-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- PLAYOFFS IN SIGHT AT HALFWAY MARK By MARK CANNIZZARO November 3, 2008 ORCHARD PARK - This was exactly what you've been waiting for, New York Jets fans: A signature, statement victory over a division opponent with a winning record in the their house. There are eight more regular season games to be played for the Jets and there are a lot of different twists and turns this season still can take. But, if the Jets turn out to be the playoff team they know they have the talent to be, yesterday's gritty 26-17 win over the Bills at Ralph Wilson Stadium may very well be viewed as the turning point of the season. This stadium has been a house of horrors over the years for the Jets. Most recently, they entered yesterday having lost four of their previous five games here. The Bills, who entered the game leading the AFC East at 5-2, already were 3-0 at home this season. The Jets - who by virtue of New England's loss to the Colts last night are now tied with the Bills and Patriots for first place in the AFC East at 5-3 - had not been very successful under coach Eric Mangini against opponents with winning records (3-9 before yesterday). So this game represented an exorcising of demons on so many levels, and the Jets did just that and did it in style by winning with clutch plays in the crucial moments. "Believe me, that win, to me, feels as good as any win I've ever been a part of," Brett Favre said. "Just a great win." Great not because of anything Favre did statistically (he was a modest 19 of 28 for 201 yards, no touchdowns and, yes, another interception), but for the resilience the entire team showed at the end of the game. Favre's lone interception was one of those plays that, in past Jets years, would have led to another devastating loss. It was a hospital pass in the direction of Jerricho Cotchery that was picked off by Bills' cornerback Jabari Greer and returned 42 yards for a touchdown to cut the Jets lead to an uncomfortable 23-17. The Jets had a 13-point lead (23-10) and had silenced the sellout crowd and the Bills and Favre gave Buffalo hope, seemingly woke up all of western New York. Favre recalled a game he played with the Packers in Minnesota when he threw a similar late interception to give the Vikings hope and momentum and turn their done into a deafening frenzy. "Believe me," he said, "when I walked off the field after that pick, I thought, 'We don't stand a chance.' I didn't tell anyone that. But the one thing that couldn't happen in my mind happened. Crowd was roaring. We still had the lead, but we didn't have the momentum." The Jets rebounded on the ensuing possession, punishing the Buffalo defense with a 14-play drive that swallowed 8:41 off the fourth-quarter clock and ended in a game-sealing, 31-yard Jay Feely field goal that gave the Jets a 26-17 lead with 2:12 remaining. "That drive was one of the most important drives for us offensively all year - not only because is helped win the game, but it was sort of a statement drive - not only to other teams, but to ourselves," Favre said. The Jets got it done in so many levels. Their defense stifled the Buffalo running game, which managed just 30 yards on 17 carries for a 1.8-yard average. They sacked Trent Edwards (24-of-35, 289 yards, one touchdown, two interceptions) five times and how have matched their 2007 sack total in half a season (29). Jets safety Abram Elam , starting in place of the injured Eric Smith, picked off Edwards and returned it 92 yards for a touchdown on the final play of the first quarter. That gave the Jets a 13-7 lead they would never relinquish. The Jets, who entered the game having not forced a turnover in three games, forced three yesterday, scoring 10 points off them. Feely kicked field goals of 37, 26, 20 and 31 yards, missing a 37-yarder at the end of the first half. Everyone contributed - right down to the punter, Reggie Hodges, who corralled several high snaps on the field goal attempt from James Dearth - and that's what pleased Mangini most. "This is a lot closer to complete football that I believe we can play," Mangini said. "All three phases were doing positive things." "We found out about ourselves today," Laveranues Coles said. mark.cannizzaro@nypost.com
They are in sight, but they must be kept there until its time to take it for good. This 2nd half couldn't be more important.
This team needs to take care of business and beat the crap out of the Rams next week and than go into NE and stand toe to toe with them for 3 quarters and than bust them in the mouth in the 4th quarter. We do that we can talk playoffs. This was a great win that keeps us in the pack of a wide open relatively mediocre AFC. No reason this team doesn't win at least 11 games this year. Having the talent and doing it are two different things.
Yeah, a great win, and the kind of win that can be built upon. I am thrilled today. But it won't mean all that much if the Jets do not win against the lowly Rams. Take care of the weak sisters, and see how they match up against the quality teams. At least we all aren't bemoaning a loss, and that's a great thing, but playoffs? It's a ways off, to say the least.
I can think of up to eight reasons: St. Louis Rams New England Patriots Tennessee Titans Denver Broncos San Francisco 49s Seattle Seahawks Miami Dolphins So Jets are gonna lose (at most) two of these games? I'm gonna assume you're gonna say Titans will most likely be one. What's the other? They win the rest, you are predicting?
If this team is going to the playoffs they need to win 2 out of 3 of the remaining division games and can afford 2 additional losses to get to 10. To win the division outright they need to win 2 out 3 division games and only loss one other game to get to 11.
Sounds like you're saying they lose to Pats again in Foxboro, that is the most likely div loss (other two are home games against teams they already beat on the road). So I'm deducing you say most likely scenario is losses to Titans and Pats, rest are wins? Could be, I'll grant, the tail of this schedule is not looking as nasty as it had at the start of the season (esp concerning Broncos, Seahawks). It's a possibility.
last week all the articles said this team sucked, one win and we are now in the playoffs. not much has changed since last week. this is still a good team and if they continue to improve the playoffs are a good shot. if they go back to playing like they did against the raiders than they are in trouble. one game does not make or break a season. 8 more games to go and they need to come out ready to play against a rams team that has improved since making a coaching change.
I would like to think we beat the Pats and the Dolphin game at the end of the year is meanginless and we rest most of our starters.
My bro and I talked about it yesterday, but we match up EXTREMELY WELL against the Titans. I don't want to look ahead to them, but if we can shut down the run game, and Favre can put 20 points on the board, I don't think Collins can beat us.
i also feel we match up well with the titans. our D has shut down everyones running game so far. i also dont want to look ahead to them but that will be a tight game and is winnable.
Ahh ... I almost wrote that if we lose to Pats again, it might help us too much if we take six more, Pats might still take the division (they arguably have an easier remaining schedule than we do, and if they beat us again it seems like they'd also do at least as well in other games and win tiebreaker on head to head). But if you are thinking win there, then that's different. Only thing is I think even if we're 10-5 going into last phin game, the conference is still not locked up enough to rest anyone, and the way the AFC has gone this year, second seed could still even be up for grabs. We are actually only one game behind in that race right now.
We are good at stopping the run we do a crappy job with the running back coming out and catching the ball in the flat. This is an area we are going to have to do better at against the Titans and the Pats. The Pats were able to push us around and exploit our LB in the passing game. The Titans may well be able to do the same thing. This is an area that has to be tightened up to beat both of those teams.
Mark is jumping the gun. We need to beat New England before playoffs is realistically in the picture.
Aside from the Pats and the Titans, all the teams on that list are downright terrible. Then again, so are the Raiders. The Jets need to get more disciplined (stop tripping over their own feet, dropping easy passes and throwing stupid picks) and opportunistic (get turnovers and sacks) to make a serious playoff run. But the opportunity is there and the Bills game showed that the Jets are progressing as a team. But there's still a ways to go.
I see no reason the Jets can't beat all of those teams, the Titans included. The problem with the Jets is that they are inconsistent. The problem with Jets fans is that they expected Favre to come in here and chuck the ball downfield and complete bomb after bomb. But that just doesn't happen in the NFL (okay, maybe the Patriots last year). The point is that when Favre plays smart, the Jets can beat anyone, and when he plays like a gunslinger they can lose to anyone. Hopefully, he's learning that lesson. Oh, and it'd be nice if the pass defense was a little better (could use a nickel CB and safety).
