Time to Back Up All That Talk: JETS at Patriots AFC Divisional Matchup

It has all come full circle. After taking one from the Pats in Week 2, the Jets were pummeled in Foxboro in Week 13, 45-3. Sunday afternoon’s matchup is the rubber game, and the most important of this season’s Jets-Patriots matchups, and possibly the most important matchup between the two teams in their history.

Clearly, the Patriots are heavy favorites in this one. There aren’t many “experts” giving the Jets a chance in Sunday’s matchup. I truly believe that they are underestimating Rex Ryan’s crew. Rex is now 3-1 in the playoffs as the Jets’ head coach. All of those games came on the road. He has shown the ability to plan better and have his team play better in the playoffs. The Jets’ players also have more playoff experience than the Patriots players. Rex Ryan and Jets writers have pointed out that the Jets have a total of 196 playoff games under their belts since 2005, while the Patriots only have 101. The Patriots are a very young team now. Much of their defense is made up of rookies and inexperienced players with little to no playoff experience whatsoever. Who knows how these guys will show up on the biggest stage?

Random Jets - Pats Thoughts of the Day

Having a tough time thinking of a full article but have plenty of random thoughts going through my head, so I thought I might as well write them all down and post them in no particular order.

The Jets’ best defense on Sunday will be possession offense. Shonn Greene and LT need to keep the chains moving and take some precious time off the clock. This will keep Tom Brady off the field, meaning less of a chance for him to do damage.

Jerricho Cotchery and Dustin Keller need to play a crucial role in the Jets’ offense. The Patriots have a plethora of weapons on their offense and the Jets need to show that they have the same.

RT Damien Woody Placed on Season-Ending IR

Rex Ryan announced at his press conference today that New York Jets’ starting right tackle Damien Woody has been placed on injured reserve with an Achilles tendon injury. He will have surgery “later today”.  Woody had been fighting a knee injury for weeks and missed the last three games of the regular season. He first returned last week against the Colts, but apparently suffered an Achilles injury at some point during the Jets’ last drive and the Jets’ offensive line will now suffer from it and will not have Woody for Sunday’s matchup with the Patriots.

Positive spin: Backup tackle Wayne Hunter did an absolutely outstanding job when starting in Woody’s place the last three weeks of the season. Coming off the bench, he was far from great, but it’s a different story when he gets the start. The Jets are not happy at all about Big Wood going down, but we can have some confidence in Hunter to do a good job in his place this Sunday and through the rest of the playoffs.

Jets Execute Checkmate on Peyton Manning

How apropos that after all the talk about Rex Ryan’s ‘footgate’ controversy, Nick Folk’s foot gives the Jets a playoff victory. Folk, who almost lost his job after a rough stretch in the middle of the season, nailed a game winning 32-yard field goal as time expired to give the Jets a 17-16 win over the Colts in Indianapolis. Folk was also outstanding on kickoffs for the first time since the first quarter of the season, forcing two touchbacks.

Rex, Jets Beat Colts by a Foot

It was only fitting that Nick Folk’s foot is what sent Rex Ryan’s crew into the second round of the AFC Playoffs. The Jets beat the Colts 17-16 after Folk’s 32-yard field goal as time expired. The Jets defense was fantastic, only allowing Peyton Manning to score one touchdown. The ground and pound did its thing in the second half, especially on a 17 play, 87-yard touchdown drive that ate up 9:54 off the clock and kept Peyton Manning off the field. Revis Island was as amazing as can be; only allowing Reggie Wayne one catch for one yard. LaDainian Tomlinson finally got his big playoff game, rushing for 82 yards (5.1 ypc) and two touchdowns. After Adam Vinatieri’s game leading field goal put the Colts up 16-14, Antonio Cromartie answered by returning the ensuing kickoff to the 50-yard line. This gave Mark Sanchez and the Jets the chance to get into field goal range with 45 seconds to go. Sanchez got the Jets down to the 14-yard line allowing Folk to kick the game winning field goal. Overall, an excellent execution on the Jets’ part, especially in the second half. Manning did his thing, but the Jets played the better game.

Check back soon for a full recap of the Jets’ wildcard victory.