12/30/24
January 17, 2010
Jets Advance to A.F.C. Title Game : Discounted yet again, regarded by some as the weakest team remaining in these N.F.L. playoffs, the Jets traveled across the country and delivered the most surprising upset of this season. On a playoff weekend when every top seed advanced in the three games before this one, the Jets pulled the only upset, one sure to place the spotlight on Norv Turner, the Chargers coach with the underwhelming playoff record. The Jets? They get a rematch with Indianapolis, the team that started the chain of events that allowed the Jets to end up here. It was the Colts who pulled their starters in the second-to-last game of the regular season. The Jets won that game and two games against the Bengals and this game against the favored Chargers.
posted by tommytrump to football at 09:06 PM - 28 comments
Well, that Times writer doesn't know what he's talking about. Norv has done much better for the Chargers in the postseason than anyone else has, except for maybe Bobby Ross; he's now 3-3 with us. Kaeding's the one who'll get let go - he'll never come back from this one with the fans, and as excellent as he's been during the regular season, he's never been reliable during the playoffs, going back to the game against the Jets a couple years ago. You can blame Norv partially for the stupid penalties - I'd hoped that the Chargers had been there enough times that they'd be able to keep their heads in the game this time, but I guess not. But those, the Jets not making any mistakes that hurt themselves, and Kaeding all make for a Jets win.
posted by LionIndex at 09:38 PM on January 17, 2010
That was a genius move by the Chargers receiver who kicked the challenge flag.
Almost as smart as the butthead linebacker whose head butt got the Jets first and goal inside the 10.
posted by irunfromclones at 10:28 PM on January 17, 2010
Can the Colts fan book their flights and hotels in Miami yet?
posted by sgtcookzane at 10:39 PM on January 17, 2010
You're kidding, right? If the Jets can go into San Diego and do that to the Chargers, Indy better be ready to play.
posted by rcade at 11:12 PM on January 17, 2010
Wouldn't be surprised in the least if the Jets knocked off the Colts next week with the way they're playing right now. Although I don't expect the Colts to do themselves in the way the Chargers did. Should still be very entertaining to say the least.
posted by fadetoblack5 at 11:48 PM on January 17, 2010
Should still be very entertaining to say the least.
I hope it's entertaining. With only a few exceptions, the playoffs have mostly been a dud with blowouts so far.
posted by jmd82 at 12:00 AM on January 18, 2010
Three missed field goals, and you lose by 3?
That's not going to sit well.
posted by grum@work at 12:44 AM on January 18, 2010
Jets have some seriously good ju-ju going. That's 5 field goals missed against them in two weeks (not that they really mattered last week) by some normally very reliable kickers. Either clean livin' or the kind of deal that would get Pat Robertson to say something stupid is responsible.
Makes me feel a little better about my Bengals watching that one on t.v.
posted by tahoemoj at 12:54 AM on January 18, 2010
Disregarding the "pulled starters" regular season game from a few weeks ago, looking at this Jets team facing this Colts team, the first thing that comes to mind is Super Bowl III. Even though Sanchez is no Namath, Coach Ryan is handling the bold prediction portion of Namath's 1968 role right now. Jones and Greene are kind of a latter day Boozer and Snell.
This will be a big deal in the NY press for days. With the Jets and Giants moving into a new facility next year and Rex now having made himself King of the Hudson, you have to wonder about Coughlin's future a bit more. The Giants started tanking right around the time that the Jets began rising up. I'm sure the Giants don't want the Jets to own the town outright.
posted by beaverboard at 04:20 AM on January 18, 2010
Even though Sanchez is no Namath, Coach Ryan is handling the bold prediction portion of Namath's 1968 role right now.
Give Sanchez some time. I highly doubt the Jets will go all the way this year, but if he and the rest of the team can stay healthy, they're going to replace the Patriots as the AFC East elite team within a couple of years.
posted by NerfballPro at 04:49 AM on January 18, 2010
Nothing like going to Qualcomm wearing my Sanchez Jersey (and thanks to all the brave Charger fans who screamed obscenities behind my back for 2 1/2 hours) and coming out with a win.
This was the Jets "rope a dope" strategy. They didn't even have a first down until the 2nd quarter but they didn't make any mistakes (except for the INT in the 3rd quarter) and that was the key.
This really reminds me of how Parcell's style of coaching. Play mistake free, keep the game close and win it in the end.
I still think the Colts are the best team in football. But I'm looking forward to the rematch.
posted by cjets at 10:52 AM on January 18, 2010
Although the Jets are a good team, they backed into the playoffs and lady luck is on their side. They will not be so lucky against the Colts. Expect a blowout.
posted by Doehead at 12:12 PM on January 18, 2010
I tend to agree with Doehead.
Also I would just like to reiterate, Norv Turner that the Chargers management fired Marty S. who was a terrible playoff coach and replaced him with Norv T. who is an even worse playoff coach. Sure everybody can blame the kicker for missing 3 FGs, but the reality is that San Diego had the offensive capability to score a lot of points and frankly was not prepared well. They played the game as if they could drive down and score the winning TD and any time and frankly time ran out. Any coach with the offensive weapons that the Chargers have, that looses a game like this scoring only twice should be fired. As long as he is the head coach, this will be the fate of the Chargers for years to come.
There has been a lot of years where we hear about all the talent the Charges have and they continually do not play up to their talent level. I can only point the finger at coaching and management.
posted by Atheist at 12:39 PM on January 18, 2010
Although the Jets are a good team, they backed into the playoffs and lady luck is on their side.
Don't confuse luck with backing into the playoffs. Winning 7 of 8 down the stretch, including two playoff games on the road, isn't backing into anything.
Yes, it was a huge break that the Colts pulled their players, but the Jets don't choose their opponents or pick their coaching strategy.
posted by cjets at 01:07 PM on January 18, 2010
Seeing the way the Jets are playing the last few weeks, think the Colts kinda wish they'd chased perfection with a bit more resolve?
posted by tahoemoj at 02:04 PM on January 18, 2010
Tahoemoj hits the nail on the head. Decisions like this tend to come back and bite you in the ass. Just like missing extra points that seem meaningless at the time, in football very little is actually meaningless. It would be poetic justice for the Jets to knock the Colts out of the playoffs. That would sure give the Colts' coaching staff something to think about in the off season regarding the choice to basically throw a game away again.
I suspect the Colts will prevail in next weeks contest but as a fan of the Colts, I would not be unhappy if they were defeated as payback for not respecting a divisional opponent enough to play their best game against them when a perfect season was on the line.
posted by Atheist at 04:46 PM on January 18, 2010
The Jets are on a nice roll, to be sure, but there was some inexplicable/self-destructive behavior on the Chargers side of the ball that contributed to the "upset". I don't see the Colts making those same mistakes. Indy by 6 or more.
posted by Tigginator at 05:57 PM on January 18, 2010
Congrats to the Jets for remembering they had a playoff game to play...sorry I can't say the same for my 'Boys.
posted by BornIcon at 06:02 PM on January 18, 2010
Caution: Grumpy old man, native New Englander, about to comment.
My ideal scenario for the AFC championship this year:
Shortly before game time the Lucas Oil Stadium collapses, miraculously injuring no fans. However, all players from both teams are hurt just seriously enough that none could play within the next month, but all will recover without any after effects. The NFL immediately cancels the NFC championship and decrees that the Super Bowl will be played between New Orleans and Minnesota.
Since they both can't lose, the above is the only way I'll be happy about the situation.
posted by Howard_T at 06:31 PM on January 18, 2010
You're kidding, right? If the Jets can go into San Diego and do that to the Chargers, Indy better be ready to play.
No your kidding, right? The Jets win was nice, but that was the one time out of ten that they could of beat the Chargers, at the Chargers. Especially with the long run at the end and the chargers doing themselves in. Lets not forget, the Chargers are known for choking one off every January. Its just a matter of time before the Jets remember who they really are.
Who knows, we might have a Saints Vs Jets superbore
posted by sgtcookzane at 09:02 PM on January 18, 2010
If the Colts aren't thoroughly preparing for the Jets, they're nuts.
The memory of what happened when Cowher's final Steelers team came into Indy as a rough and ready wild card team with a young QB should still be burning brightly in the Colts' minds as an incentive to get prepared.
The Colts have somewhat of a history of starting big home games by not doing well and letting visiting opponents run up an early lead, then coming to life in the second half and making a big comeback. They fell just short (a missed FG) of catching the Steelers, and twice came back to beat the Pats.
The Jets do not appear to have an offense that's dynamic enough to rack up a big early lead (unless Manning throws a pick or two), but they certainly have a defense that's capable of closing out the game if they have the lead in the fourth quarter.
posted by beaverboard at 10:05 PM on January 18, 2010
The Jets are on a nice roll, to be sure, but there was some inexplicable/self-destructive behavior on the Chargers side of the ball that contributed to the "upset". I don't see the Colts making those same mistakes. Indy by 6 or more.
Exactly. The Jets played a good game, possibly about as good as they can, and only made one meaningless mistake (the turnover that they immediately got back) against a team with a kicker inexpicably missing two field goals under 40 yards when he'd hit over 60 straight prior, that coughed up the ball a bunch of times and made absolutely boneheaded rookie penalties that allowed the Jets to extend drives. And the Jets won by 3.
posted by LionIndex at 10:06 PM on January 18, 2010
No your kidding, right? The Jets win was nice, but that was the one time out of ten that they could of beat the Chargers, at the Chargers.
Good teams do what they can to win games. The Jets keep games close and win with their defense. A different game without the missed field goals results in a different strategy by the Jets, not necessarily a win by the Chargers.
posted by bperk at 07:35 AM on January 19, 2010
Its just a matter of time before the Jets remember who they really are.
The Jets have the No. 1 passing defense in the NFL. They allowed only eight touchdowns all season and 2,459 passing yards. That's six fewer touchdowns and 489 yards lower than the second place teams in those categories.
People who think the last two wins were a fluke underestimate their ability to completely shut down a passing game. If they did it to Philip Rivers, they can do it to Manning.
posted by rcade at 11:03 AM on January 19, 2010
You act as if the Chargers had the top passing attack in the league or something.
posted by tahoemoj at 11:05 AM on January 19, 2010
I actually thought the Chargers had a good shot at penetrating the pass defense because while the Jets corners are awesome, the Chargers have Antonio Gates and could have potentially played more in the middle of the field. Alas, no. Not even a bit.
I think the Jets are real in the sense that they're one dimensional, but it's a great dimension and they're playing with huge confidence right now.
Of course, if a fucking kicker hits two of the three field goals, we're not even talking about them.
They can beat Indy, sure. It's one game. But each game is definitely getting tougher. I think Indy finds a way.
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 09:05 PM on January 19, 2010
That was a genius move by the Chargers receiver who kicked the challenge flag.