If only the New York Jets could play all of their games against losing teams at home, they’d be just fine.

Overcoming yet another slow start on offense, the Jets (3-3) returned home for the first time in four weeks to score the final 17 points and pull away for a 24-6 victory over the hapless Miami Dolphins (0-5) at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey on Monday night.

Following three straight road losses to winning teams in Oakland (4-2), Baltimore (4-1), and New England (5-1), the travel-weary Jets felt at very much at home back in the Meadowlands, where they started the season by edging Dallas (2-3) and beating up on Jacksonville (1-5).

New York was ultimately able to continue its home success against the Dolphins, but as usual, things weren’t that easy for New York at the start.

For nearly 24 minutes, a struggling Jets’ offense consisted of a lone defensive play (with the help of a non-call), when cornerback Darrelle Revis (3 tackles, 2 INT, 2 pass deflections, 1 TD) got away with a goal-line mugging of wide receiver Brandon Marshall (6 catches, 109 yards) to free himself for a wide open interception of backup quarterback Matt Moore (16-34, 204 yards, 0 TD, 2 INT, 4 sacks).

Revis returned the pick 100 yards (tying the longest in Jet history) to put New York ahead for good, 7-3, with 5:52 left in the opening quarter.

The game-turning play eased some early tense moments for Jet fans who were antsy about underdog Miami getting on the scoreboard first and looking for more in the New York red zone in the opening quarter.

Kicker Dan Carpenter had already capped a seven-play, 42-yard drive and had given the Dolphins a 3-0 lead on a 23-yard field goal with 7:28 left in the period, and the ensuing kickoff bounced off of Garrett McIntyre’s leg. The Dolphins recovered the loose ball at the New York 18-yard line but Revis’ pick came three plays later.

New York, which began the game with four straight three-and-outs while totaling a mere 14 yards, desperately needed Revis’ touchdown with Miami later going 77 yards on nine plays for a 21-yard Carpenter field goal that cut the Jets’ lead to 7-6 with 13:32 left in the first half.

The Jets maintained that lead after a Dolphins’ punt with 6:54 remaining in the half despite having been outgained 203-19 and amassing none of the game’s eight first downs to that point.

But, as quarterback Mark Sanchez (14-25, 201 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT) finally found his rhythm on the Jets’ fifth possession, New York’s offense turned from simply offensive to suddenly productive, with Sanchez completing four of five passes for 70 yards during an 11-play, 81-yard march which Sanchez capped with a 5-yard touchdown run to give the Jets a 14-6 lead with 1:14 to go before halftime.

With only 100 yards of offense and five first downs, while being outgained 96-18 on the ground, the Jets were more than happy to take an eight-point lead into the locker room.

And, that was already more than enough for New York against one of the worst teams in the NFL, as the Dolphins (one of a trio of remaining winless teams in the NFL) were held to just 93 yards in the second half and punted four straight times before committing two turnovers (a fumble and another Moore interception) to finish the game.

The Jets meanwhile, extended their lead to 17-6 on a 28-yard field goal by kicker Nick Folk, after going 79 yards on 13 plays on New York’s first drive of the second half.

New York still punted four more times thereafter, but the Jets also capped a four-play, 50-yard drive on a 38-yard touchdown pass from Sanchez to wide receiver Santonio Holmes (3 catches, 63 yards, 1 TD) with 11:50 left in the game.

It was somewhat ironic that Holmes’ score was sort of the final word to silence the Dolphins after much was made earlier in the week of Holmes’ very outspoken criticism of the Jets’ inconsistent offensive line play during New York’s losing streak.

Holmes’ comments caused some team chemistry problems, but after waiting a month for both a home game and a victory, there were nothing but smiles and a happy football family once again in the Jets’ locker room.

New York will try to keep that feeling for while when it stays home before its bye week to host the San Diego Chargers (4-1), who will be riding a three-game winning streak when they visit MetLife Stadium at 1 pm ET on Sunday.

With heavy hearts, thousands of New York Jet fans filled Met Life Stadium on Sunday night for their team’s 2011 season opener while millions more in the New York area watched on national television.

For all of them, the game was a temporary distraction from an otherwise difficult day during which Jet fans, New Yorkers, and Americans across the United States shared in recognizing the tenth anniversary of the terrorist attacks of September 11th, 2001.

While Patriot Day ceremonies were conducted in every NFL stadium that hosted a game on Sunday, perhaps the feelings among NFL fans were felt the strongest in the Jets’ home stadium with New York’s World Trade Center enduring the brunt of the horrific attacks a decade ago.

Appropriately, as if mimicking New Yorkers’ resiliency In the face of extreme adversity, the Jets (1-0) properly represented their city by overcoming tremendous odds to score the final 17 points – all in the final quarter – and win a thriller, 27-24, over fittingly, the Dallas Cowboys (who many still think of as America’s Team).

For the most part, the Cowboys (0-1) clearly outplayed the Jets, and Dallas took the largest lead of the game (24-10) early in the fourth quarter.

Given the history in such situations – Dallas had never lost (242-0-1) when leading in the fourth quarter by at least 14 points – the Jets appeared to facing an insurmountable situation.

That is, until Dallas quarterback Tony Romo (23-36, 342 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT, 1 lost fumble, 4 sacks) did what he’s often done in his NFL career – he played well, putting his team in a position to win, only to commit some costly fourth-quarter turnovers and cost his team the game.

Long before that however, things were going smoothly for Romo and the Cowboys.

Dallas took the opening kickoff and went 69 yards on nine plays to grab a 7-0 lead just 4:33 into the game on a three-yard touchdown pass from Romo to wide receiver Dez Bryant (3 catches, 71 yards).

The next seven possessions then resulted in punts (four by the Jets and three by the Cowboys) before Dallas went 47 yards on ten plays to increase its lead to 10-0 on a 34-yard field goal by Dan Bailey with 3:16 left in the opening half.

New York finally responded with a nine-play, 87-yard drive to trim Dallas’ lead to 10-7 on a four-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Mark Sanchez (26-44, 335 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT, 4 sacks) to tight end Dustin Keller (5 catches, 61 yards) just 37 seconds before halftime.

Keller was one of seven players with over 60 yards receiving. Wide receivers Plaxico Burress (4 catches, 72 yards) and Santonio Holmes 6 catches, 70 yards) complimented a team-high 73 receiving yards (on 6 catches) from running back LaDainian Tomlinson.

Meanwhile, in addition to Bryant’s production, tight end Jason Whitten led Dallas with 6 catches and 110 yards while wide receiver Miles Austin added four catches for 83 yards.

Just as they did to start the game, the Cowboys similarly scored on their possession after halftime, going 73 yards on eight plays to lead 17-7 on a 36-yard touchdown pass which Austin held onto along with cornerback Antonio Cromartie in the end zone with 8:05 left in the third quarter (the tie went to Austin and the offense).

Former Dallas draft pick, kicker Nick Folk, then capped a 10-play, 64-yard drive and pulled the Jets to within 17-10 on a 34-yard field goal with 4:01 left in the period.

But, Dallas linebacker Sean Lee (who had a monster game with a game-high 11 tackles and a key interception), picked Sanchez off at the Jets’ 38-yard line and returned the ball to the New York 1-yard line.

That set up a one-yard touchdown run by running back Felix Jones (17 carries, game-high 44 yards, 1 TD, 1  fumble) which gave the Cowboys a commanding 24-10 lead with 14:50 left in the game.

The Jets answered on the next drive though, going 84 yards in seven plays, trimming the Cowboys’ lead to 24-17 on a 26-yard touchdown pass from Sanchez to Burress with 11:56 remaining.

Three plays later however, the Jets let Jason Whitten roam free on a 64-yard gain to the New York 3-yard line.

The Jets appeared to be in trouble, but when shutdown cornerback Darrelle Revis jammed Bryant in the end zone on 3rd-and-2 from the New York 2-yard line, Romo was forced to scramble. He tried to score up the middle but he lost the ball a split-second before his right knee hit the ground.

It was another costly late-game turnover, the type of which has plagued Romo many times. And, the worst with that was yet to come.

The Jets advanced the ball near midfield, but Sanchez fumbled when he was sacked by safety Danny McCray on a blitz.

The Cowboys took over at the Jets’ 47-yard line, but Jones lost two yards on a first-down carry and Romo threw a pair of incompletions.

That led to a game changer that continued New York’s remarkable comeback when Joe McKnight made a great diving bock with his right hand on a fourth-down punt by punter Mat McBriar.

Undrafted second-year player Isaiah Trufant (from FCS program Eastern Washington) scooped up the loose ball and scampered 18 yards, untouched, to tie the game, 24-24, with five minutes left.

The teams then traded punts, and the Cowboys seemed to be in decent shape to produce a game-winning field goal drive, taking over at their own 41-yard line with 59 seconds and one time out remaining.

On the next play though, Romo, instead of throwing the ball away, tried to force an ill-advised pass to Bryant, who was blanketed closely by Revis.

Too easy for an average cornerback, and for a talent Revis, it was a practically an automatic interception, which was brought back 20 yards to the Dallas 34-yard line.

The Jets could only move two yards closer, but that was enough for Folk to beat his former team on a 50-yard field goal inside the right upright with just 27 seconds left.

Like they have many times over the past two seasons, the Jets walked a fine line and came out on the right side between success and failure.

New York (9-7 two years ago and 11-5 last year, while reaching the AFC title game each of the past two years) could have easily been a mediocre 8-8 and missed the playoffs each of those two years if not for some lucky breaks and pulling out games the way they did on Sunday night.

Yet, once again, the Jets somehow found a way. And, on an emotional night, it was an especially satisfying gut-check win for millions of New York-area Jet fans.

Acknowledging the energy his team received from Jet fans on a special evening, head coach Rex Ryan said, “We fed off our fans. There is no doubt. Nobody left, they hung in with us the entire time. And, this win is for our community. We all felt it. And, we kept hanging in there, believing we could get it done, and that’s exactly what we did.”

During a more normal week, the Jets will try to do the same for their fans at home against Jacksonville (1-0) next Sunday at 1 pm ET.

It was billed as this season’s NFL  game of the year.

The New York Jets and the New England Patriots.

A pair of 9-2 divisional rivals with a history of hating each other. Each well-rested after ten days off. An AFC East showdown of epic proportions. First place in the division, and the lead for home field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs at stake.

It was all on the line, before a national television audience, on ESPN’s Monday Night Football.

There was just one problem… only the home team showed up.

Avenging a 28-14 road loss to the Jets in Week 2, New England thoroughly dominated New York, 45-3, at Gillette Stadium, in Foxborough, Massachusetts.

It was the type of game that Jet fans and their brash, outspoken, and unapologetic head coach Rex Ryan had pointed to since the summer, when he repeatedly told anyone within shouting distance of his loud voice that the Jets would play in Super Bowl XLV.

A potential statement game for the Jets to make their mark on their hated rival, on their division, and on the National Football League as a whole.

But, what we all might have learned is that the Jets’ 9-2, albeit with an early season victory over the Patriots, wasn’t nearly on par with the Patriots’ 9-2.

Perhaps, the Jets’ 9-2 record might have been as over-inflated as their egos, with four of their nine wins coming by virtue of last-minute, Harry Houdini-like escapes, all against teams with losing records.

Sensational at what he does (as one of best broadcasters around) notwithstanding, Jets’ radio play-by-play voice Bob Wichusen, moments before kickoff, echoed the sentiments of many Jets fans and even, much of the New York media for days, leading up to Monday night’s contest. Wichusen said that the Jets might have been on the verge taking the mantle from the Patriots as the new team to beat in the AFC East, if they could beat New England on its home field and force the Patriots into second place in the division.

But, what Monday night’s mismatch might have ultimately proved is that although the Jets are a good team, and still one of the better ones in the NFL, they’re not the Patriots, who adapted and improved far more than the Jets since the teams’ Week 2 meeting.

The Jets are not yet an elite team, and not yet ready to accomplish what many overconfident, and even cocky Jet fans believed, after buying into and following Ryan’s arrogant cue.

If you talk like the Jets, you had better also walk the walk.

Yet, the team that talked, and talked… and… talked… since August, as if it was a collective birthright to play in this year’s Super Bowl, was ironically silenced. And, embarrassed.

For all we heard about how great the Jets would be in games like Monday night on their HBO “Hard Knocks” special, it was the Jets who took the hard knocks themselves, repeatedly, from the Patriots, until New England knocked all of the swagger and bluster right out of the Jets, sending them back to New Jersey with nary a whimper.

“I thought we were going to play a great game, I really did,” Ryan said, after what he also called “the biggest butt-whooping” he’s ever taken during his coaching career.

Instead, the moment appeared much too big for the Jets to handle, as they suffered their worst loss since November 24th, 1986, when New York lost by the same score to the Miami Dolphins, also on Monday Night Football (those two games are tied with others for worst losses in MNF history).

The team that told everyone how great it was all preseason, and which reminded us of their “invincibility” as it barely got by, time after time, during the regular season this year, appeared overwhelmed in one of the biggest games in its franchise’s history.

As a result, the Jets allowed their biggest rival to shine far brighter with a white-hot spotlight glaring on one of the most anticipated Jets-Patriots games ever.

New England jumped to a 17-0 lead after the first quarter, and scored the first four times they touched the ball en route to a 24-3 halftime lead. And, it only got worse from there for the Jets, as the Patriots scored on their first three possessions of the second half.

Quarterback Tom Brady played a near-flawless game, going 21 of 29 for 326 yards, 4 touchdowns, no turnovers, and a 148.9 quarterback rating, while winning his 26th consecutive regular season game at home, to extend the longest such streak in NFL history, as the Jets lost for the first time in nine regular season road games.

In stark contrast, Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez often looked lost, completing just 17 of 33 passes for 164 yards and a 27.8 quarterback rating, while throwing three costly interceptions, off of which the Patriots scored a touchdown each time.

The first pick was the only one that really mattered. The Jets still had a chance to get back in the game, down 24-3, early in the third quarter, when Sanchez forced a ball that he shouldn’t have thrown for the Jets’ first red zone turnover of the season.

The last two interceptions merely allowed the game to go from a sound beating to humiliation.

Give Ryan credit at least, for not making excuses. Second-string safety Eric Smith, who was pressed into action due to a broken leg suffered by starting safety Jim Leonhard, committed a key 36-yard pass interference penalty, when he mugged rookie tight end Rob Gronkowski in the end zone, setting up the Patriots’ first touchdown of the game.

Leonhard’s loss was felt all game, yet Ryan insisted, “We’ve got a lot of good players and they needed to step up. Jim Leonhard wasn’t going to make a 45-point difference [defensively].”

Very true, especially when the Jets allowed more passing yards (304) than the total yards they gained (301).

If you read between the lines a little bit, Brady seemed to have taken some satisfaction in the Patriots’ far different style under New England head coach Bill Belichick’s dramatically different, stoic, business-like approach quieting the over-confident Jets.

“We take after our coach,” Brady said. “He always says, when you win, say little, and when you lose, say less.”

One could almost infer from that comment that Brady is indirectly telling the Jets they need to finally keep quiet for a while after losing a battle for first place in the conference by 42 points.

Rubbing salt into the Jets’ wounds, was undrafted, 5-foot-9, all-heart running back Danny Woodhead, whom the Jets cast off after one game this season. Woodhead hurt New York with a career-high 104 receiving yards and a career-high-tying 115 total yards, including a 50-yard catch and run that set up New England’s fifth touchdown.

The Jets also failed to spoil what became a special night for the Patriots on two accounts.

The win was the 107th in the Brady-Belichick era, which ties the duo with Terry Bradshaw and Chuck Knoll for second place, just nine behind Dan Marino and Don Shula, for most NFL victories for a quarterback-head coach combination.

New England’s win also came on Teddy Bruschi night, as the Patriots honored one of the best linebackers in their history, at halftime.

“It was fun to be a New England Patriot on Teddy Bruschi Night, I’ll tell you that,” Brady said with a wide smile. “He’s someone I’ve always looked up to and admired… he’s just a great person… No one had a bigger [heart] than Teddy.”

Belichick added, “That was the best sixty minutes of football we played all year. I’m glad it could be on Teddy Bruschi Night. He was a big part of a lot [of games] like this. I think we got some inspiration from that.”

As humiliating as Monday night’s loss was, Ryan reminded everyone that his team shouldn’t be written off just yet. “You talk about the resiliency of this team, we’ve got the history to back it up,” he said.

That’s the one thing about Ryan’s Jets. They may not have been good enough to cash the huge checks written by Ryan’s mouth on Monday night, but as Belichick said of the Jets, “I’m sure we haven’t heard the last from them.”

They’re both right. Just when we think we won’t hear from them again, we do (see last year’s 3-0 start, followed by a 4-7 slump to a 7-7 record, when Ryan subsequently declared his team out of the playoffs, before the Jets rebounded to come within about 28 minutes of reaching Super Bowl XLIV).

On that note, the Jets will try to pick up the pieces and regroup against the same franchise that last beat New York as bad as it lost on Monday night. The Miami Dolphins (6-6) come to the New Meadowlands stadium to face the Jets on Sunday, at 4:15 pm EST.

In addition to writing for New York Sports Day, Jon Wagner contributes at Pro Football NYC (www.profootballnyc.com) and Giants Football Blog (www.giantsfootballblog.com)

New York Jet fans had this game circled on the calendar ever since ex-Jet Brett Favre’s latest “unretirement” this past summer.

Although they waited a little longer, through a weather delay at the start, and then through some tenuous moments in the fourth quarter, Jet fans finally got what they waited for – a victory over their former quarterback and his Minnesota Vikings (1-3), and a fourth straight win for the Jets (4-1), by a score of 29-20, on Monday Night Football at the New Meadowlands Stadium.

For more than 2½ quarters, in a driving rain, it appeared that Favre and the Vikings would go very quietly and do very little, with Jets’ kicker Nick Folk accounting for all of the scoring on four consecutive field goals to give the Jets a 12-0 lead.

Given the way the Jets’ defense contained Favre and the Minnesota offense to that point, Jet fans were more than happy to wait 45 minutes for the opening kickoff due to lightning being spotted in the area, and to see running back LaDanian Tomlinson (20 carries for a game-high 94 yards) single-handedly gain more yards (50) on the ground than the Vikings amassed in total (40) in the opening quarter.

Tomlinson would slightly edge Vikings’ star running back Adrian Peterson (18 rushes for 88 yards) for the game, to help the Jets to 155-96 rushing advantage, as Minnesota allowed its most rushing yards since December, 2006.

By halftime, the Jets held a dominant 206-51 advantage in total yards, along with a 9-0 lead, while holding Favre to only 31 yards passing on just 3 completions in 7 attempts. Favre also mishandled a snap with 4 minutes left in the half, leading to Folk’s third field goal. The miscue was the 162nd of Favre’s 20-year career, tying him with Warren Moon for the most NFL fumbles ever.

Favre then broke that record on the Vikings’ first possession of the third quarter, when he fumbled again, a turnover than led to Folk’s fourth field goal in as many attempts, with 8:49 left in the period.

By then, the Minnesota offense was doing so little (starting the game with six punts, Favre’s two fumbles, and a total of 58 yards on the Vikings’ first eight possessions), it didn’t matter that the Jets’ offense settled for nothing but fields goals despite already starting three possessions in Minnesota territory, and running 35 of the first 37 plays of the game to occur in an opponents’ end of the field.

But, when the rain stopped and passing conditions improved, Favre and the Vikings’ offense finally made the necessary adjustments to the Jets’ relentless blitz packages, and quickly got back in the game.

Favre rebounded from his miserable first half to throw for 233 yards and three touchdowns, despite a going an inaccurate 11-for-27 in the second half.

He also achieved two milestones while trying to rally the Vikings during the second half. On Minnesota’s ninth possession, Favre became the first player in NFL history to surpass 70,000 passing yards, and later on the same drive, he became the first NFL player to throw 500 touchdown passes, capping a 10-play, 72-yard possession with a 37-yard strike up the right sideline to wide receiver Randy Moss (4 catches, 81 yards, 1 TD), who made some history of his own.

Moss became the first NFL player to play on Monday Night Football in consecutive weeks, after rejoining the team that drafted him in the first round in 1998, after helping New England to a MNF win in Miami last week.

Simply having a fellow future hall of fame weapon like Moss, whom Favre coveted since Moss’ days in Minnesota, meant more to Favre than the milestones he reached. On those, Favre said after the game, “It’s all about the wins,” regretting the loss to the Jets and the Vikings underachieving 1-3 start more than relishing his landmark accomplishments. But, on the touchdown to Moss, Favre admitted, “I’ve been thinking about that for 8 to 10 years.”

Kick returner Brad Smith immediately got the Jets back in business after Moss’ touchdown, with an 86-yard kickoff return to the Minnesota 19 yard-line. But, all that led to was the Jets starting a fourth possession in Viking territory without a touchdown, as New York settled for Folk’s fifth field goal, which put the Jets ahead, 15-7, heading into the final quarter.

Starting a 5-play, 65-yard drive in the final minute of the third quarter, the Vikings closed to within 15-13 with 12:47 left in the game, on a 34-yard touchdown pass from Favre to wide receiver Percy Harvin (5 catches, game-high 97 yards, 2 TD).

Minnesota didn’t need to go for a two-point conversion at that point, and things might have worked out better for the Vikings later on, had they opted to kick the extra point, instead. After lining up for the PAT, Minnesota called a timeout, then went for two, and failed.

That became significant, because after the teams traded punts, the Jets drove 66 yards on 6 plays, to lead 22-13 on a 23-yard touchdown burst by running back Shonn Greene (10 rushes, 57 yards, 1 TD), with 4:30 left.

Favre would again answer, taking the Vikings 54 yards on 5 plays in just 1:11, finding Harvin for an 11-yard score with 3:09 remaining. Had the Vikings kicked the PAT after they previous touchdown, they could have gone for two, to tie the game at 22-22, but having failed on the earlier two-point attempt, Minnesota could only kick the PAT to pull to within 22-20.

The Jets then had their own brain lock with time management. With a chance to wait for the two-minute warning and then run one more play afterwards, to leave Favre and the Vikings less time, New York snapped the ball too soon. Quarterback Mark Sanchez (21 of 44, 191 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT) threw too high and incomplete on 3rd-and-11, and after a fourth-down punt, the Vikings had plenty of time left with 1:48 on the clock, needing just a field goal to win, starting from their own 16 yard-line.

However, two plays later, Favre would make two misguided throws that would seal the Vikings’ Fate.

On 2nd-and-10, Favre rolled away from pressure, to his right, and had Harvin wide open at the Minnesota 24 yard-line. Harvin had plenty of room, possibly enough to score, or at least to get well into Jets’ territory. But, what should have been an easy dump-off pass, sailed well high of Harvin and incomplete.

One play later, cornerback Dwight Lowery stepped in front of a ball that Favre tried to force to tight end Visanthe Shiancoe, and raced untouched, 26 yards, into the end zone, to ice the game for the Jets, with 1:30 left.

Favre’s only interception extended another NFL record – one he didn’t want – his 324th career interception.

In contrast to Favre’s three turnovers, the Jets, who sacked Favre four times, tied an NFL record by playing their fourth straight game without committing a turnover.

Favre (14 of 34, 264 yards) was impressed with the Jets’ play, saying “We played what I feel like is the best team in the AFC.”

The first-place Jets will be seeking their fifth straight win next Sunday in Denver, at 4:05 EST, against the Broncos (2-3), who have alternated losses and wins each week since the start of the season. That trend would indicate a Denver win in that case, with the Broncos coming off a loss in Baltimore on Sunday. However, Denver will be banged up, having already ruled out five players (who were hurt in Baltimore) next Sunday.

For all of the bluster, arrogance, cockiness, brashness, and any of the other attributes that New York Jets’ head coach Rex Ryan demonstrates which can often rub many people the wrong way, Ryan is mostly and quite simply, just about the game of football.

So, when it came down to the Jets finally getting their best and most important player back on the field, it was Ryan, the ultimate players’ coach, who made it about football for star cornerback Darrelle Revis.

A very good thing not only for the Jets and for Jet fans, but specifically for Ryan, after his typical no holds barred attitude nearly prevented the Jets from having Revis back in time for the start of the 2010 regular season.

That’s because this is the year that the Jets, just 28 minutes from reaching the Super Bowl last year, entered their 2010 season with Super Bowl expectations knowing such prospects hinged on whether the defense-first Jets had the NFL’s best cornerback anchoring the strength of their team. In essence, the Jet’s chances for success this season were only as good the game’s best corner being their cornerstone.

However, it was Ryan who was partially to blame for Revis missing the entire preseason this summer because it was the Jets’ head coach who early on in Revis’ 36-day holdout, boastfully claimed that Revis was not only the best cornerback in the NFL, but that Revis’ 2009 season was the best year any cornerback ever had.

He wasn’t wrong (at least on that first one; the second is debatable). But, much like negotiating a car you love with a showroom salesperson, it would have been a lot wiser for Ryan to go against his own nature and keep quiet rather than extol Revis’ virtues. By choosing to do the opposite, Ryan helped to create a drawn out, five-week long saga in which he took much of the Jets’ negotiating leverage away and gave it to Revis’ agents.

Doing so had many Jet fans, as much as they love Ryan’s unorthodox approach, blaming Ryan’s big mouth for Revis’ M.I.A. status this summer. And, had Revis not come back until much later (or not at all this season), and had the Jets failed to make the playoffs without him, it’s not a stretch to say that Ryan would have gone from last year’s lovable leader who changed the Jets’ culture, to the city’s villain in a New York minute.

Without the return of Revis Island, Ryan might have found himself on his own figurative island, cast off by Jet fans everywhere.

But, Ryan more than made up for initially costing the Jets at the bargaining table, with a trip this past weekend, along with Jet’s owner Woody Johnson, to meet Revis in South Florida.

After all of the talk all summer long of Revis wanting to be the highest paid corner back in the league, in line with Oakland’s Nnamdi Asoumugha at $16 million per year, Revis spoke with his head coach and his long standoff with the Jets suddenly became more about Revis doing what he loves to do on the football field for the Jets, and less about money.

No longer was gap between the Jets offering a ten-year deal for $122 million and Revis’ camp seeking $160 million for the same length of time.

No, after talking to Ryan, Revis realized that he didn’t want to miss out on being the difference between his teammates being good — but not good enough without him — instead of the legitimate and perhaps feared Super Bowl contenders that Ryan believes they are.

In the end, Revis accepted less than the roughly $12 million per season that the Jets initially offered, taking $46 million for four years. And, with a potential NFL lockout looming for next season, the Jets’ best player got the security he sought, with the Jets guaranteeing $32 million.

It’s a relative bargain for the Jets when you consider the comparable four-year, $48 million contract with $30 million guaranteed signed last Wednesday by Arizona defensive tackle Darnell Dockett, who while having developed into one of the best players at his position, isn’t quite the game changer that Revis is.

Would Revis have missed football enough to make winning and wanting to be back with his teammates the priorities over money?

Perhaps. But, the chances of Revis’ return increased exponentially with Ryan’s encouragement.

When asked by reporters if Ryan and Johnson visiting him the difference, Revis said “I have no clue, but they did. And, that was good thing.”

In a separate interview, Revis said “When [Ryan] came in, I was just excited. I was just like, I need to get back. Let’s get this done.”

Reading between the lines, it was Ryan specifically, who convinced Revis to get it done, even though he humbly gave all of the credit to Jets’ general manager Mike Tannenbaun and Revis’ agents for dotting the i’s an crossing the t’s.

As a result, everyone wins. Revis gets his security in the form of guaranteed money without missing any of the regular season. Ryan gets the player he desperately needed to make all of his great defensive schemes work. Jets’ management didn’t have to break the bank in terms of total dollars to re-sign that player. And, Jet fans are once again dreaming of a trip to the Super Bowl.

For five long weeks, Ryan’s initial comments were part of the problem. This weekend, the Jets’ outspoken coach guided the solution.

And, Jet fans can now forgive their head coach knowing that Ryan ultimately made it right.

In the end, even destiny couldn’t beat Peyton Manning.

The Indianapolis Colts’ future Hall of Fame quarterback ultimately proved once again that he is indeed that dominant, and that this year, “MVP” might as well stand for “Most Valuable, Peyton.”

Through four straight wins and nearly half of what looked to be a fifth, the New York J-E-T-S had lived off of F-A-T-E, and appeared destined to become the second New York franchise in three seasons to make an improbable journey from an unheralded five seed to the Super Bowl.

Instead, Manning did exactly what you’d expect from the player who won an unprecedented fourth NFL MVP award this season –- make a good defense look bad.

As a result, Manning and the Colts (16-2) return to the Super Bowl for the second time in four years, while the Jets’ magical ride is D-O-N-E.

Facing a surprising 17-6 deficit with 2:11 left in the first half of Sunday’s AFC championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Manning took over, rallying the Colts’ offense for the game’s final 24 points, in a 30-17 comeback win.

Four weeks prior, same setting, same opponent, Manning stood on the sideline, leaving his helmet on, annoyed that team president Bill Polian wouldn’t allow Manning or the Colts (then 14-0) to protect a 15-10 lead against the Jets (11-8) and try for a perfect season.

Manning certainly wasn’t being pulled this time.

And, with rapid-fire efficiency, the Colts’ signal caller carved up a vaunted Jets defense which not only came in as the top-ranked defensive unit in the league both overall and against the pass, but which had allowed a total of just 75 points, for a 9.375 points per game average, over its previous eight games.

It was no problem for Manning, not even when forced to rely upon a largely inexperienced receiving core.

After a 48-yard field goal by Jets’ kicker Jay Feely capped New York’s 17-point second quarter and had Jet fans everywhere dreaming of a super ending to Gang Green’s fairy-tale ride, Manning swiftly dashed the hopes of the Jets’ faithful.

The Colts responded in a mere 58 seconds, going 80 yards in just four plays, with Manning sending rookie wide receiver Austin Collie (7 catches, 123 yards, 1 TD) on his way to his first-ever 100-yard receiving day.

Manning hit Collie for 18 yards to the left, and then went right back to him for 46 yards over the middle. It was the turning point of the game, and Manning and the Colts knew it.

“That play down the field to Collie before the touchdown is the play that I think really got us going,” Manning said. “From that point on, we really had a good bead on things.”

The next play, Manning found Collie again, in the back of the end zone for a leaping 16-yard touchdown catch, with 1:13 left in the first half.

Though the Jets still took a 17-13 lead into the locker room, it was as if the Colts had already taken control of the game.

“You think about 17-6, we thought we were in a good position at that point,” Jets safety Kerry Rhodes said. “But… they got the drive right before half, and after that it was downhill from there.”

The quick jaunt downfield was nothing new for Manning and the Colts. In Week 2, while possessing the ball for just 14:53 (the least amount of time by a winning team since 1977), the Colts won 27-23, scoring all 27 points on offense, in ironically, Miami — the site of Super Bowl XLIV in two weeks, on the same field in which Manning got his only Super Bowl win, three years ago.

The next key moment which sealed the Jets’ fate came early in the third quarter, when Gang Green had a good chance to regain momentum.

New York took the opening kickoff of the second half 39 yards before stalling at the Colts’ 34 yard-line.

On 4th-and-7, it was a typical ‘too short to punt, yet too long to try a field goal’ scenario.

A perfect time for the brash, big-talking Jets’ head coach Rex Ryan to back up his bravado with some guts and call a play that would have fit his over-confident and over-the-top attitude which fueled the Jets’ playoff run.

To that point, the Jets, normally relying on solid defense and a strong rushing game, were enjoying surprising success with their passing game, with rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez (17-30, 257 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT) completing most of the big throws he had to make.

It would have been a great time to go for the first down and keep the drive going. Even a fake field goal or fake punt might have been a better choice than trying a long field goal, especially since Ryan had already gone into his bag of tricks in the second quarter, with former Missouri quarterback-turned-multi-purpose option Brad Smith completing his only pass of the season, a 45-yard play that set up the Jets’ second touchdown of the game.

Although Ryan didn’t go ultra-conservative and punt, he also didn’t exude the persona of his coaching style or of his team by settling for a long 52-yard field goal that sailed harmlessly wide right off the foot of Feely.

The missed kick gave Manning great field position at the Colts’ 42 yard-line, and again, Manning went to work fast.

The next eight plays were all Manning passes, six of them completions, on a drive that took 3:31 and which ended on a 4-yard touchdown pass to second-year receiver Pierre Garcon (game highs of 11 receptions and 151 yards), who did a nice job to keep his feet inbounds in the end zone, along the right sideline, to put Indianapolis ahead for good, 20-17, with 8:03 remaining in the third quarter.

After the game, Garcon, for the second straight week, raised the Haitian national flag in honor of his relatives in earthquake-ravage Haiti.

For all of the pre-game talk of the Jets’ rookies (Ryan, Sanchez, and running back Shonn Greene), it was the Colts’ youngsters who helped Manning and Indianapolis win the AFC crown.

“They made some huge plays for us today,” Manning said of Collie and Garcon, who became Manning’s primary targets with Jets’ shutdown cornerback Darrelle Revis keeping Colts’ leading wide receiver Reggie Wayne (3 catches, 55 yards) in check.

Jets’ nickel back Donald Strickland going down with a groin injury in the first quarter also helped open up some opportunities for the Colts’ passing game.

Meanwhile, Greene (10 carries, 41 yards), whose prolific rushing helped carry the Jets to its two postseason wins to reach Indianapolis, was limited in part, by a rib injury he suffered in the third quarter. He would leave the game, but would later return.

However, the Colts’ defense was stopping the Jets on the ground, anyway. A Jets’ rushing game which led the NFL with 172 yards per game in the regular season, remained consistent in the playoffs with 171 rushing yards in Cincinnati and 169 more in San Diego. On Sunday though, it was the Colts (ranked last in the league in rushing) who actually outrushed the Jets, 101-86, as the Indianapolis defense shut New York out in the second half.

That was all of the defensive help that the Colts’ offense needed, as Manning closed things out, leading Indianapolis on consecutive scoring drives in the fourth quarter.

Manning (26-39, 377 yards, 3 TD, 0 turnovers), who recorded an NFL postseason record seventh 300-yard passing game, took the Colts 51 yards in 3:33, putting Indianapolis ahead, 27-17, on a 15-yard scoring toss to tight end Dallas Clark, with 8:52 left in the game.

“There’s a reason why he’s the MVP of the league,” Ryan said of Manning. “He’s that good, and you’ve got to be on top of your game to beat him… if you can’t disrupt his rhythm he’s gonna kill ya, and we couldn’t disrupt it enough.”

The Colts iced the game on a 12-play drive that resulted in the third field goal of the game by Matt Stover, who will turn 42 on January 27th and will become the oldest player ever to play in the Super Bowl.

It was the second time in as many AFC championship games hosted by the Colts in Indianapolis, that Manning rallied his team from a double digit deficit to win. The Colts also trailed New England in the old RCA Dome in Indianapolis, 21-3, in the second quarter, before beating the Patriots, 38-34, in the 2006 AFC Championship game, en route to Manning’s only other Super Bowl appearance.

The Jets’ first road loss in six games provided some perspective on just how difficult and unlikely the 2007 Giants’ run to a Super Bowl title was. The Giants won 11 straight games away from home that season, and the end of their regular season as well as the beginning of their playoff run that year mirrored what the Jets had accomplished prior to Gang Green falling to the Colts on Sunday.

While Manning and the Colts choose to do all of their talking on the field, the loss seemed to humble the usually outspoken Ryan, who declared his Jets Super Bowl favorites before the playoffs.

“Today wasn’t our day,” he said. “There’s no question. You have to give credit to the Colts. Obviously they’re the cream of the crop right now.”

Adding more to the thoughts of what might have been for Jets fans, this year’s Super Bowl was originally scheduled to be hosted by the Jets, but plans for New York City’s proposed West Side Stadium fell through years ago, after the city, state, and the Jets could not agree on funding. The game was then awarded to Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, and the Jets will instead open play in the new Meadowlands stadium next year.

However, Jet fans should feel encouraged knowing that their team no longer appears to be the “same old Jets” as many have often described the franchise. With a rookie head coach and a rookie quarterback, realistic expectations should have included nothing more than a playoff berth this year.

To be just 32 minutes away, after seemingly being “Jets-tined” to reach the Super Bowl certainly hurts, but to be so close was really just a bonus for this season. With a very solid foundation in Ryan, Sanchez, Greene, offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer (who turned down a head coaching opportunity in Buffalo), and one of the league’s best defenses, the Jets figure to remain Super Bowl contenders for several years to come.

“Everybody’s disappointed that we didn’t go to the Super Bowl, especially when we were this close,” Jets left tackle D’Brickashaw Ferguson said. “We didn’t do everything that we needed to win. But, at the same rate, we did do a lot of great things [this season].”

Strong safety Jim Leonhard added, “Maybe this football team needed to get here and have this experience in order to take the next step.”

Indianapolis meanwhile, will face the New Orleans Saints (15-3, after starting 13-0), on February 7th, in a matchup that will feature two number one seeds in the Super Bowl for the first time in 17 years (when Dallas beat Buffalo in Super Bowl XXVII).

On a couple of different levels, the game will bring things full circle for Manning and the Colts, who will be making their fourth trip to football’s ultimate game, while seeking their third Super Bowl victory.

The Colts’ three previous visits to the Super Bowl were all in Miami, where the Baltimore Colts won Super Bowl V, and the Indianapolis Colts won Super Bowl XLI (in which Manning was named the game’s MVP).

The Saints are marching into the Super Bowl for the first time in their 43 seasons, after capturing the NFC title with a thrilling 31-28 overtime victory over Minnesota on Sunday, four-and-a-half years after the city of New Orleans (Manning’s birthplace) was decimated by Hurricane Katrina.

Well, they helped create this monster. Now the Peyton Manning led Indianapolis Colts finally get a second chance to end the New York Jets season. The 2010 AFC title game between the Jets and Colts  for the rights to go to  Super Bowl XLIV, pits two teams who are trying to set the record straight. The Jets aim to once and for all rid themselves of the “fraud” tag they were given last month by many, as a result of the “red carpet” circumstances that led to their playoff entrance. The Colts hope to finally justify forking over a chance at an undefeated season and an eternal “God like” football status for the comforts of injury free stars rested for a postseason run. Once again, for the second straight week, it’s a high powered air attack against the Ground and Pound. Jet fans are frothing at the mouth with the notion that a chance for the franchise’s biggest win in four decades is only days away. To do it, Gang Green will for the third time this January, have to pull of a playoff road upset. This time against the AFC’s top seed. It’s a daunting task but for a ball control team like the Jets. Yet for a team that beiieves so much in itself, whose confidence has grown exponentially since December, maybe immeasurable intangibles can help lead the way towards the promised land.

The Jets greatest achievment since their inception as the Titans, led by coach Slingin’ Sammy Baugh in 1960, was of course Super Bowl III. Their January 12, 1969 16-7 upset over the Baltimore Colts helped to once and for all legitimize the AFL as a league on par with the NFL (The creative Kansas City Chiefs out manuevered the stagnant NFL champ Vikings in Super Bowl IV the following year to further cement the AFLs legacy). Joe Namath guaranteed the win despite being a 17 point underdog. How did they do it? By running the Colts into the ground. Jet RB Matt Snell’s 30 carries for 121 yards helped control the clock while Colts QB Earl Morrall was picked off 3 times. Sound familiar? It should.

These 2009 Jets will look to implement the same approach Sunday. As they have throughout 2009.  Shut ‘em down on D and pound the ground with RB’s Thomas Jones and rookie Shonn Greene. Greene this year’s third round steal out of Iowa, is on fire with back to back hundred yard games and two long TD runs in the postseason.  Shedding himself of fumble issues that plagued him midseason when he took over for the injured Leon Washington, Greene has become a force to be reckon with. A player that the Jet offense has been able to recently base itself around. These old school “smashmouth” Jets can complete a playoff run few could have envisioned a month back, if they can do as they did in San Diego; stay close going into the second half. Close enough to allow the run game to get moving downhill without burning out their own clock while trying to come back from way behind.

The Jets Colts history begins with the Jets Super Bowl III win in Miami. ironically, THIS years Super Bowl is in Miami.  The Colts have AGAIN been part of the story, connected to the journey. Back then it was former Colts coach Weeb Ewbank, who led the Colts to the famous 1956 OT win over the Giants in the greatest game ever played,  leading the way as head coach for the Jets (young head coach Don Shula coached the Colts that day). Rough and tumble former Colt S Johnny Sample also sought to burn the team that cut him. “I kept a little bitterness in me. I was almost in a frenzy by the time the game arrived. I held a private grudge against the Colts. I was really ready for that game. All of us were.” Eight time all star ( 4 times in the AFL, 4 in the NFL after the 1970 merger)  offensive lineman big Winston Hill was cut by the Colts five years prior. Hill gave his thoughts on THIS years “O” line saying “Our offensive line is one of the best. They don’t back down from anybody, period … The entire team believes in Rex. He’s not sending soldiers out there on the field; he’s leading them out there.”

This years link between the two clubs is simple. Week 16.  Nothing more needs to be said. In fact, the Jets 29-15 win was one that will go down in football lore like the “Heidi game” of 1968 (look it up).  A day where the Colts replaced their undefeated team with what Rex Ryan termed “the JV” in order to insure a healthy January march to the Super Bowl. The Jets took advantage with a season saving win that left Indy fans, fans of AFC teams fighting to stay alive, and the football world in general, angry and wondering what could’ve been. Personalities like New York sports talk host WFAN’s Mike Francesa, to this day is cocksure that the Colts would’ve knocked out the Jets and then gone on to beat the Bills to go undefeated. Francesa’s scenario would’ve sent the Steelers to the postseason, not the Jets. Could’ve would’ve should’ve. The Jets instead capitalized on what Indianapolis Star columnist Bob Kravitz has called A G-I-F-T GIFT GIFT GIFT (mocking the traditional Jets chant often led by Superfan Fireman Ed during home games). The good fortune of facing a 14-0 team looking to play it safe helped the Jets regain control of the their playoff destiny. A destiny that Gang Green embraced when it posted a convincing 37-0 win against the unmotivated AFC North champion Bengals in the final regular season game. The final game ever at Giants stadium. Since that “JV game,”  the Jets have been trying to rid themselves of the perception by many, that they don’t belong in the postseason. That they were simply let in on the day when Colts backup QB Curtis Painter became a household name. For all the wrong reasons.

How can the Jets overcome a Colts team that has future hall of fame QB Peyton Manning spearheading the charge? By making the Colts beat them in ways that include more than Manning.  By confusing the genius student Manning as often as humanly possible. Ryan was 0-4 against Manning as a coordinator for the Ravens but HAS gotten to him before. A 2006 15-6 playoff loss by the Ravens still limited the Colts to five field goals. The game included  a full menu of  Ryanesque  “come from anywhere” blitzes and two (of what should’ve been three) Ed Reed interceptions. A day of drive halting results that the Jets would be thrilled to obtain this Sunday. Manning said of that day “I can’t tell you how many different looks we studied,” Manning said afterwards. “I didn’t sleep well all week.”

The Jet front four, which includes ten year vet Sean Ellis and his “club” (thanks to breaking his hand on the first play out in San Diego) and the suddenly overachieving NG Mike Devito,  has to get SOME pressure on Manning. They will be aided by blitzing Jet defenders who will come from everywhere, rarely if ever repeating their paths. While the pressure makes its way towards one of the safest pockets in football, the Jets must do a top notch job defending receivers with tight  press coverage. A coverage the Jets switched to at the pleading of the defense to Ryan at halftime in San Diego. The Jet started out soft in zone coverage, which allowed the Chargers to move it well through the air early on. This Sunday, the Jets can’t allow perennial All Pro’s Reggie Wayne and TE Dallas Clark time to get into their routes consistently. Revis will switch from Wayne to Clark  as he did with Jackson and Antonio Gates last week. This means that risk taking ball hawk CB Lito Shepherd and steady CB Donald Strickland will have to continue their solid play. Perhaps even raise their level against speedy tough slot threat Austin Collie and tall strong WR Pierre Garcon. Collie hurt the Jets in week 16 with six catches for 94 yards while the Jets focused their attention on shutting down Wayne and Clark.

The Jets “Walk Around” defense, a mixture of defenders walking around never claiming any one spot before the snap, can resemble the aimless hustle and bustle of Grand Central station during rush hour. This heavily disguised style, confused Chargers QB Phillip Rivers (whose pass heavy offense averaged 28 points all season yet managed just 14 last Sunday) during the Jets divisional round victory. Rivers had trouble locating pre snap coverage. The hard to decipher alignment also contributed to three Charger false starts, wasted timeouts throughout, and precious time eroding late in the fourth as Rivers looked to find mismatches for quick scores. The “walk around” must do the same to Manning this week. If Manning can be derailed from consistently picking up coverage schemes, and the Jet line can get some help from timely blitz packages, perhaps the Colts can be taken out of THEIR rythym as well. It’s a look  that coach Rex Ryan  and defensive coordinator Mike Pettine worked to perfection against the Bolts. With Manning at the helm this week though, the task becomes greater of course. This is after all, the Colts and Peyton Manning we’re talking about here.

The Jet defenders especially the secondary will need to make plays, game changers, just as they did in San Diego. The way teams like the Chargers and Colts, and NFC title game opponents Vikings and Saints throw it, one could make a case that “secondary” has become the new “linebacker” in importance this year. The Jets have a secondary that CAN change games. In fact this unit is changing games even more as of late. It hasn’t just been  happening on Revis Island either.  S Kerry Rhodes had a key blitz last Sunday. S Jim Leonhard made the most of his chances. The gritty Leonhard forced an apparent fumble in the second quarter on a hard hit on WR Malcom Floyd then earned the payoff for a “lunch pail”style days work, by intercepting Rivers deep in Jet territory at the end of the third quarter. A turnover that proved to be the key momentum swing for the Jets. All pro CB Darrelle Revis made yet another key play in 2009,  with his intereception prior to the Leonhard pick. The Jets top defender thwarted top  Charger wideout Vincent Jackson on a pass catch attempt in the red zone. The play came on a mid third quarter drive where the Chargers sought to add to a 7-3 lead. A lead that could’ve proved tough for

the grind it out Jets to overcome. This week will HAVE to be more of the same from the strength of the Jet defense at this point, the secondary.

On offense there will be no suprise. Unless you’ve been away all year and haven’t yet heard of the Ground and Pound.  If you’re a Jet fan, it’s become your mantra. Run them into submission. It’s no secret that win or lose the Jets will look to run for glory against the NFL’s 24th ranked run defense. A defense that includes top ranked pass rushing ends Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis.  All pros Nick Mangold and Alan Faneca join Damien Woody and 6’7 D’Brickshaw Ferguson to create a man made brick wall unlike no other team currently can in pro football. Line coach Bill Callahan has been phenomenal this season at devising intricate blocking schemes whose designs have helped pave the way for the Jets to become the league’s top rushing team. Rest assured this “hit em in the mouth until it hurts” approach will be featured on Sunday once again. Woody made that point known today saying that the Jets will run until they wear the Colts down.  The Jets can neutralize those bookend pass rushing threats Freeney and Mathis by running well on first and second down so as to keep 3rd downs manageable.

Rookie QB Mark Sanchez has gone from a turnover machine (20 ints in 2009) to a game manager capable of converting key throws when it counts. He’ll have to do the same Sunday and some. Dustin Keller has emerged in these playoffs. Keller’s big day in Cincy during the 24-14 Wildcard win over the Benglas, saw the former Purdue star haul in three important grabs for ninety nine yards and a TD. Keller is turning into the reliable safety valve Jet fans hoped he’d be early in the year. Sanchez and Keller are finally on the same page, thinking together. Need proof? Take the the ad libbed TD throw from Sanchez to  the double covered Keller for the go ahead TD in San Diego for example then. Add the always dependable WR Jerricho Cotchery into the mix and what you have is the ability for the Jets to convert third and short yardage situations. That is unless Ill advised picks by Sanchez in Jet territory a reverting back to the monsoon that took engulfed him in October, rear their ugly head on Sunday. Rookie mistakes by the Jets quarterback, something the former USC Rose Ball winner has avoided lately, will make an uphill battle become mountainous for New York.

Perhaps a key to the game could be the emergence of the long overdue WR Braylon Edwards. His two catches for 41 yards last week may appear minimal on paper. However it’s a step up from the previous weeks that saw a myriad of dropped TDs and long tosses from Sanchez. Ryan said heading into last week against the Bolts that Edwards ” is gonna break out sooner or later and let’s hope it’s sooner rather than later.” Attempts by offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer to open the field up vertically early in the game by having “Sanchise” go deep to Edwards could catch the run focused Indy defenders by surprise. Whether he can hold onto the ball if and when it gets there is anybody’s guess. Then of course there’s Brad Smith. Wouldn’t it be interesting to see a few wrinkles put into the gameplan by “Schotty” for Smith, the teams most versatile skill position player this week.

The Jets have only averaged scoring three points in the last nine games after the first quarter. That has to change this week. The Ravens kept it a 3-3 game into the second quarter in their 20-3 loss to Indy last week, but had way too many three and outs. The Jets  have to think bigger than that. The Colts MLB Gary Brackett is always active from sideline to sideline and often lands around the ball. S Antoine Bethea is solid in run support and helps out a secondary that lacks a true shut down corner. You already know about Freeney and Mathis.  Gang Green can and must find a way to mix in some deep shots against the Colts defense while moving the chains in the first half. The Colts won’t lend the Jets a hand in keeping it close by burning out the clock out on the ground early. The way pass happy Chargers coach Norv Turner uncharacteristically did.

The Colts  ended the regular season dead last in the NFL in rushing. Their tandem of Joseph Addai and UCONN rookie Donald Brown combined for just a 3.5 average in ’09. Much like the Charger game, if the Jets can continue to keep opposing running backs bottled up, the Jets may benefit from 3rd and long situations. Downs that will allow Ryan to dial up the heat or at least not have to risk too many defenders at the line of scrimmage, in order to help the Jets retain possession.

The Colts this year won four games straight by a total of ten points. One of those included the Patriot game, a win aided by Pats coach Bill Belicheck’s decision to go for a 4th and 2 deep in Pats territory with the lead and two minutes to go. The plan backfired as the Colts stopped New England a yard short before Manning hit Wayne for the game winner. The Colts also had eight come from behind fourth quarter wins in 2009. Resilient? Yes. Dominant? No. If the Jets can keep Peyton from controlling the game, force the Colts running attack to provide some help, make the Colt defenders stop the Ground and Pound for an extended amount of time, the Jets will be in this game.

The media friendly Ryan added to an infinite list of bombastic quotes this week saying he’d “be shocked” if the Jets didn’t win. The rookie head coach’s mindset is being followed by a Gang Green

team that appreciates their coaches faith. Ryan is the anti Jet. The coach who seems to own the remedy for curing a cursed franchise that along with it’s fan base, can’t stop wallowing in self pity,

negativity, and self fulfilling prophecy. Players like LB Bart Scott say that these are the “New” Jets. That this current crop has no link towards the many tragic endings that have symbolized

so many Jet seasons.

Then  there’s the added motivation. the Jets have grown weary of hearing how they didn’t belong in the playoffs. The Jets are tired of hearing that the Colts, who were only up 15-10 with 5:38 in week 16, before coach Jim Caldwell pulled key starters, handed them the game. The Jets will be fired up to prove that they belong among the league’s elite.The Colts meanwhile have dealt with their own headaches perpetuated by those in the media as well as many of their fans, who feel that “laying up” to stay healthy was the wrong approach.That momentum can only be sidetracked by slowing it down for a month.  That a football immortality stemming from having a perfect season was worth fighting for. Sunday is President Bill Polian and the Colts chance to prove to the football world, that the choice to remain healthy in order to go into a championship game with your best foot forward now, made pulling the plug then, worth it.

These Jets now have youth leading the way. Rookies Sanchez and Greene, second year man Keller, the all world 24 year old Revis, have become the playmaking faces of this team. However chances like these don’t come around so easily. For the Super Bowl Champion Jets, they never saw the playoffs again after their 1970 13-6 loss to KC in the AFL title game at Shea Stadium. The followup campaign to their improbable upset in ’69. The Jet franchise had to wait twelve more years before returning to the postseason.  A drought that included to many three and four win seasons. The Jets playoff return in 1981 culminated in a dramatic 31-27 Wildcard loss at home to the Bills. This thanks to a last minute Richard Todd interception in the end zone to Buffalo’s Bill Simpson. Twelve years. That’s a long time. Jets fans of late, despite the “Same old Jets” headlines that follow tough losses,  have not suffered this type of pain. In fact the Jets have actually been to the playoffs five times in the past decade. So it’s fair to say that given the current young talent the Jets possess, coupled with GM’ Mike Tannenbaums proven ability to find players both through the draft and free agency, a long playoff drought may be avoided this time around.  Nonetheless, Gang Green is here. They are here now. On the cusp of doing something Super. Chances like the one the Jets have in Indianapolis on Sunday can be awfully hard to come by. No matter who you are. Just ask Joe Namath.

“I’ve dreamed about playing in a Super Bowl my whole life. It’s every player’s dream.” long snapper James Dearth said Wednesday. For Dearth and the Jets the dream is alive and it’s for the taking.  If Ryan’s number one defense can dial it up at the right time and slow down Manning just enough, if Shonn Greene can stay hot and Sanchez can stay cool, the Jets have a chance. A great chance, in a game where the stakes haven’t been as high since Apollo 4 was gearing up to land on the moon. It’s hard to believe, but a Jet return to a Super Bowl in Miami really does hang in the balance on Sunday.

It wasn’t long ago that the notion of the Jets going to Miami was far fetched. Even the idea of it, moments after Atlanta’s Tony Gonzalez turned Giants Stadium into a mortuary in week 15 was laughable. Better yet, a sick joke to diehards who remember Al Woodall. Painful for the ones who can still see the “Klecko’s Klan” and “In Todd We Trust” banners that blew wildly along the windy walls of Shea. Nightmarish for those who remember Gastineau’s late hit on Kosar, or the passion that came from those bouncing stands ready to collapse when Barkum beat the Dolphins. Now that 10-7 Falcon loss that even had Ryan saying the Jets were dead and buried, couldn’t be farther away. That’s because somehow, miraculously, with time running out on the 2009 Jets, the landscape changed. They got help, then they helped themselves. For Gang Green and the many who live and die with them each and every Sunday, the reality of being Super has all of a sudden become only sixty precious minutes away.

THREE KEYS TO BEATING THE COLTS:

SLOW DOWN MANNING: Little more has to be said. Peyton is 8-8 in the playoffs. It can be done. Rex was 0-4 lifetime against him before the “JV game” but has made Manning look pedestrian before. He and Pettine will have to coach their best game of the year in order to give the Jets a chance.

DON’T PULL A RAVENS: The Ravens were tied 3-3 for a good long time last Saturday. Too long. Too many three and outs. The Jets didn’t get a first down on their first four drives against the Bolts and the Colts aren’t San Diego, they are a step up in class with Manning. .Assuming the Jets can keep it close Sunday, they’ll have to do better than go three and out and give it back to the Colts who won’t help the Jets burn the clock by running it as much as the Chargers did in the first half. Jet defenders will tire chasing this receiving corps if this week is a repeat of last week’s slow start.  Move the chains guys.

Do it from the get go, it’s a must.

BROADWAY BRAYLON:  We’re calling for him again. Jones and Greene will pound it, the O line with lead the way. Can you imagine  the back pages on Monday with a shot of Edwards holding up the ball after catching the first of two TD passes though? We can. That’s because we see that as one of the ways that the Jets can shock the Colts again. 41 years after the fact.

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Who would’ve though a week ago that as the final Sunday of the NFL’s regular season approached, the Jets would be playing for the rights to make the playoffs, not the Giants. So many things had to fall right for Gang Green to regain control of their destiny. Those things DID fall right for one of the NFL’s habitually cursed franchises. Now all of a sudden the Jets take on a Cincinnati Bengals team that has little to play for with a home playoff game already coming the following week. Thus making the final game one with little to play for besides momentum and alot to lose in the way of injuries. The Bengal scenario is  much like  one the then undefeated Colts  faced. Indy’s unpopular decision to rest Peyton Manning and other key starters up just 15-10 with 5:38 left in the third quarter helped pave the way for the Jets to take back to the keys to the car.

Now it’s up to Gang Green to close the deal once and for all and earn the right to most likely face the same Bengal team a week later in Cincy.

The Giants got blown out last week in their farewell to a stadium that has been kind to them in it’s 33 year history. Three Giant Super Bowl teams were borne out of the purported hallowed burial ground of Jimmy Hoffa in this time. For the Jets, the Meadowlands has been home to so many crash landing endings that many Jet fans will be happy to see the team move next door in 2010. A chance at a fresh start with the opportunity to put their own stamp on things, will come shortly.

For now, the Jets hope to give themselves and their die hard fans one great memory in a stadium that has housed at least a few over the years.

The Monday night Miracle in 2000 with Jumbo Elliot’s TD catch capped off the greatest Monday night football comeback in history. Beating the Brett Favre led Packers on the last day of 2002 propelled the upstart Herman Edwards Jets into the playoffs. Their 41-0 dismantling of the Colts in the Wildcard was arguably the loudest Jets fans ever got in the Red and Blue seated stadium.

Of course there were nightmares. Too many to count. The bigger ones that come to mind are the day Dennis Byrd was partially paralyzed against the Chiefs in 1992. Who can forget the Dan Marino fake spike play in 1994 that left the then 6-5 Jets shocked? The wild loss sent them into a “same old Jets” Jet  tailspin, ending Pete Caroll’s tenure as head coach after just one season. This ushered in the Rick Kotite years of 1995 and 1996. Enough said.

Sunday night is about a lifetime of redemption for the franchise that, aside from Super Bowl III, seems to struggle most when the spotlight is the brightest. Although the Jets have fared well in “win or in ” games over the past decade, the stigma associated with monumental collapses contain ghosts that float close to the surface. Apparitions that seem ready to bring bad karma to Gang Green at any time.

This week has had its share of pre-game drama already. Chad Ochocinco and CB Darelle Revis have been going at it in a friendly fun way on twitter. Ochocinco has been boasting that Revis won’t be able to cover him. Don’t bet on it. Revis has covered all of the top receivers this year and has shut them all down. WR Braylon Edwards pulled a “Broadway” Joe guaranteeing the win saying that team is too focused and wants it too badly to lose.

Then there’s the issue of motivation. The Bengals can’t improve their playoff situation with a win. in fact they can only hurt it by adding any top player to the injury list in a game that has no ability to make their path to the Super Bowl any easier. Will coach Marvin Lewis let QB Carson Palmer and the oft injured RB Cedric Benson play for the duration? Backup QB  JT O Sullivan is a former starter with the 49ers, and should fare alot better than Curtis Painter did for the Colts last week, should the Bengals choose to keep Palmer on the sidelines. One or more of the AFC teams on the bubble between Miami, Houston and Pittsburgh will be watching Sunday night praying that the Bengals  go out and be competitive. The jury’s out as to how Lewis will play it.

If the Pats, who publicly claim Tom Brady and co. will be on the field (if you choose to believe Bill Belichick), beat the Texans at 1pm, the Bengals would own the 4th seed. This would be regardless of the outcome against the Jets. A Pats loss and the Bengals would move to No. 3 with a win but beating the Jets could force Cincy into facing division rival Baltimore or Pittsburgh in the opening round.

Many wonder if Cincy will tank just to win the right to take on rookie Mark Sanchez and his 26 interceptions, back to their place instead.

The stage is set. A stadium farewell. A win or else scenario. A national tv audience.

What a dramatic way to end what has been a roller coaster first season for coach Rex Ryan and the rookie Sanchez. 60 minutes away from the playoffs, the question is, can the Jets put it all together? It’s up to Gang Green now. They control their destiny. They are the owners of the chance to give Giants stadium one last glorious ride before it fades into the sunset. Before the Jets 2009 season fades into the sunset as well.

KEYS TO THE BENGALS:

Defense, It’s Time To Peak  For the Jets to keep the season going past Sunday and to make any sort of serious run in January , it’s going to have to be on the defense. The Defense , ranked 1st in the NFL in yards given up, must now grow into a turnover and sack machine. The foundation is there. The pressure has been solid all year. The interceptions have risen in the past five weeks. Now can the Jets D elevate into a unit that creates short fields and scores points. Sunday the Jets will need some help from the D as once again Sanchez will be asked to manage the offense, not carry it.

Shonn Greene: Can Greene develop here on the stretch drive as well? The fumble prone rookie has proven that he can be a big time aid to a run game already churning with RB Thomas Jones as long as he holds onto the rock. If Greene can come into his own, the template may be set for the rest of 2009. Jones, Greene, a few throws mixed in, and a stifling D.

Night Time is the Right Time: The nutty Jet fan base combined with the final game in Giants stadium,and a “Win and in” game” has to prove to be an energy force all its own. Fireman Ed, get your game face on, this one’s big. As big of a game as Gang Green has ever played in a stadium short on memories for the Jets. Alcohol sales have been banned for the game. The Meadowlands knows better than to lend Jet nation more fuel to a fire that may help carry the Jets over the edge and into the postseason.