Sorry I don't really agree with you George, not totally anyway.
They've had the best overall defense and the best rushing team this year in the NFL and those two ingredients usually land you in the playoffs. Had they missed they would have been the first team to do with those stats. What held them back was the QB; he is only a rookie after all. However, he has come along quite a bit and started cutting down on his interceptions.
Maybe the Bengals played to the Jets strength but not the Chargers as the Jets are good at stopping the run, which is not what the Chargers do; they like to pass. In addition, the Jets like to blitz more than any other team and Rivers was supposed to be good at picking that up. To cover all those receivers was a tough assignment but somehow Ryan was able to do it, switching Reavis off and not just focusing on one receiver as he did against the Bengals. One of the reasons they beat the Chargers is because of the Chargers past failures. The goal was to keep the game close and have a little self doubt seep into their minds and it worked. I think that's the reason Schottenheimer, the offensive coordinator, was so conservative at the beginning: no mistakes. When it was only 7-0 you need they had a chance.
This team wins the old fashioned way: running and defense. That usually wins championships. I'm not saying the Jets will but they do have the ingredients.
Brad,
I go by what my eyes tell me; the Jets were 7-7 going into the last two games of the year, one of which was with the Colts.
The Colts basically had their way with the Jets in that game until they decided to pull their starters, thus handing the Jets a victory.
Had the Colts won the game, the Jets would have been 7-8 and out of the playoffs, so you can tell me all you want about their defense (it is very good) and their running game (also very good); as far as the quarterback, he was horrible for most of the year, 5 INT's vs the Bills for example. It's a TEAM and he was awful.
Your coach is very arrogant, I am sure he's the toast of New York right now getting the 9-7 Jets to the AFCCG. And Revis is arrogant too, saying Randy Moss is slouch; he's a first ballot lock for the HOF and Revis should respect players, not trash them. And so is Scott, that guy never shuts up.
Rivers time and time again had the underneath stuff open Sunday, yet for some boneheaded reason, he kept throwing downfield, they should have taken what the Jets gave them.
The Chargers imploded Sunday; head butts, kicking challenge flags, blocks to the back, a pro bowl kicker who missed three field goals, the onside kick, poor time out management, false starts, etc, etc, on and on it goes.
Your team is on a roll, enjoy it is all I can say; up here in Boston all they talked about today on sports radio is how great the Jets are, they are now the team to beat in the AFCE, the Patriots are done, on and on all day long.
I am glad the Jets are winning, it will force Kraft to get off his wallet and spend money now.
And lastly, Jets fans road Mangini out of town on a rail; they should be thanking the guy as it was him who drafted Mangold, Revis, signed Woody, etc, etc; in a lot of ways, that is his team out there with a shot at the Super Bowl.
And also, FWIW, I do respect the fact that you are a Mets and a Jets fan; you could haven the easy way out and been a Yankees and Giants fan, so your loyalty is commendable....................
