Season in Review: Offense

Offensive MVP: Thomas Jones


Quarterback:

Mark Sanchez had the kind of season that is normally expected out of a rookie quarterback.  He started out extremely hot in the first 3 games and led the team to a 3-0 record.  However, this fast start may have caused Brian Schottenheimer and Rex Ryan to open up the offensive playbook a little too much which resulted in a tough middle of the season.  However, Sanchez matured towards the end of the season and realized that his role on the team was to make sure the team didn't lose. 

The biggest turning point of the season for Mark Sanchez may have been when Rex Ryan delved into the offense.  He simplified the playbook and started limiting Sanchez's throws to 15-20 a game.  Once this happened Sanchez became much more efficient and was a major factor in leading the Jets to the playoffs.  Sanchez's play in the playoffs was a major reason that the Jets were able to advance.  He played arguably his two best games of the season against the Bengals and Chargers in the playoffs.

Overall, this season was a growing experience for Sanchez.  He matured greatly as the season progressed and I am almost 100% sure that he will continue to develop and eventually be one of the best starting quarterbacks in the league.  He has the tremendous ability to escape pressure and make throws while on the run.  Also, as the season progressed Sanchez showed much more poise in the pocket and was able to make the tough throws.

Season Grade: C+

Running Back:

Thomas Jones had an absolutely incredible season which exceeded all of my expectations.  He finished with a league leading 331 carries and was 4th in the league with 1402 yards.  He was also able to pick up 14 touchdowns.  Jones was the workhorse back all season and was the main reason that the Jets were able to make the playoffs.  Jones was consistent all season (until the playoffs) and was able to wear defenses down late in games.  Jones wore down a little bit come playoff time because of a bad knee and a huge workload during the regular season.  However, his play during the regular season is what propelled the Jets to having the #1 running game in the league.

Season Grade: A

Shonn Greene took over as the backup running back when Leon Washington went down with a broken leg in the beginning of the season.  Greene finished the regular season with 108 carries for 540 yards and 2 touchdowns.  The one thing I loved about Greene this year was his style of running the ball.  I haven't seen a running back run as hard as him since Jamal Lewis during his prime and maybe Adrian Peterson.  Greene absolutely wrecks people who attempt to tackle him.  However, as well as Greene played during the regular season he really stepped up his game during the playoffs.  As Thomas Jones appeared to be wearing down Greene took over the workload at running back and finished with 304 yards and 5.6 yards per carry.  He was the major reason that the Jets were able to advance past both Cincinnati and San Diego and the Colts game might have turned out differently if he hadn't gone down with an injury.  The only negative with Greene this year was a fumbling problem.  However, he seemed to correct that because the ball was secure in the playoffs.

Season Grade: B+

Leon Washington was on his way to having another very good season before going down with an injury during the Raiders game.  Since he wasn't around for much of the season I am not going to do a full write up but Washington looked like he would have had a greatly increased role this year and I hope he will be back at 100% next year.

Fullback:

Tony Richardson had another stellar year to add to his long and brilliant career.  Richardson anchored a running game which finished #1 in the league and even at his age he is still able to open up holes for the running backs.  As I said before the season, Richardson is great and I really hope he decides to forgo retirement for another year and be the lead blocker for this running game.  If he retires he will be sorely missed.

Season Grade: A

Wide Receiver:

Jerricho Cotchery had an outstanding season with 57 catches for 821 yards and 3 touchdowns.  Although this may not seem so special with the great numbers many wide receivers put up around the league, Cotchery anchored the Jets receiving core and provided a consistent target for Mark Sanchez.  Cotchery rarely had a drop and he is one of the crispest route runners in the league.  He stepped it up against the Colts (in a losing effort) and made a few incredible catches.

Season Grade: B+

Braylon Edwards came to the Jets with much hype after week 4 in a trade that sent Chansi Stuckey to the Cleveland Browns.  Edwards came in with much fanfare and with a reputation for dropping the ball.  We saw two sides of Edwards over the 12 games that he was a Jet.  First, Edwards made some absolutely incredible catches this season.  The one that stands out to me is his first game where he bailed out Mark Sanchez with a great catch down the sideline while somehow getting both feet in bounds.  However, with the great plays came the inevitable drops.  Most Jets fans will have trouble forgetting his drop where the ball literally hit him in the head.  However, the one thing about Edwards that the casual fan will miss is his run blocking.  He showed this year that he is committed to the team with outstanding run blocking on the outside.  Unlike receivers like Randy Moss and Terrell Owens who give up on plays Edwards is always there making a key block.

Season Grade: B

Brad Smith entered this season as a disappointment to most Jets fans but he is leaving it as a fan favorite.  Since he has been drafted we have heard that Smith has the ability to change the game by both running, catching, and even throwing the ball.  However, we haven't seen this talk come to fruition.  After Leon Washington went down the "Seminole" offense seemed to die and a new option offense was formed from it led by Brad Smith.  Smith was incredible out of this offense and we even got to see him throw in the Colts game which I know most people were not expecting.  Smith is still not a great receiver but his ability to make plays out of the option offense is something that cannot be overlooked.  He ran straight through the Bengals in Week 17 to put the Jets into the playoffs.

Season Grade: B+

David Clowney had a very disappointing season and didn't even eclipse 200 yards.  He got into trouble early in the season with Twitter and he never really regained a prominent role in this offense.

Season Grade: C-

Tight End:

Dustin Keller came into the season with high expectations (at least in my mind) and he partially fulfilled them.  Keller is a great pass catching tight end and he showed that during the playoffs with 3 straight games with a touchdown.  However, Keller was hurt this year by the slow development of Mark Sanchez.  With the Jets only throwing the ball 15-20 times a game by the time the season ended there weren't enough balls going around for Keller to put up gaudy stats.  However, he had a fairly good season and was second on the Jets in both receptions and yards.  I expect him to be utilized next year a lot more as Sanchez develops.

Season Grade: B-

Offensive Line:

D'Brickashaw Ferguson has developed into one of the best left tackles in the league.  In a division where there are some great pass rushers (Aaron Schobel and Jason Taylor) Ferguson rarely missed an assignment.  Also, I will say this for every member of the line, anytime your team leads the league in rushing the offensive line is the major contributor in that.  Ferguson is going to the pro-bowl along with teammates Alan Faneca and Nick Mangold

Season Grade: A

Alan Faneca is one of the most respected offensive lineman in the league but he is going to the pro bowl this year based on reputation and not play.  Faneca was the most disappointing member of the line this year.  However, even while having a disappointing season Faneca is a veteran anchor who still is good at his job.  I am not sure if he will be around next year (I am thinking he will be).

Season Grade: C

Nick Mangold is the best center in the league and he continues to get better year after year.  I recently read an article that said that there were two types of centers in the league.  There are power guys and finesse guys.  This article said that the reason Mangold is so good is because he is a mix of both.  I can't say it any better myself so I will just refer to that.  A few years ago the Jets made the brilliant move of picking up two offensive lineman in the first round of the draft.  Although many were skeptical at the time, this move has turned out to be genius.  Mangold has replaced Kevin Mawae and hasn't missed a beat, which is really saying something.  Mangold will once again be going to the pro-bowl.
 
Season Grade: A

Brandon Moore came into this season as the most underrated member of the Jets offensive line and he leaves it the same way.  However, you can't downplay his impact in the power running game.  The Jets run over the right side of the line a ton and Moore is a major reason for that.  He is a dominating run blocker who doesn't get the credit he deserves.

Season Grade: B+

Damian Woody is another member of the line who gets overlooked.  Woody has made the move to right tackle flawlessly over the past 2 years and now anchors the right side of the line where the Jets run the ball all the time. 

Season Grade: B

Jets v. Colts Postgame

Colts- 30
Jets- 17

Jets- Eliminated from the playoffs

The lack of expectations does not make this loss easier for Jets fans.  After suffering through a season which included a 3-0 start, a dip to 4-6 and then a trip to the AFC Championship many people started to get hopes that maybe, just maybe, this would be the year.  However, the Jets ran into the monster known as Peyton Manning in the AFC Championship game.  Peyton is not only one of the best quarterbacks of this generation but quite possibly one of the bets of all time.  He has taken an average Colts team this year to a 14-2 record in the regular season and now a Super Bowl berth.  If I was to assign blame in this game it would go on the Jets pass coverage.  Manning was able to easily dismantle Dwight Lowery and Lito Sheppard (when he played) and the Jets sorely missed having a healthy Donald Strickland in the game. 

Thumbs Up:

• Mark Sanchez played his best game as a professional with a stat line of 17/30 for 257 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 1 interception.  More importantly, Sanchez was great at avoiding the pressure of the Colts offensive line and he did not make bad throws when he was flushed from the pocket.  His pass to Braylon Edwards was beautiful and he made a few great 3rd down plays.  Another pass that stands out is the other touchdown to Dustin Keller which was a perfectly thrown ball to a receiver in tight coverage.  I think what most Jets fans realized in this game is that we have our quarterback of the future.  This guy has poise inside and outside the pocket and I expect with an offseason to prepare he will come back very strong in his second year.

• Jerricho Cotchery made a few great catches in situations where the Jets needed to pick up 1st downs.  He finished with 5 receptions and over 100 yards.  Cotchery has been the Jets most consistent receiver all year and I expect there to be a great chemistry between him and Sanchez going into next season.

• David Harris showed in this game why he deserves a pro bowl berth.  He finished the game with 11 tackles (all solo), 2 sacks, and a forced fumble.  He flies around the ball and seems to always be there to make a play.  His future is looking extremely bright.

Thumbs Down:

•  Jay Feely has been consistent all year and I hate to bash him now but he HAS to make at least one of those field goals that he missed.  Inside the dome both were makeable kicks and the Jets could not afford to leave points on the field and give Manning great field position.

• Dwight Lowery was attacked all day by Peyton Manning.  It seemed like every completed pass was going in his direction.  Pierre Garcon and Austin Collie lit him up for over 100 yards each.  The Jets are going to need to address this position in the offseason (but that's a discussion for another time).  

• Thomas Jones has been a warrior all season and I really hope we see him return next year.  However, it seemed like his hard running all year resulted in him being a little tired for the playoffs.  He did not show the same burst that he showed at the end of the season and the running game was essentially shut down as soon as Shonn Greene went out with the injury.

Well, it's the end of another season.  As I said in my first post I believed this season would be a ton of disappointment with some successes mixed in.  This has been the typical view of a Jets fan over the last 40 or so years.  However, I also expressed that the arrival of Rex Ryan and Mark Sanchez provided a sense of optimism for Jets fans everywhere.  It turns out the latter was more true than the former.  This season was disappointing in many ways.  There were far too many games where the Jets should have won but either were hampered by extremely poor quarterback play, a breakdown on special teams, or a last second drive by an opposing offense.  However, despite these setbacks the Jets showed resolve and character in fighting their way through adversity to make the playoffs and advance to the AFC Championship.  Sanchez and Ryan have given me hope that the "change" we Jets fans have been looking for is there for us to grab.  It was fun documenting this season and my "season in review" post will be up as soon as I get over this loss and am able to look at this all without as much emotion. 

Jets v. Colts Pregame

Wow.  The AFC Championship game.  Who would have thought that the team that Rex Ryan proclaimed as having no chance for a playoff spot after the Falcons game would be in this position.  I am truly surprised, shocked, and unbelievably excited about this game.  The Jets team and fans have not been in this position since 1998 against the Broncos (If you look back to my first post you will see that the Broncos game is one of my earliest memories of being a Jets fan).  This is the biggest game I have ever experienced as a Jets fan and I truly believe that we have a chance to win it.  The Jets will travel into Indy to take on a Colts team that has run through opponents all year.  Peyton Manning is a god in football circles and he turns an otherwise good Colts team into an almost unbeatable one.  The Jets pass rush will have to get through an average Colts offensive line in order to combat Manning's quick release. 

What to watch for....

• Will the Jets pass rush be able to negate Peyton Manning's brilliance?  The difference between Manning and the average NFL quarterback is two fold.  First, he is able to recognize defenses and blitz schemes at the line of scrimmage and adjust his play to beat them.  Second, his release is so quick that the pass rush always seems half a second too late.  In order for the Jets to win this game Rex Ryan is going to have to design schemes that can challenge Manning.  If he is able to stand back in the pocket with time to throw the Jets will have no shot of slowing him down.

• What are the effects of the Week 16 game?  The Jets have heard for weeks that they have been "let into" the playoffs and that they "backed in".  Now, let me dispel the notion that they "backed in".  When you back into a playoff spot you get in by losing.  However, the Jets in Week 16 and 17 beat the team that was put on the field in front of them.  However, the "experts" don't fully understand this and have been selling the Jets short on that Week 16 and 17 victory (despite the fact that the Bengals played their starters while the Jets built a 27-0 lead).  This could be motivation as the Jets will come out wanting to prove that they really are a team that deserved that Week 16 win.  This could also work the other way with the Colts wanting to prove what a joke it was that they "let" the Jets win in Week 16.

• Could Rex Ryan's itinerary come true?  Rex Ryan wrote up an itinerary before the playoffs started that included a schedule for every day and an eventual Super Bowl parade.  As with most things Ryan does most of the country took this as a giant joke.  However, the Jets players have bought into it and now they are one win from going to the Super Bowl.  Can miracles happen?  

Who to watch for..

• I feel like I post the same thing every week but it is never hard to predict who the big players are for the Jets.  Shonn Greene has led the Jets rushing attack with two straight 100 yard games.  He runs harder than any running back I have seen in a long time and he will need an absolutely GREAT game against a weak Colts rushing attack in order for the Jets to have any chance of winning this game.

• The entire secondary will have to play the game of their lives as Peyton Manning loves to spread the ball around to his various targets.  Reggie Wayne is obviously a favorite but he should be blanketed by Revis for most the game.  The player I am concerned about is Dallas Clark.  Kerry Rhodes and Eric Smith have done a fairly good job of covering tight ends this year and stopping Clark could end up being the key to stopping the entire Colts offense.  Jim Leonhard is going to have to continue his great play in these playoffs and will have to get pressure on Manning with the overload blitzes. 

• The Jets offensive line is the best in the league and will have to give Sanchez time on play actions while opening up holes for Thomas Jones and Shonn Greene.  The success of Mark Sanchez in these playoffs has been reliant on a good play action game which will need to be set up by a strong running game.  Another key will be stopping the pass rush of Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis.  These are two of the best pass rushers in the league and they could hurry Mark Sanchez into some bad passes if the Jets don't neutralize their pass rush.

The reason I love football so much is that any team can win in any given year.  The 2009 New York Jets are a perfect example of this notion.  However, despite this feeling that "any team can win it" I have never been able to picture the Jets in the Super Bowl.  My emotions while watching that game may border on dangerous.  However, before worrying about that the Jets must take care of business against a great Colts team.  Can this miracle run continue?  We are about to find out.

Game Prediction:

Colts- 23
Jets- 17

My Test for Being a Jets Fan Around 20 Years of Age

I am going to do this in a number of stages.  It will start out easy and end up being fairly difficult. 

Stage 1:

1.) Can you name at least 5 Quarterbacks who have played for the Jets since 2001? (There are 4 on the roster right now)

2.)  Can you name at least 5 running backs who have played for the Jets since 2001?  (Not including fullbacks)

3.) Name the current offensive line with exact position names.

4.) Name 3 Jets head coaches since 2001.

5.) Name 3 current wide receivers.

Stage 2:

1.) Name 3 fullbacks who have played for the Jets since 2001?

2.)  Which wide receiver was included in the trade to the Browns to get Braylon Edwards?

3.)  What pick in the draft did the Jets get Mark Sanchez with?

4.)  What was the name of the Jets kicker who missed field goals to send the Jets to the AFC Championship during the 2004 season?

5.)  Who is James Dearth and what has been his main role since he has been on this team.

Stage 3:

1.) Name 10 Jets quarterbacks since 2001.

2.)  What number is Curtis Martin on the all time rushing list.

3.) Name 10 Jets receivers since 2001.

4.)  Name all the years that the Jets have made the playoffs since 2001.

5.) What college did the following players play for: Darelle Revis, Chad Pennington, Mark Sanchez, Leon Washington.

6.) What team did Jets cornerback Aaron Glenn go to after leaving the Jets?

7.)  Who is Kevin Mawae, what position does he play, and what team is he currently on?

Stage 5:

What comes to mind when you hear the following things:

• 2004 Playoffs
• Monday Night Miracle
• Justin McCarins 

Jets v. Chargers Postgame

Jets- 17
Chargers- 14

Jets advance to AFC Championship against the Colts.

The Jets have arrived and the doubters have to start believing as the New York Jets went into San Diego and took down the red hot San Diego Chargers.  The Jets used their usual formula of great defense and a relentless running attack to take down a team that many believed was headed for the Super Bowl.  The Jets defense stepped up and played great against the Chargers tall and athletic receivers and a few big interceptions by Darelle Revis and Jim Leonhard really gave the Jets a chance to pull off this win and continue this miracle run.  The Cinderella story continues next week as the Jets are faced with a new challenge, beating Peyton Manning. 

Thumbs Up:

• Jim Leonhard and Kerry Rhodes both deserve a thumbs up for their play from the safety spots.  Leonhard flies to the ball whether it's in the hands of a receiver or the quarterback.  He came up with the crucial interception deep in Chargers territory as well as a forced fumble and recovery (which was wrongly overturned).  Rhodes looked a little like his former self coming in on the blitzes and he also made a great play to go up and get the ball on the onside kick.

• Shonn Greene once again tore it up as he rushed for 128 yards and a crucial 53 yard touchdown run to give the Jets a double digit lead.  Greene has run great in these playoffs.

• David Harris played a great game like he always does and he was followed closely by the rest of the defense.  Sione Pouha once again stepped up and played huge also. I can't imagine where this team would be without the losses of Kris Jenkins and Leon Washington.

Thumbs Down:

• The officiating on the non-fumble was absolutely atrocious.  Vincent Jackson brought the ball in and landed on the ground before being hit by Leonhard.  That was a fumble for everyone except for the ref making the decision.

• Brad Smith and the kickoff return game was disappointing tonight.  They need to set up the offense in better field position.
  

Game Overview:

 Overall, that was the best win I have ever experienced as a Jets fan.  It has been absolutely incredible to watch the transformation of this team throughout this season.  Just taking a look back at my previous blog posts you can see the early triumphs, agonizing defeats, and the recent successes somehow blending together to make this a very special season.  As big as that win was, the Jets have to travel to Indy next week to play a red-hot Peyton Manning.  We all know what the Jets are going to do, now we have to see if the Colts can beat it.  

Jets v. Chargers Pregame

The Jets fly to San Diego to play in their biggest game since the devastating loss at Pittsburgh many years ago.  As a Jets fan, that game (and Doug Brien's missed field goals) defines what it has been like to be a Jets fan over at least the last 10 years.  They build you up slowly only to deflate you with inexplicable play.  However, the "Same Old Jets" moniker has been put to rest so far with this Jets team as they have fought back all season long to stay in the playoff hunt.  The Jets come into this game extremely hot winning 5 of their last 6 games.  All the talk about "lack of competition" should be gone as the Jets have made the playoffs with the #1 ranked rushing attack and the #1 ranked overall defense.

What to watch for....

• Watch the weather in this one.  The last time I checked there was a 20% chance of rain tonight which could really help the Jets.  The Chargers rely on the passing attack and the Jets are the best in the league at stopping that.  The ability to slow down that facet of their offense in any way will be extremely beneficial.

• Who is the tougher team?  The Jets come into this game extremely confident that they are the more physical team and the numbers seem to indicate that.  The Jets excel at playing defense and running the ball while the Chargers excel at passing down field.  This matchup couldn't get much better for the Jets as they are in a position to shut down what the Chargers do best.

• The last time the Jets played a playoff game in San Diego the crowd played a huge factor (although the Jets still won).  The Jets players at that time said that they were extremely loud through the entire game.  With a rookie quarterback playing for the Jets they will have to do something to take the crowd out of the game early.

Who to watch for...

• As it has been with the Jets all year Mark Sanchez and his ability to protect the ball is the X-Factor.  Last week he played a near flawless game and the Jets running attack and defense did the rest of the work.  If the Jets want to have any chance to win this at all Sanchez is going to need to have his throws limited and kept simple.

• Dwight Lowery and Donald Strickland will both be active for this one and will have the extremely difficult task of covering some of San Diego's very good receivers.  The Chargers have a lot of weapons (most notably Sproles and Gates) who these two are going to have to cover.

• Shonn Greene and Thomas Jones will once again spearhead a running attack which needs to eat up clock and keep the Chargers high powered offense off the field.  The Chargers have struggled in stopping the run all season and if one of these two guys can get going it could be a long day for them.

Game Thoughts:

This Jets team has surprised me all year.  I came into the year expecting 8-8 or 9-7 (Can't remember which one I predicted) but I never thought that they could make a serious playoff run in Ryan's and Sanchez's first year.  However, behind a stellar defense and a great running attack the Jets are looking to book themselves a trip to Indianapolis to see the Colts.

Game Prediction:

Chargers: 24
Jets- 13

A Day Before the Game

Woodson Wins DPOTY

Charles Woodson winning defensive player of the year shows how ridiculous the process is.  He had a great year but no defensive player in the league meant more to his team or played better defensively than Darelle Revis and the playoff game where Fitzgerald and others burned Woodson showed that.  Revis shut down Moss (x2), Owens (x2) ,Steve Smith, Andre Johnson, Chad Johnson (x2), Reggie Wayne, and Marques Colston and those are only the big names.  Hopefully this loss inspires him this weekend.

Jets v. Bengals Postgame

Jets: 24
Bengals: 14

With a 10 point victory over the Bengals the Jets have advanced to the second round of the playoffs against either the San Diego Chargers or the Indianapolis Colts.  The Jets used a superb running attack led by rookie RB Shonn Greene and an extremely efficient Mark Sanchez to put up points against a good Bengals defense.  With this win, the Jets managed to quiet a lot of critics who have criticized the team;s recent wins against teams who had "nothing to play for."  The Jets defense and running attack lived up to their reputation as the best in the league used them to dismantle the Bengals.

Thumbs Up:

• Shonn Greene controlled the majority of the running game with 21 carries for 135 yards and a touchdown.  His long touchdown on the counter pitch play was a huge play in the game and he really dominated the Bengals on the ground.  The formula is in place for the Jets the rest of the playoffs.  If Greene/Jones are able to get a rhythm established on the ground it will enable Mark Sanchez to make safe throws.  

• Mark Sanchez finished 12/15 for 182 yards and a touchdown and turned in his best performance as a pro in his biggest game.  He was extremely efficient and only made safe throws. With the running game working the way it was there was no reason for Sanchez to take risks down the field.  He made a few big throws and was careful with the ball.

• Darelle Revis played an excellent game despite getting absolutely screwed by at least 2 pass interference calls.  The refs seemed to have it out for number 24 last night as Revis was called on two pass interference penalties where there was clearly no penalty.  In fact, on one of the plays Ochocinco seemed to clearly push off.  However, despite the rash of bad calls against him Revis was still able to make an acrobatic interception as well as hold Ochocinco to 2 catches.  

•  Jay Feely normally doesn't get that much credit on here because I expect that a kicker can do his job.  However, last night Feely went above and beyond after he had to take over the punting duties with Steve Weatherford out with an irregular heartbeat.  Feely was able to nail almost half of his punts inside the 20 which was better than I could have expected.

Thumbs Down:

• Braylon Edwards dropped a clear touchdown on a 40 yard Mark Sanchez pass that just went right through his hands.  Edwards has been plagued by drops in his career and he cannot afford to make that same mistake if the Jets want to have any  hope of knocking off the Colts or the Chargers next week.  

• Referees.  The two pass interference calls against Revis were absolutely wrong which I have already gone over above.  Also, the  late hit on David Harris was absurd and gave the Bengals a free 15 yards.

• Special Teams, other than Jay Feely, did not have a good day.  The Bengals opened up the game with a long kickoff return and were able to get a long punt return soon thereafter.  Also, we gave up 3 points with two false start penalties on two consecutive Jay Feely field goals.  These are the kind of mistakes which we can't afford to make against better teams.

Game Thoughts:

That was the game I was hoping to see out of the Jets all season.  We were able to control the ball on offense with the running game and throw it just enough times to keep the Bengals off balance.  Sanchez protected the ball and made some plays when we needed it.  The run defense was poor but the overall defense was good as we did a good job holding the Bengals to 14 points.  This Jets team is going to be dangerous next week whether we play the Colts or the Chargers.  With this defense and running game this team can beat anyone if they play a good game. 

Who to Play:

Personally, I would rather go to San Diego and play the Chargers because I want to avoid Peyton Manning as long as possible. This means rooting for the Ravens to upset the Patriots tonight.  This has a few positives.  1.) We get to see the Patriots eliminated from the playoffs.  2.) It keeps alive the slim hope of a home AFC Championship game.  3.) No Peyton Manning until a potential AFC Championship game. 

Wild Card: Jets v. Bengals

The Jets travel into Cincinnati as the underdog in a rematch of a week 17 match-up.  However, little will be the same in this game as the Bengals will come into it with a lot more to play for.  Just two weeks after being written off by Jets head coach Rex Ryan the team somehow stumbled themselves into a playoff berth.  This game will feature two teams which will employ very similar strategies.  Both teams will look to utilize their strong running attacks and great defenses.  The Jets come into this game with the league's #1 ranked defense and the #1 ranked rushing offense.

What to watch for...

• Brian Schottenheimer's play calling will be huge in this game.  Schotty needs to keep the offense out of Sanchez's hands and only force him to throw when it is necessary.  I really like what he has done in the past few weeks with Brad Smith lining up in a wildcat/option formation.  This seemed to catch the Bengals off guard last week and the Jets may be able to run a similar formation successfully this week.  The key to this game on offense is establishing the run.  If the Jets can get a running game going they will be extremely difficult to stop.

• Will David Harris play?  Harris was the Jets leading tackler and was a strong consideration for the pro bowl.  (should have made it)  However, he got injured late in the first half last week and hasn't been able to fully practice all week.  If Harris can't play it is going to open up a huge gap at the middle linebacker position.

• How will the Bengals respond?  After a 37-0 drubbing last week at the Meadowlands it will be interesting to see how the Bengals respond.  They couldn't get anything going in Week 17 and this should fuel the Jets confidence.

Who to watch for..

• Thomas Jones and Shonn Greene will anchor the Jets running attack and are the only hope of the Jets establishing a good offensive rhythm.  Look for Jones to get around 25 carries today with Greene getting around 10 as the Jets look to keep the ball out of Sanchez's hands and not forcing him to make plays until it is necessary.  One thing to watch for is whether Greene can hold onto the ball.  He runs harder than any running back I have seen since Jamal Lewis but he also has fumbling problems.  Turnovers for the Jets will kill any chance they have of winning this game.

• Darelle Revis will once again be tasked with shutting down an elite receiver when Chad Ochocinco/Johnson lines up opposite of him.  Ocho was shut down last week and held to no catches by Revis.  Look for Revis to continue doing what he has done all year, shutting down top receivers.  

• The offensive line will have to continue their efforts from last week in order to open up holes for Jones and Greene as well as for giving Sanchez time to throw.  If the running game can be established early it will help out Sanchez and put him in situations where he doesn't have to make the difficult throw.

Here we go, it seems like it has been forever since we have watched a Jets playoff game but we are finally getting one tonight.  The Jets come into this game as underdogs with a great chance to upset the Bengals.

Game Prediction:
Jets-16
Bengals- 13

Jets Make the Playoffs

The New York Jets have made the playoffs.  Amazing, Unbelievable,  Shocking are just a few words that can describe how I feel about this playoff birth.  With a convincing win over the Bengals the Jets have played themselves into the playoffs and a first round rematch against the Bengals.  The ups and downs through this season were absolutely incredible.  5 of the 7 losses came by a combined 17 points with some truly heartbreaking losses.  However, none of this matters now as the New York Jets have given themselves a chance to win a Superbowl.  The Jets will travel into Cincinnati as underdogs just a week after beating them 37-0 in the last game at the Meadowlands.  On Saturday at 4:30 we will see what Jets team we will get for this postseason. 

Jets v. Bengals Pregame

Win to get in.  This is the game that Jets fans have dreamed of having all season long.  We have gone through a lot this season with some of the most excruciating losses that I can ever remember experiencing.  However, tonight there is a chance to forget all of that and make the playoffs.  I am not going to go through my normal pregame post because 1.) It is 12:10 A.M. here and I don't have the energy and 2.) It isn't needed.  It's as simple as this.  WIN AND GET IN.