Peyton Manning.  Manning looks like he is going to play but this does not mean Colts players such as Addai and Dwight Freeney will be in for the entire game.  If the Colts start resting some of their starters it will benefit the Jets greatly.

• Can the Jets avoid turnovers?  The Jets will need to play a perfect game to upset the undefeated Colts.  This means executing field goals, not throwing interceptions, not missing easy interceptions, and not fumbling the ball.  If Thomas Jones can get going on the ground it should help Sanchez avoid forcing bad throws.

• Can the Jets stay close early?  The Jets cannot allow Peyton Manning to get a big lead early.  Sanchez is not ready to lead this team on a big comeback and the Jets will need to be in a position in this game where they can utilize their rushing attack with Jones and Greene and use that to set up the pass.  Getting behind early could spell disaster for the Jets.

Who to watch for...

• Mark Sanchez could have this game put on his shoulders early if the Jets defense is unable to shut down Peyton Manning early.  He will have to make some big plays in this game for the Jets to have any shot.  

• Thomas Jones will have to have another good game to take the pressure off of Sanchez and to keep the clock moving and Manning off the field.  If Jones can find some holes early it will improve the Jets chances greatly.

• Lito Shephard, Donald Strickland, and Dwight Lowery will be playing across from the great Darelle Revis and will need to make plays.  The Colts have so many weapons on offense other than Reggie Wayne and they will need to be well covered.

I do not think the Jets are going to be able to win this game.  The Colts are simply too good and Peyton Manning is just amazing at both building early leads and coming back late in games.  They are tough to play on the road in the dome and the Jets will need some luck to beat him.  The defense will have to play the game of their lives and Sanchez will have to limit mistakes.

Game Prediction:
Colts- 27
Jets- 13

Jets v. Falcons Postgame

Falcons- 10
Jets-7

Jets- 7-7

The playoff hopes are just about dead as the Jets found a way to blow a game that was entirely in their grasp.  The defense came out to play today and was great for 3 and a half quarters.  However, the trend of the season continued as one aspect of the team managed to let everyone else down.  The Jets special teams today was terrible as they missed  3 field goals (one botched, one blocked, one missed).  This was an absolutely terrible way to lose the game after the offense continuously put the team in a position to score points and the special teams unit couldn't execute. 

Thumbs Up:

• Darelle Revis played another outstanding game in blanketing Roddy White and making a few great pass deflections.  There is nothing more to say about his effort as it is outstanding each and every weekend. 

•  I thought that Kerry Rhodes put together a pretty good game today.  It is hard to give him a thumbs up because of several missed tackles but he showed why he was given a huge pay day.  His pass coverage today was excellent for most of the day.

• Braylon Edwards played a great game.  His 65 yard catch was the Jets only big offensive play of the game and he also made a few other really good plays.  I really like what Edwards has done since arriving and I hope we are able to lock him up long term.  

Thumbs Down:

• Jay Feely, Kellen Clemens, and James Dearth blew this game today.  As I mentioned before the Clemens botched a chip shot field goal, Feely missed a makeable one (on a bad Dearth snap), and Feely had one blocked.  If 2/3 of these field goals had been executed the Jets would have won this game easily.  None of these opportunities were difficult and it just shows that the Jets find the most creative ways to lose games.

• Defensive non-interception.  The Jets let so many potential interceptions slip right through their hands which would have completely turned around this game.

• Last drive defense blew a game once again.  We saw this in Miami and Jaxonville where the defense could hold a team on the final drive of a game.  The Jets had the Falcons in numerous 3rd and longs today and couldn't execute. 
  

I am having trouble even talking about this game because of how bad the Jets played and how golden an opportunity they let slip through their fingers.  At 7-7 they are still in the playoff race (although barely) but this game just epitomizes this season.  The defense played amazing and the offense continuously put the team in a position to score points.  It is like it is impossible for this team to put it together in all three phases.  As I have said all season, the Jets always fall apart in one area and it costs them the game.  In this one, it was the special teams.  As for playoff scenarios, sure, they are still alive.  Actually, the Broncos loss puts the Jets in a position where they could get a potential playoff spot.  However, this team won't make the playoffs.  The only time this team looked like it deserved the playoffs was during the 3-0 start and that is way in the past at this point.  Losing and disappointment is what being a Jets fan is all about.  Why would that change now?

Falcons at Jets Pregame

Playoff Picture:

Division Leaders

Indy 13-0
SD 10-3
Cincy 9-4
NE 8-5

Wild Card Leaders

Den 8-5
Jax 7-6

In the Hunt

Bal 7-6
Mia 7-6
NYJ 7-6

Need a miracle
Pit 6-7
Ten 6-7
Hou 6-7

Important Games:

Colts at Jaguars- The Jets need the Jaguars to lose this game because of tiebreakers.  This would take another team behind the Jets (assuming the Jets win) which is always a good thing.

Dolphins at Titans- Another loss for the Dolphins would be huge because this is yet another team that the Jets lose tiebreakers against.

Oakland at Denver- If Oakland wins this game it bring the Broncos back into the already muddled AFC wild card race.

Bengals v. Chargers- If the Chargers win this game it pretty much cements them into the second spot in the AFC and the Bengals will be solidified in the 3rd spot.  The Jets need the Bengals to have nothing to play for in the final week.

Patriots at Bills-  If the Patriots lose the Jets will have an outside shot of winning the division if they win out.

Chicago at Baltimore- Chicago needs to win and knock Baltimore out of the playoff picture.

Game Preview:

Falcons at Jets:

The Jets are 7-6 and are right in the middle of the AFC wild card race.  However, they do not control their own destiny as the Jaguars and Dolphins have the same record and both win tiebreakers against the Jets.  There are plenty of question marks coming into this game.  Will Matt Ryan and Michael Turner play?  Will Mark Sanchez be the starting QB for the Jets?  The answer to these questions could go a long way to determining the outcome of this game.

What to watch for....

• How will all the injury questions play out on Sunday?  With both starting quarterbacks and the Michael Turner questionable for this game we are largely unsure of how this game will play out.  My guess is that Ryan and Sanchez will start but Turner will be ruled out.  

• The crowd should be really into it Sunday as no Jets fan was expecting meaningful games this late in the season a few weeks ago.  This is a make or break game for the season and I expect a really loud, packed Meadowlands.

• The playoff race is heating up and everyone will be watching the scoreboard rooting for other teams to lose.  Despite being tied for the playoff spot the Jets still need a lot of help in order to make the playoffs.

Who to watch for...

• Thomas Jones has had a phenomenal season and will need to continue that effort whether Sanchez or Clemens starts in this one.  Clemens has played terribly in limited action and if Sanchez plays it will be with 2 knee braces.  Jones has had a great season and will need to keep it up in this game.

• David Harris and Bart Scott need to shut down the Falcons running attack, especially if Turner plays.  

• D'Brickashaw Ferguson will have to play a great game in order to shut down John Abraham and the Falcons pass rush.  The Jets can't allow Sanchez to be hit hard in this one (assuming he starts) especially because he's wearing 2 knee braces.

Game Thoughts:

I think the Jets will come out and play well in this one and get a big home win.  The crowd should be into it and the Jets rushing attack should be able to get going in this one.

Game Prediction:

Jets- 24
Falcons- 21

Jets v. Bucs Pregame

The Jets playoff hopes continue to stay alive as teams around them continue to lose.  The Steelers have now lost 5 in a row to drop to a 6-7 record and fall out of the playoff race.  Here is the current playoff picture:

Division Leaders

Indy 12-0
Cincy 9-3
SD 9-3
NE 7-5

Wild Card Leaders

Den 8-4
Jax 7-5

In the Hunt

Bal 6-6
Mia 6-6
NYJ 6-6

Need a miracle
Pit 6-7
Ten 5-7
Hou 5-7

Important Games:

Lions at Ravens:  I don't really have much hope of the Lions winning this game but with the performances that Oakland and Cleveland put up against the Steelers in the past two weeks I know that anything is possible.  A Ravens loss would give them their 7th and would make it difficult for them to make the playoffs.

Broncos at Colts: If the Colts can win this game it serves two central purposes.  1.) It pulls the Broncos back to the rest of the teams in the wild card hunt and opens up the potential for a fight for the other spot.  2.) It allows the Colts to clinch home field advantage and will hopefully make it so they rest their starters when we play them in Week 16.

Miami at Jaxonville:  The Dolphins winning this game would create a tie for the last wild card spot (assuming the Jets win). Miami and Jax both still have tough schedules to play.


Carolina v. New England: This one is pretty obvious.  If the Jets want any chance to win the division New England is going to have to continue to lose games.

The most important game of all:

Jets v. Bucs

The Jets enter this game with a 6-6 record and are contenders for the 6th and final wild card spot.  They are coming off strong games against the Panthers and the Bills.  This week will showcase Kellen Clemens in his first action as the starting quarterback for the Jets this year with Sanchez being declared out with his sprained knee.  I don't expect that Clemens will be throwing the ball much in this game and the Jets should use a running attack spearheaded by Thomas Jones to beat the Bucs.

What to watch for....

• How will Brian Schottenheimer call this game with Kellen Clemens behind center?  Clemens has not seen any action this year other than limited time in Buffalo last week when he did not look very good.  Schotty has been under heavy scrutiny all year for not fully utilizing his running attack which is ranked #1 in the league.  Clemens has been in this system for a long time but I still don't expect to see more than 15-20 pass plays called in this game.  If there are any more than that it means that, 1.) The Jets fall behind big early or 2.) Schottenheimer wants to lose his job.

•  Kerry Rhodes has yet again made the news with two incidents since the last game.  First, he got into a verbal argument with the Jets defensive back coach because he was unhappy about his role in practice.  Second, he posted on his twitter that he would not mind getting out of New York so he could show all the "haters" what he could do in another city.  Rhodes entered this season as a favorite among Jets fans and will leave it as one of the most hated of the last decade.  Rhodes needs a big performance to make all the fans stop talking about his antics off the field.

• LIMITING TURNOVERS will be the key to this game for the Jets.  If the Jets can limit turnovers on offense and get pressure on Josh Freeman they should be able to force turnovers and jump on the Bucs early.

Players to Watch:

• Thomas Jones should get the ball 25-30 times in this game with Kellen Clemens behind center.  Jones has had another stellar season and he should be able to carve up the 1-11 Tampa Bay Bucs if he is able to get going.  Also, look for Shonn Greene to get his fair share of carries as the Jets try to keep the Bucs off balance early with a run heavy attack.

• Eric Smith has been extremely impressive this season and even played well enough to earn the starting job for a few games.  With the Kerry Rhodes situation hitting new lows every week Smith could very well be playing for a starting job next year.  If he is able to keep up his stellar play I have no doubt that he will have a role on this team for years to come. (Refer back to my opening season preview post on our safeties for my prediction that Smith would be starting at some point this year)

• Kellen Clemens is subbing for the injured Mark Sanchez and will have to limit mistakes.  He has been in this system a long time but he must be a game manager in this one and not attempt to make any crazy plays.  Hand the ball off to Thomas Jones and let him do his work.

Game Thoughts:

The Jets should win this game easily as they are playing well and the Bucs are not a very good team.  I expect to see a heavy dose of Thomas Jones and Shonn Greene early on offense and a ton of pressure on rookie Josh Freeman on defense.

Game Prediction:
Jets- 27
Bucs- 13

Kellen Clemens to Start After Sanchez Injury

Mark Sanchez will sit this week in favor of Kellen Clemens.  I missed the Rex Ryan press conference but he stated that he made the decision in the best interest of Sanchez and he thinks that giving him another week of rest is the best move.

The Sanchez press conference is a completely different story.  Sanchez was extremely disappointed and felt like he could play this week.  He hasn't practiced all week but didn't see the benching coming.  He commented about his sliding ability by saying that he needs to be smarter and needs to protect himself by throwing the ball away or getting out of bounds.  He said that he would love to play and help the team but understands that it's Rex's decision.

This move should prompt the Jets to run the ball 40-50 times and keep the ball out of Clemens hands.  If he throws the ball more than 15 times in this game I will be extremely surprised.  More details will come about game strategy in the game review coming up soon.

Playoff Picture

This playoff picture is courtesy of Eric Allen at newyorkjets.com

12/06 — About eight hours before the Jets lined up against the Buffalo Bills at Rogers Centre in Toronto, head coach Rex Ryan was at the Hockey Hall of Fame’s Great Hall. The 46-year-old Ryan, who played a little goal while growing up in Toronto, browsed portraits of Hall of Famers, looked at the NHL trophies and even posed for a shot with the Stanley Cup.
Ryan had an enjoyable time in his return to his childhood home as his Jets would go on to top the Bills, 19-13, and notch their second win in four days to move to 6-6. Ryan’s got plenty of respect for hockey’s Holy Grail, but he yearns to lead the Jets into football’s postseason and a shot at the Lombardi Trophy.
A 4-6 team just a week ago, the Green & White have vaulted themselves into the AFC playoff conversation. The Jets rested Sunday but still got some help from the following clubs:
Oakland — In our nobody-drug-free-could-have-predicted-this-one category, Da Raiders went in to Pittsburgh and defeated the defending Super Bowl-champion Steelers. At 6-6, the Steelers have now lost four in a row and their division hopes are dead.
Indianapolis — By taking their 21st consecutive regular-season game, the 12-0 Colts knocked the Titans down to 5-7 and Tennessee realistically will try to play spoiler down the stretch. The Jets will be at Lucas Oil Stadium to play the Colts on Dec. 27, but Indy could cement the AFC’s top seed before that matchup and that could mean a lot of substitutions for a team aiming for a full bill of health heading into January.
At this moment, some people might be scratching their heads and asking, “Dude, where’s Miami?” The Dolphins' 22-21 close shave over the Patriots today in the land of Jimmy Buffett got both the Jets and the Dolphins within one game of the Patriots. But even though it’s great to see the Pats winless on the road in North America (0-5), we won’t really be able to properly analyze this result for a couple of weeks.
By virtue of their season sweep of the Jets, the 6-6 'Fins hold an important tiebreaker edge on their friends from the north. Also, the Jets would lose out to the Patriots if the teams tied in the division as they split their two meetings this season, but New York’s AFC representative has just a 2-4 mark in the AFCE while the worst the Pats could finish is 3-3. So what really appears to be a one-game lead is basically two and there’s only four to play.
If you’re a member of Jets Nation, you don’t have to send any holiday cards to this pair:
Houston — The Texans got taken down in Jacksonville as the Jags improved to 7-5. If the season ended today, the Jags would be the AFC’s second wild card and sixth seed. Remember the Jaguars tripped up the Jets in Week 10 at the Meadowlands, so that’s something to keep in mind down the stretch when thinking about tiebreakers.
Kansas City — You wondered if the Chiefs could catch lightning twice at home. Two weeks ago, the Chiefs beat the Steelers at Arrowhead and they had a 7-4 Broncos team coming in that notoriously has struggled in KC. Uh, the Broncos trampled the Chiefs, 44-13, while improving to 8-4 and looking like a good bet for the postseason.
Don’t be surprised to see a bunch of Jets fans ordering cheese for the Monday night affair between the 6-5 Ravens and the Packers. The Jets trail the Ravens by a half-game in the conference standings.
Will 10 wins get the Jets into the postseason? Maybe, but you’ll hear all week from the team that they have four one-game seasons on the horizon and that starts next Sunday in Tampa. Let’s take a look at the AFC playoff picture as we enter the final quarter.
Indianapolis (12-0) (vs. DEN, at JAX, vs. NYJ, at BUF) — The Colts will be the AFC’s top seed and they could become a big factor in the Jets’ postseason hopes. The Green & White faithful will root for Indy against the Broncos and then on a Thursday night in Jacksonville. The Colts not only can pick off some teams the Jets figure to do battle with, but they also should be in position to rest some starters on Dec. 27.
San Diego (9-3) (at DAL, vs. CIN, at TEN, vs. WAS) — That Week 15 battle with the Bengals might decide the AFC’s second seed. The Bolts appear to be a playoff lock but they can’t take the foot off the pedal because the Broncos are knocking at their door.
Cincinnati (9-3) (at MIN, at SD, vs. KC, at Jets) — That is a ridiculously tough finishing stretch, but the Bengals are in good shape in the North as they went unblemished in the division at 6-0. Even if the Ravens beat the Packers Monday night, they’ll still be two games out and they would lose to the Bengals in a division tiebreaker. Jets fans should definitely root for the Bengals the next three weeks, so Cinci treats the finale like an exhibition game. Not saying the Jets can’t beat the Bengals, but you’ll take any advantage you can get.
New England (7-5) (vs. CAR, at BUF, vs. JAX at HOU) — Losers of three of their past four games, the Pats will be big favorites their next two contests. They get the Jaguars at home and then a Texans team that’s in freefall. If they could drop two, though …
Denver (8-4) (at IND, vs. OAK, at PHI, vs. KC) — Interesting matchup next week because the Broncos can cover in their defensive backfield and Peyton Manning is Peyton Manning. The Broncs will be prohibitive home favorites against the Raiders and the Chiefs and 10 looks very doable for this club.
Jacksonville (7-5) (vs. MIA, vs. IND, at NE, at CLE) — The Jets don’t want to finish tied with the Jags. Next week Jets fans have a huge dilemma, but I think you root for the Dolphins. Now that you’re removed the bag from your mouth, the thinking is the Jags would fall back to 7-6 and a sweep over the Colts and the Pats is highly unlikely. That last game against the Browns is favorable.
Baltimore (6-5) (at GB, vs. DET, vs. CHI, at PIT, at OAK) — Big one Monday for the Ravens because the Lions and the Bears follow at home.
Pittsburgh (6-6) (at CLE, vs. GB, vs. BAL, at MIA) — After Mike Tomlin said the Steelers “won’t go gently” and that they’d “unleash hell here in December,” the defending champs lost to the Silver & Black at home. What to expect now is anybody’s guess. Maybe they’ll start sharing roasted chestnuts with opposing teams?
Miami (6-6) (at JAX, at TEN, vs. HOU, vs. PIT) — These next two roadies are going to be awfully tough for the Fish. I liked what I saw from Chad Henne today, but the Pats can’t get to the quarterback.
Jets (6-6) (at TB, vs. ATL, at IND, vs. CIN) — They don’t pay me to work you into a frenzy, but I love this slate. Nothing against the Bucs, but the Jets are a better team. The Falcons are banged up and reeling and that’s a southern dome team playing outside on Dec. 20 at the Meadowlands. I have the Colts winning their next two, so they’ll have home-field advantage wrapped up by then. So how about the Bengals coming here on Sunday, Jan. 3, with a playoff berth at stake for the Jets — sound like an NBC flex game?
This is a season for hope and dreams, so don’t lose yours.

Jets v. Bills Postgame

Jets- 19
Bills- 13

Record:

Jets: 6-6

The Jets entered this game with a must win mentality if the playoffs are even going to be a distant thought.  The game went according to plan as Thomas Jones and the Jets running game racked up huge yardage against a bad Bills run defense.  The Jets defense came to play and was able to put consistent pressure on Ryan Fitzpatrick.  The only negative of this game comes in the form of injury.  Mark Sanchez sprained his right knee in the game (an injury I think he suffered a few weeks back) and is questionable to play next week.  The playoff picture for the Jets is starting to become a little clearer.  For a better than average chance to make the playoffs the Jets will have to win their remaining 4 games.  This involves matchups against the Colts, Falcons, and Bengals.  That stretch of games to finish the season should show us what kind of team these guys really are.

Thumbs Up:

• Thomas Jones continued his amazing season with 109 yards on 23 carries as he eclipsed 1,000 yards.  In my opinion, the Jets didn't give the ball to Jones enough in this game.  He was cutting through the Bills defense with ease on many occasions and picking up 10+ yards.  Jones is a professional runner and really knows how to wait for the holes to open up.  I am hopeful that he will be back next year.  Expect to see even more of Jones next week as the Jets take on the Bucs with a hurt Mark Sanchez.

• Darelle Revis shut down Terrell Owens just like he has every other top receiver he has faced.  Owens finished with 3 catches for 31 yards and was largely a non-factor as Revis was in man coverage all day.  He easily could have had a second interception if he had not dropped a deep ball from Fitzpatrick. 

•  David Harris and Shaun Ellis were busy on Thursday night as they put great pressure on Ryan Fitzpatrick.  Harris finished with 11 tackles and a strip sack and Ellis continued his run of good play with a 2 sack game.  The only way the Jets will have success against Matt Ryan, Carson Palmer, and Peyton Manning down the stretch is by putting a tremendous amount of pressure on the quarterback.

Thumbs Down:

• This one is almost too easy.  Braylon Edwards dropped the easiest touchdown opportunity he will get or probably ever has gotten in his entire life.  The defender lost coverage and was a good 10 yards behind Edwards when he dropped Sanchez's bomb which was placed right over his shoulder.  Edwards blamed the drop on the light but he has to make that catch.

• Watching Kerry Rhodes attempt to tackle is sickening.  His method of tackling seems to be doing a half turn and attacking the ball carrier with the back part of his right shoulder.  One of his attempts to bring down Marshawn Lynch last night was laughable.  Rhodes has the physical tools to be a great player but he needs to worth with somebody in the offseason on his tackling.  

•  Kellen Clemens showed last night why sticking with Mark Sanchez is a great idea.  Clemens never looked comfortable and there was absolutely no threat of the pass when he was in the game.  He almost fumbled the snap when the Jets were attempting to run out the clock and really had no positive impact while in the game.

Game Thoughts:

Overall, this was the kind of game I was expecting last night with a solid rushing attack, a good defense, and an uninspired crowd.  The Jets need a lot of help in order to get into the playoffs this year but at least we are moving in the right direction.  Playoffs or not, this team has an opportunity to establish an identity with a string of games against good teams on the horizon (after the Tampa game).  The way the Jets perform in those games will be indicative of our expectations heading into next year.

Jets v. Bills Pregame

The Jets extremely small playoff chances are on the line yet again on a nationally televised game against the Bills tomorrow night.  The Jets come into this game at 5-6 and surprisingly only 1 game out of the 6th and final playoff spot.  The problem with this picture is that there are multiple teams at 6-5 and other teams at 5-6.  The Jets need to keep taking these games one at a time and it continues with the Bills this week.

What to watch for...

• What kind of crowd will we see for this game?  The game is being played in a dome in Toronto which will take away any advantage that the Bills would have had from playing in the freezing cold up in Buffalo.  It will also take away home field advantage which should be huge.  Sanchez should throw better in the dome than he would have in Buffalo.

•  I am interested in seeing if Rex Ryan's offensive takeover will continue to show positive results this week.  Ryan took partial control of the offense last week in order to make things easier for Mark Sanchez and it worked out great.  One of the major games that influenced this takeover was Sanchez's 5 interception performance against Buffalo the last time these two teams played.  If Sanchez can protect the ball and continue making smart decisions it should result in positive results for the Jets.

• Kerry Rhodes responded to his benching last week by getting his first 2 interceptions of the season.  Ryan has stated that Eric Smith will still be the starter but Rhodes will be put in as the starter in a few more packages than last week.  I feel extremely comfortable with this new safety rotation as Smith is a much better tackler while Rhodes is better in pass coverage.  If Rhodes can keep up his good play I think he will regain the starting job soon.

• REDUCING TURNOVERS: This one is simple enough.  The Jets cannot turn the ball over if they want to win this game.  This goes beyond Sanchez.  Last week Keller fumbled into the end zone for a touchback and Greene fumbled inside the Panthers 30 yard line.  Without these 2 turnovers this game would not have been close.
  

Who to watch for....

•  Mark Sanchez is the reason the Jets lost the last Buffalo game.  The Jets almost managed to win the game despite his 5 turnovers.  The Jets will have a very good chance of winning this game if Sanchez can limit his turnovers and protect the ball on offense. 

• Thomas Jones will have to keep up his great season in order to take pressure off Sanchez.  My prediction:  If Jones rushes for over 100 yards in this game the Jets will win.  The Jets need to open up with a solid rushing attack to take the pressure off of Sanchez.  The offensive line will have to open holes to allow Jones to get going early. 

• Darelle Revis is looking to continue his dominant season after an amazing game last week.  Revis caught more balls than Steve Smith last week and finished with 2 interceptions and a touchdown.  This week Revis will have the task of containing Terrell Owens.  Owens has been on a very good roll recently and Revis will have to shut down the long ball.  At this point, I don't doubt that Revis can do anything.

Game Thoughts:

The Jets should win this game pretty convincingly.  I think that the Jets have both a better offense and a better defense than the Bills and the Bills have lost all home field advantage.  However, the Bills have been playing inspired football since the firing of Dick Jauron and they will be a tough opponent in front of a national tv audience. (or as close to national as you can get on NFL Netowork)  Revis should shut down Owens and Sanchez should limit his turnovers.  If both of these things happen the Jets will win. 

Game Prediction:

Jets- 21
Bills- 6