NFC Power Rankings: Final Regular Season Rankings

1. Saints (13-3)

They earned a bye week, but they basically took off the last two weeks of the season. Don’t be surprised if the Saints start off rusty in their first playoff game, especially since they have a history of starting games off slowly. They are still the favorite to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl, but the margin is much much closer than originally thought. (Last Week: 1)

2. Vikings (12-4)

The Vikings absolutely dominated the Giants, which is a good sign, even though the Giants had become a pushover by the end of the season. Favre was hitting his receivers and letting them make plays. As long as Favre and Adrian Peterson are healthy, this team has a great shot to make the Super Bowl. Antoine Winfield needs to get fully healthy. (5)

3. Packers (11-5)

If not for the freak Roethlisberger touchdown as time expired in Week 16, this team would be heading into the playoffs on an eight game winning streak. Even with the loss, they are one of the hottest teams in the land and I would not want to face them this coming week. (3)

4. Cowboys (11-5)

With the big win against the Eagles, the Cowboys have successfully shaken off their post-November struggles, finishing the season 3-2. The last time they faced an NFC East team they had swept in the regular season was against the Giants in 2007, and we all remember what happened there. (6)

5. Eagles (11-5)

With all of their offensive players back healthy, the Eagles laid an egg in Cowboy Stadium. Fortunately, they get a chance to wash away their sins with a rematch this week. Expect a much closer game. (2)

6. Cardinals (10-6)

Did the Cardinals limp their way into the playoffs again, or did they strategically bomb knowing they would face the Packers again this week? Either way, I wouldn’t look too much into their late-season swoon, as they basically did the same thing last season. (4)

7. Panthers (8-8)

DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart became the first duo to each rush for 1,100 yards in a season. With a healthy Steve Smith next season, this team is ready to become one of the forces in the NFC once again. They’ll go as far as new QB Matt Moore can take them. (7)

8. Falcons (9-7)

The only NFC team with a winning record not in the playoffs. The Falcons finished the season strong and I expect them to be in the hunt again next year. Fans have to be happy with the way they competed down the stretch, but they can’t help but be bitter that a couple of key injuries are what kept them out of the playoffs. (9)

 

9. 49ers (8-8)

Congratulations to Vernon Davis for tying Antonio Gates’ record of 13 receiving touchdowns for a tight end. He combines with Michael Crabtree to form a dynamic young receiving duo. (10)

 

10. Giants (8-8)

Could they beat a Pop Warner team right now? Depends if that Pop Warner team is headed for the playoffs. The Giants were 2-7 against playoff teams and 6-1 against non-playoff teams. (8)

11. Bears (7-9)

Jay Cutler finished the season strong (eight touchdowns, one interception in last two games), giving fans reason to be optimistic. With an improved Cutler and a healthy Brian Urlacher, the Bears could help make the NFC North one of football’s best divisions next season. (11)

12. Redskins (4-12)

The Jim Zorn era is over, but as long as Daniel Snyder continues his ADD ownership style, things won’t get much better. The organization needs some stability. (12)

13. Seahawks (5-11)

By losing four straight to end the season, the Seahawks have given themselves another top 10 pick in the upcoming draft. This might be the offseason that they decide to rebuild, and they’ll have to think long and hard about going in a different direction at quarterback. (13)

14. Buccaneers (3-13)

They have a couple of good young pieces, but this roster is a long way away from competing again. (14)

15. Lions (2-14)

It turned out that the only thing keeping the 2009 Rams from duplicating the 2008 Lions’ winless season was the 2009 Lions. (15)

 

16. Rams (1-15)

The most cliche way to end an end-of-season power rankings is to simply say, “the St. Louis Rams are now on the clock.” And that’s just fine with me. (16)

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The Jim Zorn That I Knew

Make no mistake, I am a die-hard Redskins’ fan. The first quarterback I cheered—and booed—was a fellow by the name of Norm Snead, the player traded to the Philadelphia Eagles for the beloved Sonny Jurgensen in 1964.

 

I was elated when Vice Lombardi came to Washington and devastated when he died after just one season in the big chair. I watched as George Allen made the franchise a winner and saw Joe Gibbs make a winner a champion.

 

So yeah, I’ve got a Redskins’ pedigree.

 

But I also lived in Seattle in the late 1970s and early 1980s and watched a moribund, rag-tag team of castoffs try to reach respectability behind a short, quick-footed lefty quarterback from Cal Poly Pamona.

 

His name was Jim Zorn.

 

He led the expansion Seahawks to winning records in just their third and fourth seasons in the league. He passed for more than 20,000 yards and rushed for almost 2,000, thanks to his shifty, behind-the-line, “Oh my gosh, I’m going to get beaten into the ground so I’d better get out of here” running style.

 

Though he guided the Seahawks to just 40 wins in 128 games, he was a star like no other player on the roster. Try to picture Sonny Jurgensen’s fame during his prime.

 

Like that.

 

Back then, I ran one of the first sports apparel businesses that sold authentic jerseys and caps. At least once a year, NFL players were contractually required to do meet ‘n’ greets at the local stores that sold their team’s merchandise.

 

My store got Jim Zorn.

 

There were at least 2,000 fans waiting patiently in a line that snaked through the Tacoma Mall when he showed up in true Jim Zorn style. “Z-man,” as he was known, pulled up at the mall door in his Nissan 280-Z. He high-fived the crowed as he sprinted through the corridor that led to my store, his long hair flopping in his self-made breeze. He jumped the counter to the shrieking delight of the fans.

 

He grabbed his Sharpie and began to sign a foot-high stack of 8×10 glossies.

 

He was wearing a lumberjack flannel shirt, well tailored and expensively designed. On the cuff was a stylized “Z-man” logo, the same that adorned the special edition Jim Zorn Nissan that he drove.

 

His shirt was his own creation, styled and sold by his own corporation.

 

Washington politicians had nothing on Jim Zorn.

 

He’d look up and shake the hand of each and every person as they came up to his table. He’d look them over and try to find something positive and personal to say to them.

 

High-fives. Handshakes. Hugs. That was Jim Zorn.

 

After three hours, his smile was still real and the photos were almost all gone. The store closed and the fans left and he finally had a minute to take a deep breath. He glanced to his left and finally noticed that there was a police officer two feet away. This wasn’t a mall cop, mind you. He was a chisled, tall, 10-year veteran of the Tacoma police department.

 

Zorn looked puzzled.

 

He pointed at the officer and said with a grin, “Why do we have police here tonight? I’m not that big of a deal!”

 

The policeman stared me down and shook his head. He placed one hand on his revolver and the other on the flashlight hanging from his belt.

 

Nodding at me, the policeman barked, “You mean he didn’t tell you about the death threat?”

 

Zorn looked at me, then at the police officer, and then back at me. “Death threat? No, didn’t hear a word about that. What’s up?”

 

The cop stared me down. Zorn stared me down.

 

I fessed up. “Well, Jim,” I began, “about three hours before you showed up, I got a call from a guy who said he was going to kill you.”

 

“Why?” Zorn begged.

 

“He doesn’t like your politics,” I told him.

 

Zorn cocked his head, closed his eyes, and shook his head, slow at first but picking up speed as he thought about the absurd situation that he was dealing with.

 

He tapped the Sharpie on the counter a few times, grunted, shrugged his shoulders and leaped back over the counter. “I don’t understand that at all,” he said. “Now, that last interception against the Raiders last week, darn right I deserve to get ‘offed’ for that!”

 

Just before he reached the door, he spun on his heals, pointed directly at me and shouted, “Whose you’re favorite quarterback??”

 

“Sonny Jurgensen!” I shouted back.

 

He stared at me for a moment, than burst out into laughter.

 

“Jack Pardee once told me that there’s nothing like a Redskin fan. I guess he was right.”

 

And with that, Jim Zorn, wearing his Z-shirt, hopped into his Z-car, and was long-gone into the night.

 

No, Jim Zorn didn’t do a great job for the Redskins, but Jim Zorn was supposed to be a green, inexperienced Offensive Coordinator, not an even greener head coach with absolutely no experience.

 

He was set up to fail. But good men can fail, and I hope that Redskins’ fans remember that he did the best he could.

 

We just can’t ask for any more than that.

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NFL Playoffs: Who Is The Favorite In The NFC? Super Bowl?

The NFL Playoffs are one of the most gambled on sporting events in the world.

At the beginning of each season, 32 teams have a chance of playing on that last Sunday in February. After week 17, there are only six teams remaining from each conference. Four will wait until the Divisional Playoffs to make their Super Bowl statements, but the other eight will battle in either five or six days on Wild Card Weekend. The once undefeated teams (Vikings and Saints) remain the Super Bowl favorites according to Bodog.com, but have you ever wondered what those exact odds were?

For non-gamblers, the odds are really a non-factor, they usually base the best team based on record. In most cases, that’s how Las Vegas and the off-shore sites have put the numbers together.

As of Monday, January 4th, 2010 – 2:04pm CST

ODDS TO WIN THE NFC CHAMPIONSHIP

New Orleans Saints = 5/4 or (Bet $100 to win $125)

Considering the Saints lost their last three games of the season, this is a very low and risky number. They are the current betting favorite in the NFC, but taking this short of odds on a team that is not playoff tested would be throwing away your money.

Minnesota Vikings = 5/2 or (Bet $100 to win $250)

Personally, the Vikings should be the favorite in the NFC with their playoff experience at the quarterback position and across the board. Super Bowl teams typically either have a superb passing game or a dominating running attack. Minnesota can attack you with both, that makes them the most versatile team in the NFC. If they need to run they’ll run, if they need to pass they’ll pass. The key will be how well the defense plays. Jared Allen, The Williams Wall, and the secondary all need to step up, and they will be playing in the end.

Dallas Cowboys = 11/2 (Bet $100 to win $450)

The Cowboys are the most interesting Wild Card team playing in the NFC. The talent they put on the field can be considered just as good or better than the Vikings, Saints, or Eagles. If they can shed the playoff woes of the past decade and then some, the Cowboys can make a run at the Super Bowl. They would have a significant advantage over Minnesota. The Vikings offensive line has been their biggest problem, and Dallas’ defensive line is one of the best in the league. Dallas fans know the only team they can play in round two is Minnesota. If Anthony Herrera and Bryant McKinnie play like they have in Minnesota’s four road losses than the Dallas Cowboys will end the Vikings season in the Divisional Playoffs. The reason I don’t like Dallas is that Minnesota is 8-0 at home. The dome is loud and those two lineman have played like Pro-Bowlers in the Metrodome.

Philadelphia Eagles = 8/1 or (Bet $100 to win $800)

Considering that they just got dominated by Dallas in an important seeding game, this number is also a little low for my taking. Most people are relying on the fact that Andy Reid has taken the Eagles to the NFC Championship five times over the past seven years. They have only won one of those games. Tough number to risk $100 on after they just got dismantled by Tony Romo. The more troubling thing was how Dallas’ defense just handled Donovan McNabb and DeSean Jackson.

Green Bay Packers = 9/1 or (Bet $100 to win $900)

A lot of betting wonks love to ride the hot pony, and the Packers have to be considered exactly that. Green Bay has won six of their past seven, their only loss coming in Pittsburgh in their home finale. They also lost on a miracle last second pass. If you dismiss that game and the two losses to Minnesota. The Packers would be the number one seed in the NFC. Now you can’t do that because they did lose those games, but the most likely scenario would take Green Bay to New Orleans in the Divisional Playoffs. Because of the way in which both Green Bay’s offense and defense are clicking right now, they should be considered a legit contender to knock off Drew Brees and the Saints. Wouldn’t it be sweet to see another Green Bay-Minnesota matchup in the NFC Championship game?

Arizona Cardinals = 9/1 (Bet $100 to win $900)

The defending NFC Champs are the longest shot in the NFC for a reason. They have lost the ability to defend like they did last season. They also were destroyed by their Wild Card Weekend opponents. It would surprise me if they get by Green Bay. Even though they are at home, Aaron Rodgers and Ryan Grant have shown the ability to take their offense to new heights. Injuries to Anquan Boldin and some other starters are going to make it a very tough task. The odds of this team should be more like 20/1, I would not take less than that.

 

ODDS TO WIN THE SUPER BOWL:

Arizona Cardinals = 22/1

Dallas Cowboys = 10/1

Green Bay Packers = 22/1

Minnesota Vikings = 7/1

New Orleans Saints = 4/1

Philadelphia Eagles = 16/1

These odds favor the AFC opponent in the matchup in Miami. The Indianapolis Colts, San Diego Chargers, and New England Patriots would more than likely be favored over all of these teams in a Super Bowl.

ODDS OF POTENTIAL SUPERBOWL MATCHUPS:

Arizona Cardinals vs Baltimore Ravens = 100/1

Arizona Cardinals vs Cincinnati Bengals = 150/1

Arizona Cardinals vs Indianapolis Colts = 20/1

Arizona Cardinals vs San Diego Chargers = 20/1

Arizona Cardinals vs New York Jets = 200/1

Arizona Cardinals vs New England Patriots = 50/1

Dallas Cowboys vs Baltimore Ravens = 75/1

Dallas Cowboys vs Cincinnati Bengals = 100/1

Dallas Cowboys  vs Indianapolis Colts = 12/1

Dallas Cowboys  vs San Diego Chargers = 16/1

Dallas Cowboys  vs New York Jets = 125/1

Dallas Cowboys  vs New England Patriots = 35/1

Green Bay Packers vs Baltimore Ravens = 100/1

Green Bay Packers vs Cincinnati Bengals = 150/1

Green Bay Packers  vs Indianapolis Colts = 20/1

Green Bay Packers  vs San Diego Chargers = 25/1

Green Bay Packers vs New York Jets = 200/1

Green Bay Packers vs New England Patriots = 60/1

Minnesota Vikings vs Baltimore Ravens = 40/1

Minnesota Vikings vs Cincinnati Bengals = 60/1

Minnesota Vikings vs Indianapolis Colts = 6/1

Minnesota Vikings  vs San Diego Chargers = 9/1

Minnesota Vikings vs New York Jets = 70/1

Minnesota Vikings vs New England Patriots = 20/1

New Orleans Saints vs Baltimore Ravens = 30/1

New Orleans Saints vs Cincinnati Bengals = 40/1

New Orleans Saints vs Indianapolis Colts = 7/2

New Orleans Saints  vs San Diego Chargers = 5/1

New Orleans Saints vs New York Jets = 45/1

New Orleans Saints vs New England Patriots = 13/1

Philadelphia Eagles vs Baltimore Ravens = 90/1

Philadelphia Eagles vs Cincinnati Bengals = 125/1

Philadelphia Eagles vs Indianapolis Colts = 16/1

Philadelphia Eagles vs San Diego Chargers = 20/1

Philadelphia Eagles vs New York Jets = 175/1

Philadelphia Eagles vs New England Patriots = 50/1

 

 

 

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Mike Shanahan Spotted at Dulles Airport

Local sports anchor Dan Hellie is reporting via Twitter that Mike Shanahan has arrived at Dulles International Airport in Virginia and was picked up by Redskin owner Dan Snyder’s Maybach limo.

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NFL Playoff Schedule 2010: Breaking Down the Games, In Limericks

Twelve teams.

Eleven Games.

One month.

Thousands of buffalo wings.

It’s NFL Playoff season, which means we have a month of football to help us forget the past four months most of us spent watching our fantasy teams disappoint. To celebrate, here’s a breakdown of who plays when this upcoming weekend, in limericks.

As always, comments, in limerick form, are encouraged.

Begin Slideshow

What the Wes Welker Injury Means for the New England Patriots

To put it bluntly, this is why you sit your starters in meaningless games.

The New England Patriots entered Sunday’s match-up with the determined Houston Texans at 10-5, as division champs, and with a chip on their shoulder.

They should have quit while they were ahead. Literally .

But even before the game took a turn and all of Houston saw (at least for another three hours) a decent shot at the postseason, the Patriots’ entire fan base saw their worst nightmare.

Wide receiver Wes Welker sustained what ESPN’s Adam Schefter has reported as being a tear of both the ACL and MCL ligaments in his knee.

Welker was injured on a first quarter play, was escorted to the sidelines, and did not return to the game.

To get a good idea of what Welker means to this Patriots offense, and just as important, Tom Brady, one needs to look no further than the game against the Texans, where Brady struggled without his money-man underneath, throwing for under 200 yards, no scores, and a pick in over three quarters of play.

But if you’re a logical fan, and better yet, a hopeful New England supporter, more proof will surely be needed.

Earlier in the season, while many discounted Tom Brady’s early struggles to rust and his inability to feel completely comfortable inside the pocket (something about a knee injury), it was painfully obvious that Brady was actually desperately missing a twice absent Welker, while also working with a Welker that was battling a knee injury through the first five weeks.

We’re talking about a guy who has recorded at least 111 receptions and 1,000+ yards in every season as a Patriot. This is the guy who would have been the Super Bowl MVP in 2007 if Plaxico Burress and David Tyree didn’t put their comeback hats on.

This is the guy that gets no respect. He’s the receiver who is “basically a running back.” He isn’t fast. He isn’t Randy Moss. Julian Edelman did well while he was out, so “quite clearly,” he’s replaceable.

Wrong.

What people don’t realize is that Welker isn’t just “effective” or a receiver with great hands. He moves the chains at an elite rate, and simply racks up yardage after the catch.

On a team with a sketchy rushing attack, Welker does take the form of a running back, although it’s viewed as an extreme positive, rather than a knock on his ability to play the position.

While Edelman, who caught 10 balls for 103 yards in place of Welker on Sunday, is an adequate replacement in the slot, it’s more than arguable that no one can actually “replace” Welker.

At least, not fully.

Unfortunately for Welker, Brady, and the rest of this New England offense, however, the former Kent State quarterback will have to try.

For more NFL news and articles, go here .

 

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Blame Playcalling for Eagles’ Pathetic Outing Versus Cowboys

When reviewing the Eagles’ 24-0 loss to the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, two stats jump off the page more than any other.

Eagles pass attempts: 36  (With four sacks, that number moves up to 40.)

Eagles rushing attempts: 10

Game.  Over.

In a game where Andy Reid’s team chose to blitz far less than average (after coming into the game averaging nearly 50 percent of its defensive snaps blitzing), and the defense allowed the Cowboys to control the ball for over 40 minutes, the offensive playcalling set the defense up in such a no-win situation.

When a team throws 80 percent of the time , they become predictable defensively.  

I’m not discounting the impact of losing center Jamaal Jackson the week before in the win against Denver, because asking Nick Cole to establish a season’s worth of rapport with Donovan McNabb in a week’s time was a losing proposition to begin with.  (And such, that botched snap between Cole and McNabb in the second quarter was almost to be expected, although preferably McNabb would have at least fallen on the ball instead of allowing the Cowboys to recover).

But regardless of how large the Cowboys’ ever-growing lead seemed to be, by all but abandoning the running game, Reid waved the white flag to the NFC’s No. 2 seed and said, “See you next week, Dallas!”

As Chris Berman on ESPN so kindly put it, the Eagles should have been down 21-0 by the middle of the second quarter (if not for the Asante Samuel tip/Joselio Hanson interception).  But they weren’t — they were only down two scores for most of the first half and 17-0 by halftime.  

That is no reason to abandon the run game!  There’s still 30 minutes left, and by going pass/pass/pass/punt, it’s only putting an already-tired defense back out on the field.

Furthermore, as much as I’m a McNabb homer, even I’ll admit he didn’t have one of his finest days accuracy-wise on Sunday.  And that was evident from early on, when he overshot a wide-open DeSean Jackson on a deep ball that would have been the quick strike 6 points the Eagles famously feast off of, and a wide-open Jeremy Maclin soon thereafter.

If your quarterback isn’t having his finest day, and your offensive line is caving to the pressure of an oversized Dallas D-line, isn’t that the time to put the ball in your running backs’ hands?

Reid and Mornhinweg completely neglected Pro Bowl fullback Leonard Weaver and rookie running back LeSean McCoy, the two guys who had carried the Eagles’ running game in their six-game win streak, by feeding them the ball one time each.  Two carries for two of the Eagles’ most potent weapons from November and December.

And Michael Vick, who was being reported as “probable” in the days leading up to the game after recovering from his hamstring injury, was quickly downgraded to the No. 3 quarterback on Sunday, eliminating all chances of offensive trickery from his part.

Even if Vick lacks the explosive burst he needs to get around the corner and run for a huge gain… the Cowboys don’t know that!  They still have to respect his run and pass game.  And are the Eagles not confident enough in Vick as a quarterback in Week 17 of the season that they’d put him in for a few plays in a game that could win them a first-round playoff bye?

The only feasible explanation is that Reid and Mornhinweg didn’t want to reveal all their cards to the Cowboys, at the risk that they’d end facing them in Dallas again next week for a first-round playoff matchup.  (Surprise… they are.)  

But to what extent did they go to make sure that they didn’t reveal the offensive genius that brought them a six-game win streak where they averaged over 30 points per game?

Reid and Mornhinweg better go back to the drawing board… and fast.  The Eagles head back to Dallas for an 8 p.m. game on Saturday.

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Don’t Expect Repeat In Bengals-Jets Rematch

On the surface, Sunday’s 37-0 whipping at the hands of the New York Jets seems to be a bad omen for the Cincinnati Bengals. But in reality, how much bearing does it have on this weekend’s playoff game?

Absolutely none whatsoever.

The Jets won a game they needed to win. The Bengals played a game they were told to play. It was apparent that although Cincinnati played most of its starters, it was not going to go into the contest with all guns blazing.

New York did everything it needed to do. The Jets ran the ball, they pulled off gadget plays, they were big on defense. In many respects, the Jets looked like an unstoppable force, a team that is ready to roll through the playoffs.

But like your mother once told you, don’t always believe what you see. And as Princess Leia once remarked, “They let us get away. It’s the only reason for the ease of our escape.”

While the Jets were playing like a cornered rat, biting and clawing to get out alive, the Bengals looked like a bored house cat. The Jets may scamper by with a block of cheese, but the Bengals showed no interest in chasing after.

For many, it seems to be a dangerous way to play a game. After all, the Bengals are still a young team and turning the fire on and off isn’t as easy as some fans believe.

But consider a couple of things before you buy into the hype that the Bengals are merely a roadblock in the Jets’ quest for the Super Bowl. One, the wind chill was five degrees at kickoff and only got colder as the game wore on. Would you really want to play in a game with nothing at stake in that kind of weather?

And two, how much of its hand did New York show? The Jets seemed to pull out all of the stops in putting 37 points on the board. How much does an already offensively-challenged team have left in the tank?

A week from now, we’ll have all of the answers and its possible the Jets will be in full media darling mode by then. But if they believe they saw the best Cincinnati can offer, they may be in for a rude awakening.

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Recap: Bengals Bungle First Meeting With Jets

There—on a blustery night in the Meadowlands—the Jets closed a tripping, bumbling trip into the playoffs with a convincing romp over the suprisingly anemic Cincinnati Bengals.

In the frigid night air—with windchill the temperature easily below zero—the Bengal’s first team offense had a total of nine yards at the half. Carson Palmer was even more off balance—between one drive alone where three passes were dropped (including two by Chad Ocho Cinco). By halftime Carson Palmer was 1 for 11 with zero yards and a 1.7 passer’s rating. The running game was even more abismal, with Larry Johnson leading the way with nine yards.  The net total yardage for the Bengals for the first half: seven yards.

In a more suprising letdown, the first team defense was run over through the first half, surrendering 196 yards on the ground and 54 through the air as the Jets entered the locker room with 250 net yards and 27 total points.

The second half saw the return of the Bengals’ first team starters for almost half of the third quarter—which seemed overtly risky considering the game was likely over with the large deficit already established.

In the end, Jets 37—Bengals 0. Embarassing, and even though this game was somewhat of a write off, the first team did little to assuage Bengal Nation’s fears that next week could very well be a continuing saga of the same.

The glimmer of hope comes from the anticipated returns of Domata Peko, Robert Geathers, and Chris Crocker to the defense along with Cedric Benson and J.P. Foschi to the offense.

In any event, injuries sustained of unknown severity to Tom Nelson and Chad Ocho Cinco should make this short week a very trying and challenging one heading into Saturday’s rematch in Cincinnati against the New York Jets.

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Playoff-Bound Jets: Hard To Believe, But It’s True

Rex Ryan and his players conducted a victory lap with the fans at Giants Stadium once the game was over.

They earned it by making the playoffs after going through tough times this season.

It helped the schedule favored the Jets with the Colts and the Bengals laying down as an attempt to rest their stars. In the Bengals case, they didn’t want to showcase their best stuff for the Jets to expose their strengths and weaknesses in a playoff rematch that will take place on Saturday afternoon at Cincinnati.

Regardless, this is an accomplishment, and it should mean something with a rookie coach leading the team.

The critics counted the team out after the Jets gone through a rough stretch in October yet they managed to get some wins in the final weeks of November to put themselves in the playoff hunt, and now look at them.

This writer knocked Ryan in this site so it’s only fair to offer credit where it’s due. The first-year head coach showed his optimism even during the rough times, and his players responded to that.

That was one reason why Ryan was hired. He knew how to motivate his players by pushing them to succeed in practice and on Sundays.

Eric Mangini struggled to do that when the Jets went through a rough stretch last year. He had no answers, and it showed in the sidelines.

The current head coach acts like he knows what he is doing on the sidelines, and he comes up with answers when it comes to the media instead of ducking the questions or looking lost out there like his predecessor.

It’s easy to give in to negativity when one looks at the history of this downtrodden franchise, but it takes a special coach to overcome that, and that’s what convinced Woody Johnson to believe in Ryan by hiring him.

It was not just the motivational tactics and interpersonal skills that served Ryan well. Ryan improved with his coaching skills late in the season by making better use of clock management and being involved with the offense by forcing Sanchez not to do much and getting Thomas Jones involved.

Give it up to the players too. The Jets lost Leon Washington and Kris Jenkins for the season, but they marched on by winning without them.

They managed to survive despite Mark Sanchez’s woes.

The offense figured out a way to score enough points thanks to Jones’ effort. The defense lived up to its top ranking these last few weeks.

They did their job by winning games that they needed to win to get there. Looking at history and what took place this season, who knew if those guys would screw up, but that didn’t turn out to be the case.

These guys showed they are as good as any AFC team out there. If Sanchez can get hot in the playoffs, maybe this team can make a run to Miami.

This is a team that has a good nucleus of young players to build around for many years to come.

Making the playoffs signifies a great season even if this team showed mediocrity again or not win a playoff game.

The hope is that this team can use this year as a steppingstone for bigger and better things in the next few years. Expectations are going to be higher next season, and it should be.

This is just the beginning.

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