NY Jets-IND Colts: Gang Green Snaps Colts Perfect Season and Keeps Hope Alive

In what has been a true roller-coaster ride of a season, the New York Jets added another twist in their story on Sunday when they handed the Indianapolis Colts their first loss of the season. Not only did they snap the longest current undefeated streak in the NFL, but they also set up a playoff scenario this Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals.

It’s funny to think a team who last week collapsed on the last drive now controls their own playoff fate—in the last game ever at Giants Stadium, no less.

The Colts would get on the scoreboard first with a Joseph Addai 21-yard TD run on their second drive of the game. Adam Vinatieri would have his extra point blocked, making the score 6-0. He would, however, hit a 22-yard FG to extend the lead to 9-0 capping off a 10 play drive.

It would take the Jets two drives to finally get in on the scoring with Jay Feely, who, after having a disastrous game against Atlanta, got the team within a TD with a 35-yard FG. Neither team would muster up any more offense for the half as they headed for the locker rooms.

Throughout the season, the Jets have shown they preform better in the second half. Sunday was no different. Brad Smith returned the second half kick-off for 106 yards (an all-time team record) to quickly put the Jets ahead, 10-9. It would be the first kick return of the season. Suddenly, the Jets showed signs of life.

The lead wouldn’t last long as Peyton Manning led his Colts 81 yards down the field before Donald Brown rushed in for a one-yard TD. The Colts wouldn’t convert on their two-point conversion, and the score would be 15-10. Much speculation surrounded head coach Jim Caldwell’s decision to not allow Manning to play the entire game, with the Colts already earning a first-round bye.

Manning would make way for Curtis Painter who made his NFL debut. On his first drive, the Colts were forced to punt. His next drive was no better, getting hit by Calvin Pace fumbling the football. It would be recovered by Marques Douglas, who shuffled his way into the end zone.

Mark Sanchez would find Dustin Keller, and the Jets completed their first two-point conversion of the season. The conversion would put them up 18-15 heading into the fourth quarter. Painter would continue to struggle, earning no first downs and forcing his punting unit onto the field repeatedly.

Most of the regular starters were also replaced by the back-ups, allowing the Jets to control the tempo throughout the latter stages of the game. Despite being sacked twice, Sanchez would come through when needed most, going 12-of-19 for 109 yards. He would nail another two-point conversion, this time to Braylon Edwards, following a Thomas Jones one-yard TD rush to give the Jets a commanding 29-15 lead.

Dwight Lowery would intercept Painter in the Colts’ second to last drive, capping off a miserable debut for the rookie who was basically thrown to the lions’ den that is the New York Jets’ defense. As time would expire, the reality set in for both teams that the Colts would not complete the perfect season sought, and that the Jets’ once life-supported season was now in their own hands.

This Sunday’s matchup against the Bengals will undoubtedly be the biggest game of the year for the Jets, and oddly enough, it is against a team they would face in the first round, if they can beat them. The stage will be set as the Jets look to close out their season and stadium on a high note, with the nation watching (the flex schedule has moved the game to prime time on NBC).

Only time will tell which version of the 2009 Jets will appear on the field come Sunday.

The Good: Sanchez and the offense played exceptionally well. Sanchez had no interceptions, and had two two-point conversions in crucial spots.

The Bad: Nothing really sticks out this game, as both sides of the ball were played magnificently.

The Ugly: The Colts fans booing their team. Really? You are very possibly Super Bowl-bound and you boo for not having a undefeated season? boo hoo.

Game Ball: Come on down Thomas Jones—105 yards and a TD makes you this week’s winner.

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NYJ: Gang Green’s Missed Opportunities Prove Costly, Lose 10-7

Missed opportunities, it’s funny how there are no two better words in the English dictionary that better describe the 2009 New York Jets season. Whether it was either game against the Miami Dolphins, week six against Buffalo, or the debacle against the Jaguars this season has been full of them.

Of course just when the going got good and the team mustered a three game win streak those “same old Jets’ would reappear and yes you guessed it, miss opportunities. Sunday’s 10-7 defeat to the hands of the going nowhere Atlanta Falcons put the cherry on top the misery cake for Gang Green as they used every possible way to lose and bury their already dying playoff aspirations.

In what should have been a blow-out turned out to be anything less as Mark Sanchez threw three interceptions to make his season total 20, Jay Feely and the kicking unit went 0-3, and that top-ranked defense? Well they were nearly perfect minus the last play of the last Atlanta drive which would seal the game when Matt Ryan found Tony Gonzalez for a six-yard TD.

The game would start off just how it ended, with disappointment in Sanchez, who after missing last week’s win in Tampa would need two attempts to get picked off by Thomas DeCoud much to the dismay of Jets crowd who expected a triumphant return from their franchise QB.

The Falcons would use their field position to get on the board settling for a 24-yard FG by Matt Bryant after being stopped by the defense on three straight one yard plays before committing a holding penalty. 

Sanchez would get his moment of glory after both teams exchanged three and outs when he found a wide open Braylon Edwards for a 65-yard TD to put the Jets up 7-3. Two drives later they would have the chance to extend their lead but a botched snap by last week’s QB and permanent place-holder Kellen Clemens would cancel out that opportunity.

Even when he doesn’t start in a game, Clemens somehow finds a way to show his worth any way he can. I predict his next incident will have to do with the clipboard and Sanchez’s head. With the Falcons again punting, Sanchez would respond by throwing his second interception of the day to bring back those memories of a certain Minnesota QB who has thrown just seven all season.

Feely and the kicking squad would cap-off the half by missing a 38-yard FG attempt to keep the score 7-3. More disappoint would follow the Jets into the latter of the game as they would not find the end-zone whether thanks to penalties, poor play calling, or lack of desire. Thomas Jones and Shonn Greene would combine for 83 yards on the ground neither would find the end-zone.

The closest the Jets would get to adding to their lead would be another FG attempt from Jay Feely which would be blocked. Atlanta would use their last shot to get any form of offense after the block where Ryan would lead his team to the Jets six and would find the winning score with 1:38 to go.

Surely now the Jets had plenty of time to at least tie the game right? Well that wasn’t to be with Sanchez who would finish the game just as he started it throwing his third pick and ending any and all chances of a comeback. All the missed opportunities would come back to haunt them as they have all year and the Jets now have practically no shot of making the playoffs.

Even if they did, it is pretty clear that they wouldn’t make much noise. They now face an undefeated Indianapolis Colts team before finishing out against the Cincinnati Bengals. Hard to believe a season that started off so promising could end the same way they all do. A new QB, a new coach, and a new look defense can’t get over the same old Jets mentality that has haunted the franchise for decades.

Perhaps the new stadium will help get rid of the curse but since no real fans will actually be there to see it this is all wishful thinking.

The Good: Nothing

The Bad: Officiating was questionable in this game with phantom intentional grounding calls leading the charge. The near-interceptions by the defense also proved diffidence as the balls balls practically jumped out of their hands.

The Ugly : Between the missed kicks and letting a team score on their last possession of the game it’s pretty easy to say this game was going to end up the way it did once the simple things stopped coming.

No game ball this week as the team looks to quietly end their season and hope for a better tomorrow

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Jets-Panthers: Gang Green’s Defense Tames Carolina in 17-6 Win

For the first time in over a month something finally went right for the New York Jets, whose once promising season was on life support heading into Sunday’s match up against the lowly Carolina Panthers.

Having been victorious only once in their last seven games, Gang Green came stumbling into the game after being embarrassed by AFC East rival New England Patriots last week.

After giving up 410 yards at Foxboro the Jets defense would set the tone for the game when Darrelle Revis intercepted Jake Delhomme’s pass intended for Steve Smith on Carolina’s first drive of the game. Revis would return the pick off of Smith’s foot for a 67-yard TD giving his team the early lead.

He would pick off Delhomme again at the start of the second quarter but not before the Panthers would get on the board with a John Kasay 40-yard FG capping off an eight play drive thanks to a horrid punt by Steve Weatherford.

Under fire safety Kerry Rhodes got into the interception act picking off Delhomme on the next Panthers drive which would set up the Jets’ first offensive points of game. A quick five-play drive would see Thomas Jones bring home his ninth TD of the season as the Jets stretched their lead to 14-3.

Their “impressive” start would earn them a rambunctious ovation from the crowd as the team headed for the locker rooms. It was only the third time all season the Jets had the lead at home at halftime.

The Jets would start the third quarter with a promising drive which would see them reach the Carolina 17 only to have it fumbled by TE Dustin Keller. Neither team would get much offensive production throughout the quarter; however Gang Green got a big scare when QB Mark Sanchez went down with an injured knee after scrambling for eight yards.

On a first-and-10 Sanchez would be tackled by Richard Marshall and immediately grab his right knee, although he would return on the next drive.

Kellen Clemens came in for the franchise QB to a surprisingly positive reaction by the crowd, with some opting to actually stand up to applaud. Clemens had one attempt which was not complete as he had his first action since the 38-0 thrashing of Oakland.

Carolina would add one final FG again by Kasay to cut the lead to 14-6 which would be answered by Jay Feely adding a 47-yarder to give the Jets insurance.

Rhodes would pick up his second interception of the day (making Delhomme just two shy of most in the NFL behind Jay Cuter) late in the fourth as the Jets snapped their three game skid and breathed some life into their slim wild card chances.

The Jets will now head north to Toronto where they will face off against the Buffalo Bills on Thursday night. Since the teams last met in week six in one of the most forgettable match-ups in the NFL all season, the Bills (4-7) have a new head coach and a new starting QB making this division game all the more interesting.

The Good: After such miserable performances it was good to see the defense stand up and deliver with four big interceptions. The Jets would allow just 179 total yards keeping their opponents below 200 for the fourth time this season. Where the offense failed, the defense stepped in and, without their performance, this game would have been a lot closer.

The Bad: You know it was a good all around effort when I have to critique the special teams. One missed FG by Feely, who has been pretty automatic, combined with dicey punts by Weatherford makes this a semi-concern since the team actually stopped the bleeding.

The Ugly: Again, there is not much to complain about; let’s just go with Kellen Clemen’s incomplete pass for argument’s sake.

Game Ball: This week’s ball goes to Darrelle Revis and Kerry Rhodes who both had two picks after playing horribly last week in New England.

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Jets Vs. Ravens: Sanchez Looks to Shine on MNF in Baltimore

On the night head coach Rex Ryan returns to the place he called home for the last decade, rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez looks to win out the starting job versus one of the NFL’s best defenses.

Sanchez, who featured in one series in his NFL debut coming off the bench for Kellen Clemens, looks to take advantage of the aura around the Monday Night Football lights.

In his first appearance in a Jets uniform, Sanchez went 3-for-4, including a 48-yard bomb to David Clowney on his initial throw.

The $50 million man showed signs of promise in his limited play, which was enough to give him the nod against the Baltimore Ravens.

Ryan has stated that based on the performance of both Sanchez and Clemens tonight, he may decide who the team’s opening day starter will be.

Clearly, Ryan sees this start for both QB’s as a huge stepping stone that will show each one handles the defense that Ryan helped build from 1999-2009, when he was the Ravens’ defensive coordinator and line coach.

He won’t be alone in the homecoming, as linebacker Bart Scott, safety Jim Leonhard, and tackle Marques Douglas all return to face their old pals.

Ryan has to be thinking revenge against a team that passed him up when Brian Billick was fired in 2007.

Although he won’t admit it, a win in Baltimore, despite being a meaningless preseason game, could do wonders for the already big-mouthed Ryan.

A successful showing by Sanchez can end all the speculation about whether he would beat out the veteran Clemens, despite being the highest paid Jet in team history.

The only problem is that Clemens will have a shot to show up his 22-year-old counterpart, before making way for Erik Ainge in the second half.

The Jets will have Nick Mangold, who missed the first preseason game against St. Louis, in the mix, while players like Alan Feneca, Darrelle Revis, Kris Jenkins, and Damien Woody are all nursing injuries.

Tonight’s game will feature similar defenses, which could make the QB battle that much more exciting to watch.

As RB Leon Washington says, “It’s the Ravens against the Ravens.”

Brett Favre: Here We Go Again

They say there are two things guaranteed in life, death and taxes. However if you happen to be football fan you can add Brett Favre’s coming out of retirement as a third to the list as it seems No. 4 is feeling the itch yet again.

Reports have surfaced the Minnesota Vikings have made contact with Favre’s agent, Bus Cook, regarding the services of the NFL’s all-time leading QB in just about every major category. It is reported that Favre, Cook, and Vikings coach Brad Childress will meet at some point this week to discuss details.

Favre who spent last year with the New York Jets and who was taken off the reserve/retired list last week is now fair game for anyone. The Vikings were Favre’s choice last year before being dealt to Gang Green setting off a media frenzy in the top sports market in the US.

After giving the Jets a 8-3 record with convincing wins over the New England Patriots and the undefeated Tennessee Titans, Favre and the Jets slumped the rest of the way eventually missing the playoffs they once seemed bound for.

Most of the blame was placed on Favre, who in the latter part of the season threw just 1 TD and 8 INT’s, while costing Eric Mangini his job, leaving plenty of question marks heading into the offseason.

Despite being mostly ecstatic when the Jets landed Favre on Aug. 7 the Jets faithful had little room for forgiveness hoping the aging QB would never don a hunter green jersey again having seen the rival Dolphins and ex- QB Chad Pennington clinch the division at home.

Now it seems Favre telling the media and GM Mike Tannenbaum that “Nothing has changed. At this time, I am retired and have no intention of returning to football” is all another lie similar to the one when he first announced his retirement but with water works.

Tax day is a few weeks past, and no one knows when death will come, so it seems the one thing for us fans to look for is more news about what is sure to be another ongoing drama this off-season.

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