Playoff Recap: Jets/Patriots

Here comes the second divisional rival match-up of the weekend.  I hope I'm wrong, but I think this one is slightly more lopsided.  I'm afraid that the most apt title of this post will have been "Playoff Recap:  Jests/Patriots" when all is said and done.  I will try to be as impartial as possible with my recap, but let it be known that I loathe the Pats, so there are likely to be snide remarks, and I may get angry and just stop writing at some point.  You've been forewarned.

1.  I'm watching the game with my dad, and he just said, "The Jets are going to lose because Rex Ryan loves de-feet."

2.  Wes Welker benched for the start because of his press conference Rex Ryan foot jokes???  Okay, another reason to dislike New England.  One of their players finally does something I find amusing...no...hilarious, and the hooded crap-sack (I've already thrown objectivity aside, you see) doles out some punishment?  It seems that they're only allowed to do things that piss me off.  They can die of gonorrhea and rot in Hell (to quote Ray Finkel's mother).  (Update:  Welker benched for the beginning, so they defer the kickoff (so he doesn't "start" and put him in for the punt return?  I'm waiting for the announcers to take back their comments about how strong the Pats' morals are.  Still waiting...)  (Sidenote counterfactual:  If Brady had made the comments, would he have been "benched?")

3.  My middle fingers are getting tired.  The muscles aren't strong enough to endure this workout (despite doing the bulk of my driving in a state that has necessitates their use quite often).

4.  Not sure I understand why you'd call a play where you have two receivers running the same route on the same side of the field.  Perhaps, one of these two degenerate WRs was drunk in the huddle, and the call wasn't really that terrible?

5.  Going for the fake punt in your own territory?  If I disagreed with the Eagles decision to go for it at the Packers' goal line last week, you can guess what I think of this decision.  Didn't work out too well this time, did it (he says with utter delight)?

6.  Revis is all over Branch like stink on shit (not in an illegal contact/pass interference way).

7.  Woodhead always seems to squirt forward.  Despite his diminutive frame, he seems to wriggle forward.  For any Patriot fan readers, please note that it pained me to write the above, yet I did it anyway.

8.  On the strip sack of Brady by Calvin Pace, all the Jets defenders were yelling, "White ball!"  I wish the Pats had yelled, "Blue balls!"  That said, that fumble didn't make me feel queasy...In fact, I quite liked it.  I know this is contrary to all my posts from the playoffs, but I want to see more of that!

9.  Just after I said, "Just keep throwing to Cotchery...Don't bother with Holmes," in response to Cotchery hijacking this drive and Santonio's drops, #10 makes one of the prettiest catches I've ever seen on a fade pattern.  Wow.

10.  That was a flawless game plan by the Jets.  They didn't give Brady anything deep (just like they did with Manning last week), and they ran the ball well enough, and Sanchez did more than just manage the game.  Win the turnover battle, and win the game.  It's usually that simple.

11.  If they hadn't benched Welker to start the game, I think they would have won.

Twelfth and most importantly:


13.  I don't think I've ever seen so many onside kicks in one day.  That makes five for those of you counting at home.


Look for Championship Round pre-game analysis and picks later this week.  Also, the malice level should be considerably reduced from this point forward.


-FSG