The New York Jets continued their charmed season and stormed into the playoffs thanks to their 23-3 thrashing of the Oakland Raiders on Sunday.Add in Denver’s 26-23 loss to San Francisco with Kansas City’s 35-30 victory over Jacksonville and the Jets find themselves as the no. 5 seed with a date against the New England Patriots on Sunday.
Not bad for a team I thought would be lucky to win 6 games.
It wasn’t pretty and it wasn’t the statement game I was hoping for, but the Jets did enough to win.The Jets were also helped by a hapless Raider team which seemed to be playing defense even when it was on offense.It was uncanny.The Jets didn’t score a defensive touchdown, but it appeared to be a very real possibility on every Oakland possession.
The first big play came in the first quarter when Oakland receiver and New Jersey native Johnnie Morant fumbled at the Raider 44.That led to a Chad Pennington to Chris Baker 1-yard touchdown pass and an early 7-0 lead.It looked like Gang-Green was on their way.
But the Jets allowed the Raiders to hang around and led only 10-3 at the half.After extending their lead to 13-3 after three quarters, Leon Washington delivered the second big play that finally put the silver and black away with a spectacular 15-yard TD run early in the fourth.
I have to give the Raiders credit.They came to play and the Jets couldn’t run the ball other than the Washington TD run.And is it just me or does the Raiders defensive coordinator Rob Ryan look like the bizarro version of country singer Kenny Rogers?
The Jets also had trouble stopping Justin Fargas (also known as the son of the guy who played Huggy-Bear in the original Starsky and Hutch).If the Raiders had any passing attack, the game could have gone down to the wire.
Eric Mangini got his well-deserved Gatorade bath with two minutes left in the fourth and the celebration began.Chad Pennington, who finished 22-30 for 157 yards and the one touchdown, saluted the crowd as the clock clicked down to zero.
I’m going to savor this feeling.All season I was wary of believing in this team for fear of getting my hopes up only to have them dashed (it’s happened before).I’m sure people will doubt the Jets chances in New England next week.That’s fine.
The way this season has gone, I wouldn't want it any other way.
Congrats to the Jets, they have had a nice year and after next week it will be all over.. then we can all concentrate on the real questions of the playoffs... Will it be Grossman or Greise???
The Jets are going all the way. Props to them for being the best football team in New York that no one knows about.