NFL Divisional Round: AFC Game 2...

AFC
New England Patriots (1) Vs. New York Jets (6)

The Story…
Arch-rivals, division foes, two teams linked by coaches, players and epic clashes down the years…

The New York Jets, led by the bubbly, brash, back-breakingly brazen, bulldozer of a blabber mouth, Rex Ryan, are coming to town. Not that the New England Patriots seem too worried. As Brady – the victim of Ryan’s multifarious put-downs – regards the Jets’ talk as hype, and his opponents’ confidence a smokescreen.

Some may think the Patriots arrogant, but with 3 Superbowl victories in ten years (although now a staggering five since their last) and a winning record to make yours eyes water, the Foxboro fighters deserve their serenity. And nor have they been lucky in their accrual of silver (platinum) ware. In fact, the Patriots have been decidedly unfortunate not to take at least a fourth title, potentially a fifth. Who can forget Super Bowl XLII that saw the unfancied New York Giants beat a team that entered the postseason with an unblemished record and a level of expectancy never before heard of? And then two seasons ago, when Brady went down injured and was replaced by then career back-up, Matt Cassel, who led the team to a division worthy 11-5 record only to miss out on the Playoffs via tiebreakers – almost statistically impossible. SO the Patriots are overdue a stroke of luck, though their haters (and they are numerous) may disagree.

Yet more overdue, though, are the New York Jets. It’s been 42 long years since Joe Namath, casually lounging poolside, promised the nation that the Jets would take home the Lombardi Trophy, in what was although Super Bowl III, the first to carry the title that whips-up the interest and imagination of every wide-eyed American boy, who one day dreams of bathing in confetti.

New York have waited patiently, and with Sanchez playing his best football at the right time, maybe this young Hispanic hero can do for the Jets what Eli did for the Giants and Joe did for history…


Prediction…
Rex Ryan believes in his team and, to an extent, I buy it. I think the Patriots will win – at least they should – but remember that one of the Patriots 2 losses came at the hands of the Jets by a score of 28-14. It was the one time the Pats were genuinely beaten – they looked ineffective against Ryan’s scheming. The loss to the Browns was a head scratcher, but an allowable slip in concentration. The loss to the Jets was a ball-buster, but they looked to get their revenge in game two. Which they did. Didn’t they?

I am always cynical when it comes to coaches and their intentions in the NFL. The best coach doesn’t just plan how to win the game…he plans how to beat his opponent in case they meet again. The Jets and Pats have been almost dead-cert locks for the postseason from the moment we kicked off in September. Halfway through and it was only a matter of time before they were confirmed as January contenders. Sure, games needed to be won, but I bet that by the time the rematch came around, the Jets were already planning round three.

Think on this: in their first meeting, the division was wide open – neither team had the edge and it was assumed that the winner of their head-to-head match-ups would take the division by those two games. For that reason, game one was meaningful and the Jets nailed the game plan.

Game two; the rematch: the Jets had slipped off the pace and looked unlikely to lock-down the division. The Patriots wanted revenge. Rex Ryan wanted to see what Belichick would do to beat his boys this time around. The score was a humiliating 45-3 to the Patriots. So Belichick’s got it sussed, right? This Divisional Round will be a walkover, right? Wrong! Ryan knows exactly how Belichick plans to beat him, and Belichick’s last look at the Jets was a charade. They have the minerals to win this game. Can they? Sure! But will they? Toss a coin…this one isn’t as clear cut as you might think, but I’m going with Tom Terrific and the Pats for sheer discipline and experience.

Recap…
I don’t get many wrong, but when I do it figures to be worth it! My hero, Tom Brady, has slumped to another disappointing playoff defeat – his second real stinger in two years. The Jets march on to face the Pittsburgh Steelers (who probably can’t believe their luck, now that Heinz field will be hosting the AFC Championship game) and provide broadcasters with an aesthetically pleasing match-up, that pits two great defensive minds against one and other for the right to play the NFC top dogs in Super Bowl XLV.

After holding New England to a first quarter field goal in the first half, and racking-up 14 points from two Sanchez tosses, the Jets never looked back.

Despite two scoreless quarters – the first and third – the Jets were saved by two double-TD offerings in the second and fourth. It was Sanchez, not Brady, who looked the seasoned pro, throwing for 193 yards, with a 7.7 average, completed 16 of 25 passes for 3 TDs and a rating of 127.3.

Brady, on the other hand, threw 1 INT versus 2 TDs, 298 yards on 29 completions. His pick broke an NFL-record run of 335 attempts without a turnover. And it came at the wrong time.

This was the third meeting between these teams in the playoffs, and the first time the Patriots have lost. After last year’s loss to the Ravens at home, Brady has not won a playoff game at home since his record setting 2007, en route to the Super Bowl loss to the Giants.

The luck has left Foxboro; will the Meadowland crew carry it forward to Heinz Field and the brain-bashing Steelers?

Tune in next week for the answer…


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