I've been wrong before and I'll be wrong again. After all I'm not perfect, only human. I like to analyze games, matchups, players, coaches, strategies, etc. However I must admit to you all that was 100% WRONG about one particular team. Maybe my personal feelings blinded me? Perhaps my hatred prevented me from seeing the big picture? Either way I was way off when it comes to the playoff success of the most red-hot team in the league right now, the J-E-T-S JETS JETS JETS! Wow what a performance by New York! (God it pains me to say this, I'm biting down hard on a piece of wood right now to ease the pain) I chastised their first year coach when, during the first week of the playoffs, he said "we should be favored to win the Superbowl". Rex, I'm sorry for doubting you, I should have listened. I laughed at the regular season stats of rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez, even went so far as to proclaim to fellow co-workers that "this is a quarterback's league and Sanchez has no business being the playoffs." Apparently, I forgot to take my crazy pills that day. Interestingly enough, Sanchez threw the game changing TD pass in the fourth quarter Sunday evening in a hostile environment to give the Jets their first lead of the game. Although the former USC quarterback did throw one interception, the crafty defensive player of the year runner-up, Darelle Revis, made arguably the most unbelievable play of the postseason when he somehow managed to keep the football off the ground on a jump ball of the fingertips of the Chargers' Vincent Jackson. Another Rivers interception, and a bulldozing run by rookie Shonn Greene put the Jets up 1-pts and they went on to win by 3 in one of the biggest playoff upsets in recent history.
Remember, I HATE all New York teams. Ask my cousins, I was screaming, ranting, pacing all througout their house watching this game. After getting all my personal emotions out (trust me it took a while) I started analyzing this unforseen run of the J-E-T-S. Unexpected. Gut-wrenching. Unreal confidence. Relentless defense. Persistent running attack. Heart of a champion? All of these phrases describe this young team of New York. The last one remains to be seen of course until February 7th in Miami. I will tell you right now: the Jets are going to Superbowl XLIV. Let's go back to Week 15. The Indianapolis Colts were 14-0, riding the NFL's longest winning regular season streak in the history of the game and preparing to become the 2nd team ever to go 16-0. The matchup would be: Jets vs. Colts in Indy. New York had just lost their previous game at home, virtually knocking them out of the playoffs, alive only mathmatically due to tiebreakers n such. Throughout the week, Rex Ryan made multiple comments through the media encouraging the Colts to rest Peyton Manning. The game began with Manning on the field for Indy. After a very competitive first half, the Colts were clinging to a 15-10 lead midway through the 3rd quarter, and then... it happened. The single most important decision this season (If you would have asked me this question before the game I would have said Belichick's 4th and 2 choice took the cake but thankfully the focus is no longer on my vanished Patriots).
The decision made by the Colts' first year head coach, Jim Caldwell, will surely go down as one of the most questionable calls in the history of the NFL. Go for it on 4th down? Nope. Challenge a fumble decision by a referee? Way off. The choice to sit the NFL MVP with your 14-0 team about 24 minutes away from acheiving a 15-0 record. Caldwell decided to 'rest' Peyton Manning and put rookie Curtis Painter in the middle of a hurricane on the field. A few Painter turnovers later, a fiesty homecrowd, a bunch of pissed off Colts starters, and the NY Jets got what they came for: a win. The loss for the Colts derailed their thoughts of a perfect season, ended their NFL regular season record winning streak, and sent shockwaves all throughout Indy. It wasn't supposed to happen like this. Peyton had defeated Brady, Belichick and Co. The Colts had come back to win in Baltimore. Every time a team challenged them, Manning had an answer. The Colts were unflappable. They were 'perfect' until... the decision.
In a game that meant everything to the Jets and should of meant everything to the Colts, clearly it didn't. The Jets were playing for their lives in this game and threw everything they had at the Colts. Indy had the game in control and then abruptly decided winning the game wasn't all that important. I agree with Tedy Bruschi. I believe the Colts coaching staff was scared. Scared of the idea of going 16-0 and having that 'monkey' on their back in the playoffs. We saw a team go into the Superbowl at 18-0 a few years ago and... yada yada yada they fear the pursuit of perfection. (Don't even try to go there, I'm warning you) To pick up where we left off, the Jets went on to win the game thus changing everything in the AFC playoff picture. The Colts' record fell to 14-1, the Jets used the win as a springboard for their four game winning streak in which they beat and physically dominated four division winners, and the controversy began.
Fast forward to yesterday. 1:15 left in the game, the Jets clinging to a three point lead. Fourth and one inside the San Diego 35 yard line. CBS did a great job of catching Rex Ryan immediately after the 3rd down run. "We're going for it!" screamed the NY head coach. One final run for the Jets, one last display of unreal confidence, one last yard to gain. As Thomas Jones ran for the last first down of the game, you know Jim Caldwell was sitting somewhere in Indianapolis somewhere saying "Oh shi#!" Peyton locked up somewhere is his hidden Manningcave rolling his eyes in digust, cursing out his head coach with the words "I TOLD YOU TO LEAVE ME IN THE GAME!!!" I believe Rex Ryan said it best once again with the simple words "Well it may not be the matchup everyone wanted to see but too bad, get ready, HERE WE COME!"
Despite all the predictions by countless sports analysts, the New York football Jets are going to the AFC Championship game. And you heard it here first: The Jets will be in the Superbowl February 7th in Landshark Stadium. The football gods are paying back the Colts. Everyone who was soo upset in Indy about the Colts saying thanks but no thanks to a perfect season, just wait, you'll be seething Sunday evening about, oh say 615pm. I honestly believe the Jets will go into Indy the more confident team with absolutely nothing to lose. Fans of football all around the globe who were angry about the Colts and Bengals laying down for the Jets the last two weeks allowing them acceptance in the 12-team postseason tournament, get over it. The Jets are for real, especially that defense. Indy will realize they should have eliminated New York back in Week 15. Maybe I'm right, maybe I'm wrong. One thing is for sure: every single Colts player will be thinking about the what if factor at some point this week. Imagine this moment: It's the 4th quarter in the AFC Championship game. The game is tied at 13 and Shonn Greene runs for a 30 yard TD to put NY up by 7 with 5 minutes to go. Peyton comes on the field, only to be picked off by Darelle Revis on the Jets 20 yard line. As Peyton walks up the field, he looks up at the clock, shaking his head in disbelief, horror, and shock. Shocked that their magical season has come to a close at the hands of a team that should never have been there. A team that they should have eliminated back in December. A team that has played with much more confidence, swagger, and conviction. The Colts used to be this team. The wish they were still that team. Too bad their coach didn't decide to embrace the pursuit of perfection, instead choosing to buckle under pressure and pass on the challenge of being the undisputed NFL champion ever.
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