What can be said? Slow Starts, frantic finishes. That statement encapsulates a lot of what we saw from the Jets in 2010. They would start off slow and end in a flurry. However, in the end a 24 point deficit was too much of a cushion to give up. At the very least, the jets showed the NFL that they could back up 90% of the talk they spewed throughout the season. I know that this game’s postmortem is super late. Yes, it is. After all the hype and hoopla surrounding an unreal demolition of the Patriots at Gillette, the Jets fans were at an altitude that few of us have ever seen before. We believed that if the could beat the Patriots, they could beat anyone.

Steelers defeat the Jets 24-19

Okay Steelers, we surrender...24 points is too much to give up!

The Jets took the Steelers lightly in the first half of the game. They gave up 24 points and only were able to muster 3 points before half time. 24-3 was the score at the start of the second half. The jets rallied and scored 16 more points while holding Pittsburgh to 0 points. However, when you add up 16 and 3, you still come up short. 24-19 is the score that will be kept in the record books. No one will remember that the Jets shut out the Steelers in the second half. Everyone will remember that pathetic show of tackling in the first half, everyone will remember that strip sack of Sanchez that led to a Pittsburgh touchdown. No one will remember how well Sanchez played in the second half. Everyone will remember that we could not score a touchdown with four shots from the 2 yard line.  Nobody will remember the safety that the Defense came up with to cut the deficit to 5. Everyone will remember that Roethlisberger ,made a clutch throw on 3rd and 6 to ice the game. No one will remember that Sanchez didn’t get a shot to win the game on the last drive due to 3rd and 6 completion.

What will Most Jets Fans remember?

The sad part is that most Jets fans will not recall what a great season the Jets had but they will focus instead on the fact that again we were teased by greatness only to be denied. Our huge issue is that we occupy a division with the Pats, Fins and Bills. These three other teams are tough as hell. The Pats and that f’ing maniac Belichick drives Jets fans crazy, the fins seem to relish in spoiling our seasons and the bills always play the jets tough. It is the Pats division until we win the division from them. Until we own the division, we will be that spunky road playoff team. Most road playoff victories in the last two years means nothing…it only means that you didn’t win the division two years in a row.

Think Happy Thoughts!

Don't be Gloomy? The Jets are Trending upward!

However, allow the sun to shine on your brain…the Jets gained more playoff experience, their QB gained more overall experience and the team gelled together to form a formidable team at the end of the season. The Jets have a bright future. But, lets stay in the present. The Jets team you saw on the field in Pittsburgh, will not be the same team fielded next year. There are so many holes to fill and few dollars to award to everyone. Who stays? Who goes? Well, the Jets just plunked down the Franchise tag on David Harris. They are allowing Braylon Edwards, Santonio Holmes and every other FA to test out the market when the labor dispute is resolved. Let’s just hope that the dispute does not carry on far. The NFL has a great product and I would hate to see it tarnished by pure greed. I hope to see everyone next year for more JETS football. I am currently working on a side blogging project but I plan to stay active in the PSB sports scene. So to all the Jets fans and to all the haters….see you very soon.  J-E-T-S Jets Jets Jets!

If the NFL Players go on Strike, who do you Blame? BLAME CANADA! See you for the 2011 Season everyone! GO JETS!

Now that the glee from the victory over the Patsies has subsided, it’s time for the next stop of the “SHOCK THE WORLD TOUR“…Pittsburgh. Throughout the week, there was not much crazy talk eminating from the Steelers or the Jets camps. In fact, quite the opposite. The Steelers and the Jets showered praise on one another as the week wore on. Now that we close in on kickoff, some tension is bubbling up. You can smell the competition building as Jets Defensive Coordinator Pettine called Hines Ward out for his illegal back side hits and warned he “better watch out.” Pittsburgh CB Ike Taylor stated that he will lay out former Steeler Santonio Holmes if given the chance. These are strong words. You can sense the tension building!

Hines Ward Cheap Shot?

Bart Scott – “CAN’T WAIT!”

Bart Scott legendary Interview!

"ANYBODY CAN BE BEAT!" - Bart Scott

Bart Scott’s beautiful diatribe while being interviewed after the Patriots game by Sal Palantonio. Click the link to see the video!

The Keys to beating the Pittsburgh Steelers

I am under no illusion that this game against the Steelers will be easier than the last two. You KNOW that the game will be tight, any little edge may sway it either way. As such, here are the keys to beating the Steelers and moving on to Dallas for the Super Bowl.

1. Pressure Roethlisberger – The Steelers gave up six sacks to the Ravens in but the Baltimore game turned on the fumble by Ray Rice early in the third quarter. Pressure by the Ravens led to a critical fumble by Roethlisberger which led directly to a touchdown. The Jets must apply presure to Roethlisberger and try to strip the ball from his hands or force a bad pass.
   

   Sack Roethlisberger!

2. Establish the Run Game – The Jets are a running team. They use the run to establish a tempo. They use the run to beat down a defense so by the third and fourth quarter, the defense is tired and on their heels. They use the run to keep the clock moving and the opposing offense on the bench. They use the run to keep their defense fresh and off the field and they use the run to set up an efficient passing game through a play action pass. Due to all of these factors, the Jets MUST establish their running game and cannot deviate from running the ball.
3. Keep Sanchez Clean – The Jets Offensive line must not allow any sacks of Sanchez. We all know about the shoulder issue and the prior knee issue. For the sake of the team, they need to keep his uniform clean…no sacks! Also they must locate TROY POLAMALU. That guy is a whirling dervish of chaos and can singlehandedly change a game’s dynamic. The last regular season game between the Steelers and Ravens turned on a Polamalu strip sack.
   

   Polamalu is a game changer given the chance...

4. Special Teams Must Do Better – In the first meeting between the Steelers and the Jets, the Jets ran back the opening kickoff for a TD. In the playoffs, the Jets Punter and kicker have fared rather poorly. We need punts that are downed inside the 20 and we need FG conversions. This game may come down to a field position battle and a field goal. We need to have our special teams ready to go.
   

   Huge Play on Jets kickoff return by Brad Smith!

5. Contain Heath Miller - In the last Jets-Steelers game, Heath Miller did not play due to a concusion suffered the prior week. Miller is back and he can be deadly. The Jets must have good coverage on Miller so that they are not burned by seam routes, crossing patterns and drag routes. I would suggest that the Jets assign Broadney Pool to cover Miller.
6. No Turnovers – When the Jets do not turn the ball over, they really make it easier for the team as a whole. Sanchez has only thrown one interception in the last two playoff games and the team has not fumbled. We need to maintain that focus because the Steelers are opportunistic.
7. Keep the Game Close – The Jets are not built to comeback from a multi-TD defecit. If the Jets can lead the game or trail by less than a touchdown, they can win this game. The key is to not allow the other team to pile the points on.

Parting Words

I have faith that the Jets will be well prepared for this match up with the Steelers.  In last year’s match up with the Colts, many of the players were just happy to be there. Now, the players realize that opportunities like this happen far less often than they think. The Jets have already beaten the Steelers in Heinz Field this season so they know they can do it. They are better prepared this year and have the weapons. At this point, it’s all about desire and the will to win. Let’s see whose team has more desire. As Bart Scott said when asked about Pittsburgh game…”CAN’T WAIT!!!”

Before getting a Super Bowl trophy, the Jets hope to Hoist the AFC Championship Lamar Hunt Trophy on Sunday!

Check out this link To Pats Fans with Love, By Jon Stewart

I think that about wraps up the Jets victory, don’t you think?

Next Article: a Preview of Steelers v. Jets – AFC Championship!

All week, the national media, the NYC media, the Boston media, local Jets bloggers, local Pats bloggers, local Jets radio hosts, local Pats radio hosts, everyone basically gave the Jets no shot. THEY said the Jets had no shot. THEY said the Jets had issues in the defense, issues in their offense, issues at head coach, issues in their fan base. THEY said that it would be a similar outcome as the 45-3 Monday night game where the Patriots showed so much class that they ran up the score with no mercy.  The Patriots were all smug and lying through their teeth saying they respected the Jets and their coach. They would hand deliver fake praise so they would be viewed as the model franchise that they think they are. The problem is that Rex Ryan and those lovable Jets didn’t follow the script.  Yeah, to all the doubters, I say…    SUCK IT!

Just like David beheaded Goliath, the Jets take down the Patriots 28-21! SUCK ON THAT!

What happens when Superman meets Team Kryptonite?

Maybe its just me. I hate the opposing team QBs and some of them have haunted my dreams. I call Dan Marino “The Devil”, I used to call Drew Bledsoe “The Monkey”, I used to call Jim Kelly “BALDYFACE” and of course I call Peyton Manning “Horseface”. I can’t help it, when there is a QB out there who torments my team I take it personally. For Tom Brady, I just feel he is doubly bad…he is portrayed as this guy who can do no wrong and yet he dumps his girl while she is pregnant with his child to chase a supermodel and he torments my team. Brady a.k.a “Hairplugs”claims to not taunt the guys on the sideline and said he is above that but yet there is a lot of videotape that shows him doing that same exact thing. When confronted by the video, Hairplugs says maybe he lets his emotions get the best of him. Come On Tom, you know you do it, don’t be a d*ck and deny it.

Superman is to Kryptonite as the Patriots are to the Jets!

Yesterday the Jets defeated the Patriots in Foxborough 28-21. Yes, they beat them and honestly the game was not even that close as the score suggests. The Patriots were losing 28-14 with 27 seconds left when they scored their final touchdown. How is this possible? Those lowly Jets, the ones who needed some supposed luck to beat the Lions, Browns, Broncos and Texans. The lowly Jets who “barely” squeaked into the the playoffs (11-5 does not constitute barely). The lowly Jets who had a young and supposedly unrelaible Qb, a blowhard coach and a not so good defense (ranked #3 in the NFL by the way…). The GLORIOUS Patriots who could do no wrong, who would never ever speak ill about another team, whose coach’s

Ickey Woods Shuffle

monotone press conferences were a thing of beauty, whose QB, full of hair (now we know its all a sham…he is losing hair faster than playoff games), a defense that was young and that doesn’t break. The GLORIOUS Patriots that were the bulwark defending the NFL against boisterous and loud teams like the Jets, Steelers and Ravens. I say, what B*LLS*IT! For years the NFL was known as the NO FUN LEAGUE. Do people remember the SACK DANCE, the Fun BUNCH and the Ickey Shuffle? Now, GOD FORBID you celebrate a touchdown, you get a penalty. Are you serious? Isn’t this a game after all? Isn’t football about having fun and having a big celebration? I would counter anyone who would argue that the brand of bland civility that BS artists like Belechick and Brady represent is ultimately good for the NFL.

Is Superman dead?

New York Jets safety Eric Smith (33) and linebacker David Harris (52) tackle New England Patriots' BenJarvus Green-Ellis

What you get is a bunch of blowhards who straight up lie or  say things like “I completely respect FILL IN THE BLANK, he is a great coach.” or “I have nothing but respect for THE  FILL IN THE BLANKS, they are a great team”. Please give me a break. Show some emotion and speak your mind. I wholeheartedly respect Rex Ryan’s approach. He lets his players speak their minds and you can tell that they respect their coach. However, the coach does expect you to back up your words. Cromartie laced into Tom Brady and called him an A$$hole. Yeah, he did say that. Why? Cromartie stated that Brady taunts and showboats in front of the other team’s bench after a touchdown pass. Brady at first denied it but when video of this came out, Brady stated that maybe its because he gets emotional. You KNEW Cromartie was going to be targeted…he was 4 times. Cromartie held tough and didn’t give up any huge completions. In fact, the Jets did not give up any long touchdown passes. Cromartie backed up his tough talk.

Under Brady's Helmet, you will see this...the ugly truth. Hairplugs!

How did the Jets beat Hairplugs and the Patriots?

1) They sacked Hairplugs five times and pressured him all game.

2) They played a mix of man and zone coverage to confuse Hairplugs.

3) They did not allow Brady to have the short crossing routes to Welker and Woodhead.

4) The Jets contained the Tight End attacks of Gronkowski and Hernandez. In fact, Hernandez was a ghost….anyone seen Aaron Hernandez last night?

Mark Sanchez or as Bart Scott calls him "Our Nacho Libre version of Tom Brady".

5) Mark Sanchez threw three touchdowns, NO INTERCEPTIONS and had a higher passer rating than Hairplugs.

6) The Jets running attack bruised and battered the Patriots Defense.

7) The Patriots defense was exposed as a 25th ranked defense should be.

Revis shut down Deion Branch or anyone else he was assigned.

Welcome to Revis Island Deion Branch!

9) Cromartie played great defense and was a huge factor on Special teams.

10) The Jets did not need luck nor a late score to win the game.

11) Brady choked again in the playoffs. Last year, Joe Flacco came to Gillette Stadium and beat the Patriots. Now Mark Sanchez does the same exact thing, except Sanchez outshown Hairplugs as well.

So now the Jets continue the “SHOCK THE WORLD” Tour and hope to continue riding all that “non-believer” energy to Dallas and a Super Bowl appearance. While the Patriots are packing their gear, the Jets will return to Heinz Field to meet the Steelers. Ain’t life grand!

So to all the non-believers, keep picking against the Jets. We love it, in fact, we thrive on it. See you in Pittsburgh b&t^hes!!

SUCK IT B%TCHES!!!

David Reid, a fellow Pats Blogger at this site recently posted this article CLICK ON ME as a preview of the Jets v. Pats Part III or as the NY Post called it…RETURN OF THE JET-I! Well, in true American fashion, I have chosen to post my retort to the points that David had posted.Please keep in mind that the font emphasis was added by me and that David’s comments were put in italics by me to help identify each other’s posts.

Point – Counterpoint

Are we ready to shock the world again? Float like a butterfly, Sting like a BEE!

David : Oh Rex Ryan, how we love it when you make these games personal. Regardless of how “personal” Ryan wants to make this game, the Patriots are still going to blow out the Jets just like they did in week 13. Nothing has changed for the Jets over the last 5 weeks. Sure they won a playoff game against a struggling AFC team; but their offense is still terrible, their defense still has a ton of holes, and Brad Smith is about the only player on the Jets that ever shows up on the highlights, and he probably only sees the field 10 times a game…including special teams. Right now, I am thinking if the Jets’ best player is only on the field for roughly 10 plays, the Patriots don’t have much to worry about.

Gabe: Wow, its obvious to me that you are basing your knowledge of the Jets on the 45-3 blowout that occurred the second time they met. Assuming that the team has not evolved past that bumbling Monday night “errorfest” is a HUGE mistake. I could only hope that Belichick makes the same mistake. Let me refresh your memory about the days prior to that blowout game. Jim Leonhard, the defense’s QB broke his leg in the days before this big matchup. The Jets defense looked lost out there with only about three days to prepare for life without Leonhard.

Additionally, you say that the Jets best player is Brad Smith??? Again, I don’t know what the Cable situation is up in Massachusetts, but in the rest of the USA, everyone knows that the best player on the Jets squad is Darrelle Revis. No QB throws to Revis’ side of the field and they even created the term REVIS ISLAND to spotlight the absence of any footballs in his coverage area. Also, if you watched the Colts playoff game you would have seen that CROMARTIE had great kickoff returns in Brad Smith’s place. Additionally, the wildcat formation with Brad Smith has not been as effective as it was earlier in the season. Therefore, my only conclusion is that you are basing this judgment on earlier footage of the Jets. Big Mistake. To say that “Nothing has changed in the last 5 weeks” signals to me that you are haven’t seen the offense in the last five weeks. After the Pats and Dolphins games, the Jets picked up some offensive steam as Shonn Greene and Dustin Keller have become more active in the offense’s attack. Additionally, the Jets have shown a resiliency throughout the last five weeks that was evident in every game but the Patriots blowout. As such, the Jets have matured within the last five weeks. I apologize if your cable was out and you could not watch those games. But, take my word for it…this game on Sunday will be vastly different than that aberration we saw on Monday night.

Oh, and HELL YEAH, its personal. When a team runs up the score on you, you do not take kindly to it. 45-3 is a BCS type score not a NFL score. To think that Belichick had Brady in the game in the 4^th quarter still attacking is what really shows how much this game meant to him. Now, the chance to avenge that loss is here. Get ready for some football!

David: As for the Patriots, they have been winning consistently and blowing out almost every team they have played since the Jets in week 13, except for the Packers. Every aspect of their game is improving from week to week and every player is utilized perfectly. The offense involves everyone and makes things as easy for Brady as they can possibly get. Did I mention the Patriots are on an 8-game win streak? The Patriots are playing as good of football as possible and it could not have come at a better time. Not just playoff time, but the time where the Patriots have a second opportunity to publicly humiliate Rex Ryan and the Jets again on national television.

Gabe: Let’s see, how shall I put this….in the playoffs every team sets their record at 0-0. Regardless of what you did in the regular season, every team in the playoffs has a shot at winning. So with that said, yes I agree that the Patriots appeared to be humming on all cylinders except for the Packers game. BUT, do you not think that the Jets have broken down tape of that Packers game to see how they were so effective against the Pats? You can assume the Jets will have the same gameplan as they did in that blowout loss but that would be an error that could get you fired. The Jets have evolved and you saw that in the last playoff game where Ryan chose to withhold the blitz and dared Peyton to win via the Rush….we held the Colts offense to 16 points. Peyton Manning even admitted that the Jets defense had his number in this game. The Jets gameplan evolved. Do you think that they can’t continue to evolve? The NFL is not about keeping the status quo…its about constant innovation and evolution. When Belichick saw that Randy Moss was dragging on the offense he sent him to the Vikings and the Pats evolved into a short strike offense. To think the Jets haven’t evolved is ludicrous. But, if Pats fans want to believe that this playoff game will be another 45-3 game, go right ahead. You may not like what you see by 7:30pm on Sunday.

David: So Rex Ryan, you can make this game as personal as you like; and Cromartie you can interrogate Brady as much as you want, but it will not help either of you this Sunday. You just have to face the fact Mark Sanchez is too young and makes far too many mistakes and that your team just doesn’t compare to the Patriots’. Nuff said.

Time to get a new thesaurus...

Gabe: Hahaha, where to begin. First off, Rex is a master motivator. When someone makes you look silly on national TV, then yes it becomes personal. Belichick and Brady ran up the score….there is no denying that. So yes its personal. Secondly, Cromartie doesn’t want to INTERROGATE Brady, he wants to INFURIATE him so that he takes some shots at him…maybe cause a pick or two.  I am thinking you may want to buy a new thesaurus. Also, Sanchez is young but so is Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco. You may remember Joe Flacco, he was the guy who torched your team in the playoffs last year…he is both a QB and young. Sanchez has gotten better from Year 1 to year 2, i would be a little more cautious in writing him off.

David: As for the breakdown of this game, the Patriots made things look very easy in week 13. That is by far the worst I have ever seen the Jets’ defense play before. Brady and company made it look as though there were just 11 guys on the defensive side of the ball, not having any idea what the game of football actually was. Things were just far too easy, and it was though the Jets just didn’t want to play football that week. I do not expect the same this week though. The Jets do have a solid defense, but Brady has enough weapons that he can wear them down. The Jets did have the 3^rd best defense throughout the regular season, but we learned that they can be beat.

Gabe: WOW, ok…man, this is getting comical here. I think I need to teach you some stuff about football. In American Football, there are 11 players on Offense and there are 11 players on DEFENSE. So, that comment about Brady making it look like there were only 11 guys on defense, well that is because there are usually 11 guys on defense. Yeah, so that’s all cleared up.

Official NFL Rulebook. Defense has 11 players on the field. This version includes the BRADY TUCK RULE!

Now, about the Jets wanting to play that week, they did want to play that week BUT remember at the top of this blog response I wrote about how Jim Leonhard’s injury came literally three days before the blowout so the Jets had almost no time to adjust. I can tell you that it will no longer be an issue. Expect to see a tighter Jets D, expect to see better coverage on the Pats TEs as well as Eric Smith and Broadney Pool are better able to cover the athletic TEs that the Pats feature.

David: Here is what the Patriots will have to do this Sunday to capture a victory:

1. Challenge Antonio Cromartie. He is a solid corner, but he loves jumping routes and he can be beat down field, towards the sidelines. Brady needs to throw in some pump fakes to get his receivers loose against Cromartie. The Pats also just need to run some deep routes against and just challenge what he’s got.

Gabe: Good idea, let’s see if Brady does this. Especially after Cro basically said what was on a lot of people’s minds when it comes to Mr. Bundchen.

2. Use Danny Woodhead often. Benjarvus Green-Ellis will need to be the primary running back and for him to be effective, Woodhead will need to get some carries and a lot of screen/dump passes. This will open up some running holes for Green-Ellis, and will also keep the Jets on their toes every time Woodhead enters the game.

Gabe: We have seen this before, it is a good tactic but look at how the Jets handled this in the Colts game. I think maybe you need to rethink this one.

3. Utilize the TEs. The Patriots have been doing this a lot lately, and the Jets’ CBs are going to be focused on Wes Welker and Deion Branch for a majority of the game. This will open up the playbook for Brady and the Pats and allow a lot of targets to the two great receiving TEs.

Gabe: Yeah, the TE play will be integral to the Pats attack…so use them. But, I am telling you that Eric Smith and Broadney pool will be instrumental on limiting TE touches.

David: Now for the Patriots defense. This side of the ball deserves a ton of credit. They get on the field and they do exactly as told; stop the opposing offense as fast as you can. This gives Brady and co. more time to be on the field and rack up the points. The defense is looking great and they too have to do a few things in order to keep the Jets offense from scoring:

1.  Blitz Mark Sanchez and force him to make bad throws. Sanchez is by far at his worst when he feels pressured and has to make a quick decision. He will miss-fire a lot of passes and will hopefully throw a few picks.

Gabe: This is key for the Pats. But if the Jets counter with a moving pocket, watch out. Those Blitzes will not work.

2. Keep the run game to a minimum. The Jets have a solid running attack, but they really don’t use it as much as they should. However when they do use it, the Patriots have to be ready. My plan is to stack the box. Stacking the box will create fewer holes in the defense for the running game to attack. It will also force Mark Sanchez to start throwing the ball, which is exactly what we want.

Gabe: Good luck with that. The mistake the Jets made in the last game was getting away from the ground and pound. They will not make that same mistake.

3. Think run first when Brad Smith is under center. Most of the time when Brad Smith comes in to play QB, he ends up running the ball. If the defense can force him to pass the ball, then we can see what he’s actually got.

Gabe: YES, I do hope that the Pats do think Run first when Brad is under center because Brad can fling that pigskin down the field for a score. He was an all-american QB at Missouri and he has it in his arsenal to fire that ball down the field. So, please send a run blitz…that would be great!

David: I am quite excited for this game on Sunday. I think it will be a battle during maybe the first 5 mins, but after that I look forward to the Patriots lighting up the scoreboard. They know this Jets team and they know what it takes to beat them. The Patriots are playing great football and I think it will take a lot to stop them. I see the Pats winning this one, 27-13. P…A…T…S… PATS PATS PATS. Suck on that Jets fans. Go Patriots!!!

Gabe: I will not make a prediction in this game. However, I will say this. To expect that the game will not be competitive after the first 5 minutes would mean that somehow the Pats will score 21 points in those first five minutes. I think you are way too focused on the 45-3 Monday night debacle. I can’t wait till Sunday so you can see how much of a mirage that game truly was. That being said, I truly enjoyed sparring with you in this blog and I hope that we can continue to refute each other’s postings. Hope you have a good place to watch the game and that someday you get your cable back. With that being said…J-E-T-S JETS JETS JETS!!! Suck on that PATS Fans! GO JETS!

Is this how Sunday will look? I guess we will find out at 4:30pm on Sunday. GO JETS!

Two Timing Brady and his two Baby Mamas

Antonio Cromartie and I are very different. He is a world class athlete, I am a Saturday co-ed league athlete. He has 7 different kids with 7 different women, I have 2 kids with one woman. BUT, we both agree on one thing, we hate Tom Brady. So when Cromartie says “Tom Brady is an ass****” I completely agree. In fact, I will go one better…F**K Brady! The NFL idolizes this guy because the Patriots have been so good this past decade. But, pull back the covers and you see the true Brady. Tom Brady was previously dating an actress, Bridget Moynahan  , then Tom impregnated her…surely, America’s sweetheart, Tom “Hairplugs” Brady would do the right thing and marry the woman. Nope, he goes behind Bridget’s back and dates a supermodel, Gisele Bundchen while Bridget is pregnant. He dumps Bridget and marries Gisele Bundchen and inseminates her as well. So yeah, there is a great role model for today’s youth. Everyone makes fun of Antonio Cromartie and his situation with the illegitimate children, but what about Tom Brady. Can you imagine the conversation that Bridget must have with her son Jack? “Yes Jack, your father and I were together but after we made you he left because he is a scumbag…” So, repeat after me….F*#K Brady!

Rex finally defeats Peyton Manning!

All Peyton has left is the Oreo Double Stuf Racing League...

On the strength of a great running game, some timely passes, a great defensive scheme and the leg of Nick Folk, the Jets defeated the Colts 17-16. Honestly, I could not imagine a better ending to the game than what actually occurred in this game. In the first half, both the Colts and Jets offense were stale. The Colts scored a touchdown when Peyton caught Broadney Pool napping and he hit Garcon with a long bomb for a TD.

The Jets were in the Red Zone towards the end of the half but Sanchez threw a ball high and the Colts intercepted it. However, Rex Ryan lit into his charges and told them that they came here to win and that they weren’t going to leave without a W. The Jets came out and attacked the Colts on the ground, Shonn Greene and LaDainian Tomlinson were gashing the Colts D with big time runs. The Jets ended up scoring their first touchdown on a bruising  long drive, Jets 7 Colts 7. The Colts drove down the field but stalled and kicked a Field Goal. Colts 10, Jets 7. The Jets came back with another long drive that culminated in another rushing touchdown, Jets 14, Colts 10.

Peyton quickly got his team in FG range and brought the Colts to 14-13.  The Jets tried to mount a game ending drive but left the colts about 3 minutes to move down the field. Peyton drove the Colts to the Jet 32 but could not secure another first down, so with 58 seconds left, Adam Vinateri kicked a field goal to ice the game…but wait, there are still 53 seconds left in the game…the Jets have pulled off Miracles

New York Jets CB Antonio Cromartie (31) runs back the kick off during the fourth quarter of an NFL AFC wild card football playoff game against the Indianapolis Colts in Indianapolis, Saturday, Jan. 8, 2011.

this year (See Detroit, Houston and Denver games). The Colts kick it off to Antonio Cromartie, my buddy, and he RACES 47 yards to set the Jets up at their own 46 yard line with 49 seconds on the clock. Mark Sanchez awakens from his overthrowing slumber and hits Braylon Edwards and Santonio Holmes with quick strike passes to move them to the Colts 32 Yard line with about 29 seconds on the clock. This is where the first of three miracles happens….for some ungodly reason the Colts Coach calls a TIMEOUT! The Colts explanation was that they wanted to make sure the Jets had one more snap so that maybe a fumble or interception could occur. Anyway, with the timeout, Sanchez goes to Schottenheimer and says I want to throw the ball to get closer. Schotty says “Mark, you call the play you want…” Sanchez calls for a comeback throw to Braylon Edwards who makes a leaping catch at the Colts 12 yard line, that was the second miracle (Edwards has had, in previous years, the case of dropitis…).

New York Jets place kicker Nick Folk (2) reacts after kicking the game winning 32-yard field goal during the fourth quarter of an NFL AFC wild card game

So now, Nick Folk, who was 30-39 this year in making field goals comes on the field. This was the third and last miracle of the night. Nick Folk, a cast off of the Dallas Cowboys, a guy who missed a ton of field goals in the Cleveland Game, the guy who most people though could not be clutch, splits the uprights and sends the Colts packing.

Nick Folk Splits the Uprights! Jets Win 17-16!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I could not believe my eyes. Rex Ryan and the New York Jets beat the Indianapolis Colts in the Lucas Oil Dome, 17-16! Can you believe it? In my house, my daughter, my wife and I went BANANAS as the kick split the uprights! And here in this video you can see the reaction of Jets fans in Austin Texas, Boston Massachusetts, Queens NY, Manhattan NY, Charlotte North Carolina, Atlanta Georgia and Staten Island NY. Jets Fans Across the Country Celebrate! – Thx to Pereiro16 at Youtube.com

The New York Jets vs. The New England Patriots Part III – Winner Takes ALL!

Are you kidding me? We have to play the Jets again???

Yep, its here. The third installment of David vs. Goliath, Return of the Jedi, Rocky III, and all other trilogy related movies. The Jets vs. the Patriots in a game that is developing additional subplots as we speak. First off, Rex Ryan thinks Peyton Manning studies more film than Tom Brady. Secondly, Antonio Cromartie tells the world that Tom Brady is an ASS****. Third, Rex Ryan comes back and says that the game is a personal chess match between him and Bill Belichek. Fourth, Rex Ryan then goes and says that he dislikes Tom Brady for all the body language that he throws the Jets way after he scores in games. Lastly, Shaun Ellis says that Tom Brady does taunt the jets after a score. The Patriots in typical tightwad style reply with nothing but kindness and say things like ” They are a good football team”, speaking about Cromartie, Brady says “He and Revis are good football players”. I call BS….you know the Patsies are seething when they see all the blather that comes out of the Jets camp and they can’t reply in kind. Teddy Bruschi, who by the way is probably the most enlightened football analyst that ESPN has, broke it down like this ” The Patriots are bred to HATE the Jets.” Now, there is some honesty! Finally, some truth comes out. What do the Jets have to do to defeat the Patriots on Sunday? Here are some ideas:

1) Get in Brady’s face without sacrificing too much coverage – The Jets have to find a way to stifle Brady’s progressional analysis by creating pressure up the middle. Brady is not a scrambler, he does not run well, when Brady gets outside pressure he usually steps up into the pocket and fires bullets. How do you counter that? You shoot an LB stunt into the “A” gap and try to overwhelm Brady up the middle. If Brady feels pressure up the middle, he is likely to hit the sides of the field and that is where the Jets are strongest with Revis and Cromartie. Force Brady to throw to his outside recievers and the Jets will win this game. The Jets cannot allow the Tight ends (Gronkowski and Hernandez) nor the mighty midgets (Welker and Woodhead) to beat them, they must force the issue with pressure up the middle so Brady will look to the sides.The Jets D Line must also get their hands up to try and knock down some passes.

2) Cover the Tight Ends well – Eric Smith and Broadney pool will be tasked with covering Gronkowski and Hernandez, the two headed Tight End Beast that the Patriots employ. If Smith and Pool can play as well as they did in Indianapolis then the Jets have a great shot, if they get eaten alive by the tight ends, the game could get ugly quickly.

3) The Jets MUST establish the Run – The Jets won the game in Indianapolis because they rediscovered their identity. The Jets do best when they RUN the ball. Sanchez’ shoulder is not 100% and Shonn Greene and LaDainian Tomlinson are feeling great after last weeks win…so use the ground game to establish a good play action situation as they had in Indy. The new England defense is not that good, except for Vince Wilfork (the nose tackle) and McCourty (the rookie CB who had 7 interceptions this year). everyone else on the New England defense is good but not great. The Jets should establish the ground game and keep Hairplugs on the bench.

4) Sanchez must convert the big throws - Sanchez will probably have about 25 throwing opportunities in this game. As such, he will need to convert 60% of them and not throw more than one interception for the Jets to have a chance. Than means the Jets must scheme effectively to allow Sanchez the quick throwing lanes to Santonio and Braylon. Additionally, Sanchez must continue the good chemistry with Dustin Keller as he is the key to getting the Jets going again. If Sanchez completes 5 or more passes to Keller, I think the Jets will win.

5) Keep the Game close – The one thing the Jets cannot afford is to go down by two touchdowns or more. The Jets offense is not built for quick strike attacks. They are a methodical grind it out offense which will chew the clock up. If forced to pass, the Jets will lose.

6) Do not take crazy risks – In reviewing the last Jets- pats Game, you saw things like the jets trying a 50+ field goal (which they did not make), a challenge to the spotting of a football before a 4th and 1 attempt and the no huddle offense. Now, the no huddle was an ok idea but the other two were stupid risks to take. We need to play smart, its doesn’t matter if we win by 1 point or 14 points, the idea is to come out of there with a win. Stay true to yourselves….pound the rock, play field position and limit Brady’s possessions.

This is what you want to see at the end of the Game. Tom Brady, dejected!

If the Jets can focus on the factors above, I think they will win and shock the world again. I have faith that Rex and his staff are devising some new wrinkles that will help the Jets reach the AFC Championship again. But that is not all, the Jets can reach the Super Bowl…but let’s not get ahead of ourselves…..one game at a time.

So, I am celebrating Christmas and New Year’s in Jolly Ole’ London. That’s right, the United Kingdom, England, the birthplace of the Magna Carta and Bangers & Mash (not in that order). The creative geniuses who launched the Beatles, Benny Hill and Monty Python are now all around me. Although I am not in the USA, I am always thinking of the NYC Sports Scene…I can’t help it…over here they are talking about Cricket (think Baseball with a flat paddle for a bat) and Rugby (think Football with no Pads) or football (not American football, but soccer). So what do we have to review, as they say here in the UK…A BLOODY LOT!

From Giants to Midgets…

Green Bay Packers Nick Collins (36) & New York Giants Brandon Jacobs (27) go for the fumble by Jacobs in the 3rd quarter

After Manning’s supposed meeting with the team where he called out his team to play like men, Eli throws four interceptions in Green Bay. In the worst possible moment, Eli spit the bit and basically gave the game to the Packers. Along with the game, the Packers now control their own destiny, while the Giants do not. If the Packers beat the Bears this week…the Giants are basically toast. How did this happen? How could a defense that looked like it was ALL-PRO all of a sudden look like NO-SHOW? In the Philly game, a critical fumble by a wide receiver coaxed the eagles out of their slumber and led to Philly’s amazing disastrous comeback along with a moment to live in infamy…call it “the Punt return”. DeSean Jackson erases “the Fumble” and creates his own Philly miracle by returning a punt with no time left to WIN THE GAME!

Coughlin may take the fall for his team

The Green Bay game was the knock-out punch. Will the coach lose his job? Will Bill Cowher be getting a call from the Mara Family to rescue the Giants? Will Screaming Tom Coughlin be put out to pasture? I guess all that will be answered in about two weeks…

Sometimes losing feels like winning?

In trying to come up with a snazzy title for this section, I kept laughing at what I ultimately chose as the heading. How could losing feel like winning? Well, let see. The Jets go into Chicago and lose a thriller 38-34. BUT, Mark Sanchez had the offense firing well (they score 27 points and the Defense scored a TD on a INT). The running game under Shonn Greene looks great, Dustin Keller, yeah you know, our TE, looked good. How did they lose? Well, in the third quarter, someone forgot to tell the Jets that they were supposed to cover their receivers….and POW….Chicago scores 21 points. It was insane to watch, Jay Cutler threw without any PRESSURE, thanks to our no rush defensive line, and hit his WR’s with some pretty touchdowns. 

So the Jets lost, now they have to win against Buffalo for a chance for the playoffs….NOPE!!! Seems the Jacksonville Jaguars owed the Jets a gift and they paid up by losing to the Washing Redskins in Overtime. SOOOOOOO…while the Jets Offense looks to be humming, the Jets are in the Playoffs and this weekend’s game looks to be a warmup….well not so fast! It’s never that easy.

The Defense looked horrible. The secondary was lit up and it look like they were a JV team practicing against varsity. If Rex Ryan can’t tighten up this defense, the Jets will probably escape KC with a playoff win but will get destroyed by the Patriots. if you thought 45-3 was ugly, how is it going to look when the Pats hang a 60 spot on the Jets. Yes, that is how bad the Defense is. They should use this upcoming Buffalo game to fix the defense and use the KC game to tighten it up…because if not, the Hard Knocks show will end in Foxborough.

Baseball…Short and not too Sweet!

Yanks – Lost out on Cliff Lee and now don’t have to many viable options left to improve their starting pitching. Hmm, that sucks for them but they have bushloads of money so they will probably pick something up at midseason from a team looking to offload some salary.

New York Mets have acquired shortstop Chin-lung Hu, of Taiwan from the Dodgers for minor league left-hander Michael Antonini.

Mets – Cheap…Cheap…Cheap… That is the sound the Wilpons make. To expect any major moves this winter is to expect the Sanitation trucks to plow your outer borough streets while the snow is still falling. Good luck with that.

All I expect is a few minor league moves at best and at the very least a manager who will be passionate about the team. Manuel was a nice guy but he wasn’t a fire and brimstone guy…the Mets need a good kick in the pants.

The “Other” Sports

Check out our Hockey and basketball bloggers for insight. Being across the pond, its hard to follow anything, let alone the third and fourth most popular sports in America. I defer to our experts below:

NY Rangers – http://prosportsblogging.com/nhl-hockey/new-york-rangers/christensen-out-4-to-6-weeks-with-knee-injury/

NY Islanders – http://prosportsblogging.com/nhl-hockey/new-york-islanders/islanders-stop-crosby-and-the-pens-score-2-1-win/

NY Knicks – http://prosportsblogging.com/nba-basketball/new-york-knicks-basketball/knicksheat-5-things-2/

Crazy English Things!

Ok, so here is a little bit of an English lesson (UK English…or the “Queen’s English”)

Chips = French Fries

Crisps = American Potato Chips/Dorito Chips/etc.

Bangers = Sausage

Mash = Mashed potatoes

Nappies = Diapers

Still = Tap Water

Smirnoff = Vodka they prefer (eek…Try some Grey Goose, Belvedere or Ciroc Coconut)

The French = People always looking for help. In context “That bloke needed me to French his car. Too bad I didn’t carry jumpers (jumper cables).” or ” Can you believe that the Greeks are complaining because of all the EU Frenching?”

Benny Hill = Bob Hope

The Beatles = Elvis

Queen Elizabeth = Lindsay Lohan (hahahaha, ok, what I mean is that they follow the Queen’s every move like the NY Post/NY Daily News follows Lindsay’s every screw up…)

The English are extremely polite and jolly people. They are quick to provide help with directions and will always crack a smile. I have enjoyed the English hospitality and the English sense of humor. The only thing is that I’m expected to pay 50% more for things here in the UK than in the states. Whopper in USA…$2.99 Whopper Royale in UK……$4.50. Also, be aware that pubs serve their beers warm…so if you are looking for a tall frosty one, you should go to a SCANDINAVIAN country…the Irish and the English like their Guinness warm and thick. However, I was able to introduce my wife to the joys of Magners Cider!

Public Service Announcement – Important!

So, one day, my wife, my kids and I are coming back to our hotel room riding comfortably on the Tube (the underground Subway) when I notice this disgusting older bastard who sits across from my youngest child and whips out his cell phone. Does he think that I am not observant enough to know that he is positioning his cell phone to take a picture? I quickly shield my child’s face with a large paper folder that housed a picture we just took at the London Eye (a great circular Ferris wheel that moves slowly allowing you to take in all the sites in London) and I waited till he put the phone away. As he puts his phone in his pocket, he looks at my daughter and then looks at me. I give him my meanest DEATH stare and he makes pretend that he is about to go to sleep. We get out at our station, he follows us out. I told my wife and kids to wait on the platform…the old bastard slinks on out an exit ramp. I told my wife that if that old bastard is upstairs waiting by the exit on the street level, she better get me out of the Hoosegow because I am going to kick his old English ass. Luckily for him and me, he was not there and there was no need for the bobbies. But, I will say this, to all Dads and Moms that may read this…Do not allow anyone to open up a camera phone near your child, their are a lot of crazy possible pedophiles who will take your child’s picture and distribute it through the web. Recently, the FBI ran a sting on a pedophile ring with links world wide that were posting indecent and innocent photos of children online. Also, I would caution on posting your child’s photographs on Facebook. Facebook is great for maintaining ties with friends but when you post pictures of your children, they are usually there forever. Google “caches” websites and their pictures so a simple Google search can bring up a picture you had momentarily posted and taken down. Don’t be a victim. For safety’s sake, take down your child’s picture you may have posted online because in the wrong hands it could lead to tragedy. I apologize if this posting sounded too serious but this is a serious matter and our children’s safety should be our most paramount concern. Till next week…Be vigilant!

Cheerio, mates!

CPR 12-31-2010

Wow, the NY media is having a field day with the fact that Rex Ryan and his wife did a little role playing. Someone then put these foot fetish videos on You-tube and now they are on deadspin.com. Ok, so Rex likes feet. BIG DEAL…..some guys like a nice caboose, some guys like a woman with a full bosom, some guys like rail thin women and some guys like a fuller woman. Let’s get back to what is really important. The Jets beat the Steelers….what you want to talk about FEETGATE…ok, let’s address it and move on.

Much Ado About Nothing

Rex Ryan and his wife Michelle have been married for over twenty years. Rex is a strong, motivated and passionate man. You can tell Rex wears his heart on his sleeve. During several press conferences, Rex has emphatically called attention to his wife saying that she is beautiful and that he is a lucky guy (and he is). Now the NY tabloids have picked up on a story that Deadspin.com has published regarding several videos posted on Youtube.com that show Rex’s wife being filmed as she role plays with Rex. The roleplay involves his love of her and her manicured feet. In addition, Deadspin has reported that there is an Alt.com profile which alludes to Ryan’s sexual preferences.

Michelle Ryan, the wife of NY jets coach rex Ryan.

In the current digital age, traditional media (i.e. newspapers) are dying so they will do what they can to create a circulation buzz…so the NYC tabloids have picked up on this story. Is it really that important? Not really. Let’s explore some of the facts that are not in dispute:

1) Rex LOVES his wife. Good. Isn’t that good? We should all love our wives!!!

2) Rex is passionate about his love for his wife. Also good.

3) Apparently, Rex has a foot fetish involving his wife’s feet. Good for Rex! So what?

4) Michelle Ryan appears to have nicely manicured feet (No hammertoes, no bunions, no sickly callouses are apparent in the pictures)

5) They are a MARRIED couple who have been together for over 20 years.

6) There is no nudity at all in any of these videos.

7) Roleplay is a healthy activity in many marriages

8 ) There are no mentions of adultery or infidelity in any of the videos.

9) You don’t see Rex’s feet (thank God…)

10) There is no scandal because nothing obscene, illegal or patently offensive was committed here.

The bottom line is that Rex and his wife love each other and they roleplay. The only error they made was taping the episodes. Next time Rex, keep that Flip camera in the drawer and avoid the drama. Its just not worth it. Now that we settled that…lets move on to the important stuff…

Jets get Ketchup with their Hot Dog

The Jets traveled to HEINZ (ketchup reference for the the condimentally challenged) Field in Pittsburgh to face off against the mighty Steelers and their rabid fans. The weather was cold and blustery. Snow was coming down and the field was frozen. The winds were howling and the Jets hopes for a playoff spot were on life support. Coming into the game we all knew what the Jets needed to accomplish:

1) Sanchez must be error free – CHECK! Sanchez was efficent and did not commit one turnover. All day Sanchez threw darts in Pittsburgh. Seems like he learned to look for open passing lanes and throw with authority. Sanchez’ footwork (no Rex puns please) was solid as he strode into all his passes. He threw for only 170 yards but the weather conditions demanded a ground control type game.

2) Jets must run effectively to keep control of the Game – CHECK! Greene and Tomlinson kept the game clock moving and kept the chains moving as well. Throughout the whole game, the Jets had superior field position due to drives where they went beyond the usual three and out of the past two weeks.

3) Schotty must call an Offensive gameplan that is different that his usual vanilla Game plan – CHECK! Schotty used quick slants, three step drops, designed roll outs, naked boots and moving pockets to help Sanchez find open throwing lanes. He basically used the Patriots quick strike passing attack to keep the offense moving forward so you didn’t have many 3rd and longs. By mixing an effective running game with the short passing attack, the Jets were able to convert 3rd downs because they were higher percentage down and distance demands. Schotty also called a perfect play when the Jets were near the goalline and it was 4th and 1. Usually, the Jets will run a BLAST play with the running back following a fullback or offensive lineman into a hole between the guard and tackle…well this time Schotty went against this tendency and called a Naked Bootleg off a fake handoff to Shonn Greene. The handoff came and Shonn Greene dove on the pile, while Sanchez curled around and ran easily for a touchdown. It was by far the signature moment against the Steelers.

4) The Defense must not allow big plays – CHECK! The Defense came up big and held the Steelers in check. On the final drive of the game the Steelers drove all the way down the field to about their 10 yard line. The Score was 22-17 and they needed to score a touchdown (thanks to Jason Taylor who scored a safety to make it a 5 point game instead of a 3 point game). The Jets stopped Big Ben cold in his tracks as Drew Coleman and Marquice Cole broke up the last two passes to ice the game with no time on the clock.

Besides the keys of the Game, once again Brad Smith came up huge! Brad scored on the initial kickoff to put the Jets up 7-0 at the game’s start. You could tell that the crowd was shocked to see the Steelers already behind the proverbial eight ball to start the game. Don’t get me wrong, the Steelers are a formidible team and it took a huge team effort to get the victory. The Jets Offense scored 13 points, the Defense scored 2 points and Special Teams scored 7 points…and every single hard-fought point was needed. Now all the Jets have to do is win one of their next two games and they are in the playoffs. Speaking of the next game…

Feeling So Fly Like a G6!

Before you ask, yes….I truly love the song by Far East Movement – Like a G6. Its a great workout song and really puts a spring in your step. In writing this week’s review of the Jets game I had that song playing in the background. I usually put music on in the background to remind myself that no one wants to read a boring replay of a game. They want some humor, some thought and some creativity in a blog. Anyone can read the newspaper for the same old tired review/preview. I hate reading boring stuff….maybe that is why I didn’t like my “Accounting for Lawyers” class (sorry to all you CPAs out there). Anyway, so a preview of the Bears game:

The Jets are going to need a similar Heinz field effort to win in Chi-town. What are the keys? Hmm, I think these cover it:

1) Sanchez must not turn the ball over -  It was a momentum shifter to see Sanchez throwing Darts. If he commits no turnovers, the Jets will be hard to beat.

2) Ground and Pound – Run the ball to establish the pass. Simple as that.

3) Defense must convert turnovers by the Bears – The Bears QB Jay Cutler, is prone to getting frustrated and throwing bonehead INTs. It’s up to the Jets to grab some errant throws.

4) Win the field position battle – Field position will be critical to avoid having to kick the ball to Devin Hester…

5) Avoid kicking the ball to Devin Hester – Quite possibly the best return guy in the history of the NFL. Avoid kicking the ball to him at all costs….remember that Miami game two years ago where we had some jag-hole run back two kicks? Yeah, we don’t need a repeat of that nighmare. Kick it AWAY from Hester to avoid giving the Bears any easy points.

and the end…

I don’t have any witty stories or events to share in this blog episode but I will in the next NYC Sports review which should be posted by tomorrow night. In any case, just remember…”Foot” is not an obscene word. Love football. GO Jets!

CPR 12-23-2010

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/Rex-Ryan-wife-foot-fetish-122210

Dear Santa,

Yes, I know that I haven’t believed you existed in quite sometime. Why you ask? When I asked you for that Mets Championship in 2006…you let Beltran keep his bat on his Shoulder…STRIKE THREE! When I ask you in 2000 for a Mets Championship you let the crosstown rivals beat us! Last Year I called on you again and you allowed Shonn Greene to get injured and there went our Jets in the SB dreams go up in smoke.

Maybe I was asking for too much then. Now, I will be more modest in my request. Please Santa, let the Jets make the Playoffs. I know it sounds pathetic coming from a fan of a team that is currently 9-4, but you have to know better than most that the Jets have a wretched history when it comes to achieving easy entry into the playoffs and winning games. Maybe I should ask the Wizard of Oz for a new Heart for Sanchez, a Muzzle for Rex and a Brain for Schotty. Santa, please let me know that despite the last two weeks this isn’t another ambush like years past. In 1998, we were up at halftime in the AFC Championship game and LOST to Denver. In 2009, we were up in the AFC Championship game at halftime and we lost to Indy.

Ok, so cookies don’t work for you…hmm, how about some Brandy and a sandwich? Maybe a T-Bone Steak and some wine? Kamikaze shots??? Santa..name your price! The Easter bunny ratted you out and said you can be bought!

Help land the Jets into the Playoffs and NYC will stop being naughty and start being nice. We will help little old ladies across the street, we will give to charity, we will be polite on the road…ok that went too far, I cannot speak for the Cabbies of NYC who think that the streets of NYC are a scene from Spy Hunter (that old video game from the 80′s).

Thanks Santa, I needed to vent. No please, work your Kris Kringle magic and get our Jets that win!

P.S. Ms. Claus is a Jets fan.

Prediction: Nope, basically a good hard-hitting game between the Jets and Steelers…i won’t jinx us with a Jets prediction. However, I do believe the Giants will beat Philly, 28-20. Vick is awesome but the Giants have some horses on that D and I think they will take the game.

Related article: Twelve Days of “Sportsmas” http://prosportsblogging.com/city/philadelphia/twelve-days-of-sportsmas-that-philly-gave-to-me-in-2010/

Ok, I know I am tardy but hey better late than never. Its hard to write sometimes when you have job duties, family duties and doody duties. Anyway, I digress… Let’s get this party started!

A good old Fashioned Butt-Whupping!

The Giants had to travel around the country to play the Vikings. Why? Unless you were living underground, the Metrodome’s inflated roof caved in! Yes, it caved in…in a way it’s like a symbol of the Vikings season with Favre at the helm. The Giants met the Vikings in Detroit of all places where they totally and utterly demolished them. Favre’s starting streak ended at 297. He basically gave up on playing anymore since his team is out of the playoff hunt. Sure, he said he felt pain in his arm and shoulder…but turn the clock back to 2008 and Favre played the final 7 weeks of the Jets season with a TORN BICEPS MUSCLE. Are you telling me that he sprains his arm and that keeps him out? That is BS! Yep, good ole Grandpa Wrangler Jeans begged out of playing. The Giants were clicking on all cylinders as they whooped the Vikings in all phases of the game. The only negative to come out of this game was that Steve Smith (that great WR for the Giants) is out for the year with an injury. This week the Giants face the Eagles for the Division and it should be a great game (see link http://prosportsblogging.com/nfl-football/philadelphia-eagles/eagles-vs-giants-melee-in-the-meadowlands/). The NY papers are chirping about how the Giants plan to contain Vick. I say don’t believe a shred of what you read in the NY rags. The Giants plan of attack will be good, their defense is peaking at the right time. Sad to say (at least for me as a Jets Fan) but I think the Giants have a better team overall right now than my Jets… speaking of the Jets…

No Joy in Mudville

New York Jets running back LaDainian Tomlinson (21) is tackled by Miami Dolphins safety Chris Clemons, right, as teammate Cameron Wake (91) chases the play during the first quarter of an NFL football game at New Meadowlands Stadium, Sunday, Dec. 12, 2010

The Jets played one of their arch-enemies, the Miami Dolphins. Usually, when you hold the opposing team to 55 yards passing you win the game. Usually when you hold a team to 10 points in a game, you win. Well, there are no usuallies for the Jets. They sleptwalked on offense and made the Dolphin defense look like the second coming of the 1985 Bears (sans Super Bowl shuffle http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFnbYW8MCXc).  Sanchez completely regressed. Santonio Holmes, Cotchery and the forgotten TE all had major drops in the game. Additionally, the Dolphins defense discovered that if you rush Sanchez up the middle, he will waver and throw off his back foot causing a badly thrown pass.

Sal Alosi, Massapequa native & former Hofstra player, was suspended indefinitely for tripping special-teamer Nolan Carroll during the Jets' 10-6 loss to the Dolphins - the league issued a reminder of sideline guidelines to all 32 teams.

The Jets lost 10-6 and are in that patented death spiral. Can they pull out of it in time to salvage a wild card? I can’t believe that after a 9-2 start, they are now hoping to be a wildcard. I hope that Rex and Sanchez had a real heart to heart and not just a conversation discussing which is better the Chimichanga or the Taco. Oh and to make the Jets look even worse than the loss were the actions of Sal Alosi the Jets trainer. He supposedly instructed the non-active players to form a boundary on the sideline so that the Miami “gunner” could not drift too far out of bounds before coming back in to make a tackle on a punt return…what did Sal do? The gunner is coming and SAL WHIPS HIS KNEE OUT…AND THE GUNNER CRUMPLES TO THE TURF!!! Luckily,the gunner is not injured but that was a bush league move. As a fan in general, can’t we get by without resorting to taping practices, coaches tripping players and other such nonsense? They suspended Alosi indefinitely…but he should have been canned. He has brought even more shame to this downtrodden franchise…like we need it after the Favre Sexting scandal..

Alosi's heinous orchestrated incident in question (trips gunner)

P.S. Brian Schottenheimer, listen and listen good. If you don’t get the offense going in these last three weeks there is no way on Earth that you land a head coaching gig. Your father could not win in the playoffs and you look like you can’t run a good offense to develop a good quarterback.

Knicks on a run but LeBron trips them @ MSG 

LeBron James scored a triple double vs. Knicks

Dolan, sell the team already! The Knicks won a bunch of games in a row before LeBron (aka Money Grip) came to MSG with Dwayne Wade and that guy they call the BOSH man. The knicks hung basket for basket with King Money Grip until the third quarter, I happened to blink and it went from 67-67 to 81-67. What happened? Is it all Amare and no supporting cast? Galinari almost posterrized someone with a jam but the ball hit the back of the rim…too bad. Knicks lose but they are trending very well and they could make the playoffs this year (Related Knicks articles http://prosportsblogging.com/sports/nba-basketball/new-york-knicks-basketball/)

Sorry Puckheads…

I don’t watch hockey. I used to like the Islanders but their foul play leaves a mark on your head if you watch too many of their games. The Rangers, it sounds like from the puckheads by the watercooler, are doing well.

Related: NY Rangers  http://prosportsblogging.com/sports/nhl-hockey/new-york-rangers/

NY Islanders: http://prosportsblogging.com/sports/nhl-hockey/new-york-islanders/

Gimme a PHILLY Cheese steak and hold the SIZZLE!

Cliff Lee chose Philadelphia over the Bronx for less money

Wow, the Yanks were sure they had Cliff Lee. They threw money at the guy like he was the second coming of Cy Young. They offered the Arkansas hurler 7 years at over 150 million. So what did Cliffy Lee do? He took 120 million from the Phillies and gave the Yanks and rangers the Arkansas salute with his middle finger. The yanks though money was enough but it looks like he just wanted to be comfortable in his surroundings. The Yanks are currently assessing what is left of the pitching pool. Maybe the they make a play for Zach Greinke of the Royals, maybe they go for Josh Johnson of the Marlins? Who knows, all I know is that the Yankee fans I know were so pissed that Lee turned them down. Honestly, I swear I thought that the Yanks had him dead to rights as they had unlimited funds. Just crazy…

Related: Cliff Lee http://prosportsblogging.com/mlb-baseball/philadelphia-phillies/cliff-lee-once-and-future-phillie/

Mets make a BIG Splash

Mets GM Sandy Alderson...SANDMAN

Ok, the title is sarcastic. Sandy warned us not to expect too much from free agency as we had $5 million to spend and we had several holes to fill. I won’t even type the names here as I can’t believe how cheap we went….but gotta have faith in the SANDMAN (That is the nickname I came up for Sandy Alderson). The SANDMAN will look for players who fit the type of team that will manufacture runs, get players to fly out in the cavernous outfield at Citi field.  We just have to be patient. I don’t think we will be that good this year BUT come 2012, I believe the Mets will recruit the best available players through trades and free agency. Those albatross contracts doled out to Perez and Castillo will come off the books. OMAR, you have tied us down to some aging mofos here.

NYC Miscellany

• Funniest thing I overheard while commuting on Subway -
  

  2010 Kia Sportage pre-engineered

  “Dang Son, you be like an engineers or sumthin, I never heard of nobody who be trickin out their KIA like you be. Mad props to KIA.” Yes, a Kia automobile. From what I could decipher of this young slang speaking guy, his buddy “the ENGINEER,” put some fins on the back of the vehicle, installed some high wheels, expanded the wheel wells to accommodate the new wheels, installed a chain link steering wheel and ordered some crazy modified engine from Korea. “The ENGINEER” plans to race the Kia car on some drag strip near his “hood”. So if you see a KIA car streaking by you and it has FINS just wave and congratulate “the ENGINEER” for taking a relatively cheap car and making it look worse.

• Starbuckian Language – Walking into a Starbucks I saw a tourist who did not know how to speak Starbuckian…she stated ” Can I get one of those drinks with the Foam on top and in a medium cup?” Starbucks Translation “I need a GRANDE Cafe Latte.” Yeah, that is how insane we get. We make up terms for simple things to mark those items up. Cup of Coffee = $1 dollar, Tall Dark Java = $2.89. You pay an extra $1.89 for the language snobbery.
• Worst Gift Ever – Buddy calls me up and tells me that a guy we knew of from my early twenties got the worst early Christmas gift ever. The guy’s wife gave birth to a healthy 8 pound boy. No, that is not bad news. A healthy baby is always a blessing, unless of course that baby is not yours and your wife can’t hide that fact. Seems that Caroline (not her real name) was a little frisky with the UPS driver one day and he gave her a special delivery. The husband is a guy with a Anglo Saxon background, parents are members of the country club…you know the drill. The wife came from a refined German family who had started a business in the Midwest and were truly well off. The baby was born and the guy started to laugh - the baby was black. My buddy says the guy turned to his wife and said “I knew you liked the FedEx guy” and she responded “No, I like the UPS guy. See this is why this happened, you never listen to me…” Yeah, that was the problem…his hearing.
• Not Convinced – Walking through Manhattan you see a ton of Panhandlers. People asking for help during this time of year. This one panhandler was either dumb or just didn’t care because while he was panhandling and sitting on the floor, he was checking scores on his IPAD. I asked him if it was the Wifi version…he said no  its 3g! Wow, let me get this straight. You are begging for money, need money for food? No. For shelter? No. Ahhh…you need money to buy a new IPAD sleeve. Yeah, good luck with that..

We have the Giants playing the Eagles and the Jets playing the Steelers. NY vs. PA. Should be another good week of football. I hope everyone has a happy and SAFE Christmas.