A victorious Peyton Manning shares a postgame handshake with a scowling Tom Brady.
Wow. WHAT. A. GAME…
I know this is a Jets blog, but as a HUGE Jets fan and an even BIGGER Patriots hater (yup, in this case I’m proud to be a hater, regardless of its negative connotation), I simply HAVE TO comment on the undoubtedly infamous late-4th quarter collapse by the boys from New England. Had they punted the ball on 4th-and-2 at their own 28-yard line, yes, the Colts still could’ve come back to win, but it would’ve been a hell of a lot more difficult than the situation the Patriots gave them by failing to convert on 4th down with just 2:08 remaining in such a crucial game as this one.
With the loss now, the Pats (6-3) are not only 3 full games behind the still-undefeated Colts (9-0), but technically they are four games behind them, as Indianapolis now holds the tiebreaker over New England if they were to finish the season with the same record (likely to be tops in the AFC). While football fans all over the country couldn’t have asked for a much better nationally-televised rivalry game between arguably the NFL’s two premier quarterbacks of the decade, it could’ve easily ended in an outcome with a significantly different result with regard to playoff scenarios and seeding. But let me re-emphasize that I am glad it did not, as it means my Jets are still very much alive in the playoff hunt, whereas they would be all-but-eliminated had New England come away with the victory tonight.
Anyway, just to briefly recap the Jets’ own game earlier this afternoon — a devastating 24-22 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars (5-4) — I really wish the NFL would declare Jacksonville running back Maurice Jones-Drew too short to play in the league, as at 5’7″ he is one of the peskier and more dangerous weapons an opposing team can possess. Not only did he run with relative ease against our reasonably stingy run defense (MJD was the first opposing running back this season to rush for 100+ yards against us), but he also made a play in the last minute of the game that was far smarter than I gave him credit for at the time given my extreme disappointment. With Jacksonville down just one point, 22-21, and about 1 1/2 minutes left to play, the speedy Jones-Drew took a 2nd-and-6 handoff from the 10-yard line and ran it all the way up the middle only to purposefully take a knee at the 1, just so the clock would continue to run (we had no timeouts remaining, and were hoping to get the ball back by allowing him to run into the end zone). Only needing a field goal to regain the lead, all the Jags had to do was let the clock tick down, and kick the game-winning field goal as time expired. Which they did.
Was it a smart play by MJD? Yes, I suppose it was. Could the Jets defense have done a better job stopping the litte guy from pretty much having his way with us in a game we really needed to win? I’d like to think so. But what’s done is done, unfortunately, and onward to Week 11 we go, where we face off again with the aforementioned Pats.
Yet another reminder for those who forget… we beat New England back in Week 2 on our turf, so a second victory in their house would award us the tiebreaker over them in the AFC East standings, and also place us just a game back of first in the division with 5 games remaining. We’ll see what happens, of course, but you can bet I’ll be pasted to the television set come Sunday. And I dare you, Bill Belichick, I seriously double-dog-DARE you (I don’t think I’ve ever actually said that before, let alone written it) to try once again to prove you have the biggest set of cojones in world history. Because all I will do is laugh, as we will attack back with a slap-in-the-face SO big…..
Well, you’ll just have to find out, won’t ya Bill?
Clever headline I like the way that it rhymes. Nice video of the interview with Belichick after the game too, I can’t believe that they made that play.
Couldn’t believe the play call. Granted, there’s a pretty good chance Manning still leads the team downfield with a shot at a TD, but a 30-yard field vs. a 70ish-yard field is a pretty substantial difference. Wasting those two timeouts and not being able to potentially challenge that Faulk catch on 4th down was pretty rough too. Belichick’s a heck of a coach, but I think he over-managed this game and ultimately cost the Pats the game.
Despite the fact that I’m an upset Patriots fan from Boston, I must say you did a great job with this post where your personality really came through!
One: How in God’s name did you get your banner to work in this skin? I have the same one, and it’s not cooperating at all. Two: I really like the way you throw the idea of even being slightly objective to the wind in the interest of delivering a better story. This post in particular is both extremely informative while remaining interesting due to the attitude that shines through.
Yeah bad call…but he still has more rings this decade than the Jets have had in the past 30. I’m just saying.
I don’t know much about football and much less about the jets, but your blog is eye-catching and simple to follow so even I was interested!
Not my sport, but your blog rocks, dude.
Love the prose, love the rhyme.
Okay, it’s time… for some more food.