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The weekend is almost here and last week's playoff game has been dissected to the point where I don't think there is anything left of that corpse. The real NFL news over the next 48 hours will now be the two upcoming games this weekend, so I'm going to go ahead and start threads on each of those games now.
#6 New York Jets (13-5) at #2 Pittsburgh Steelers (13-4)
Sunday January 23 at 6:30 p.m. EST on CBS
Jim Nantz and Phil Simms will announce the game on TV
Dave Sims, James Lofton and Hub Arkush will do the radio broadcast
Pittsburgh opened as a 3½-point favorite; the line is now 3½ to 4 points
Over under began at 38½ points; it currently ranges from 38½ to 39
The Money Line has New York from +165 to +180; Pittsburgh from -185 to -220
Edit: final tally from poll on front page of this site:
74% believe the Steelers will win; 26% think the Jets will win
Final score: Steelers 24, Jets 19
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The first thing the Jets have to is to defend Mike Wallace. Will they do it by putting Darrelle Revis on him? Ben Roethlisberger likes to hold the ball. Pittsburgh's tackles are vulnerable. Can the Jets sack him like they did last week against Tom Brady? They were able to make Brady hold the ball by trying to confuse him with their ability to mix coverages. Can they do that to Roethlisberger? Can the Jets get to Roethlisberger without using the blitz? Can the Jets eliminate the big plays he makes outside the pocket? A key part of the Steelers passing game is play action. Will the Jets defensive backs have the discipline to keep their eyes focused on the Steelers' receivers?
Pittsburgh defense vs. Jets offense
The first thing you do against the Steelers defense is have a plan to block James Harrison and LaMarr Woodley. What will the Jets' plan be and how well will they execute it? The weakness of the Steelers' defense is their cornerbacks, more so Bryant McFadden and William Gay. Can the Jets take advantage? Will the Jets be able to generate a running game to take the pressure off Mark Sanchez? Can the Steelers keep Sanchez contained in the pocket? Last week Sanchez made a big play out of the pocket to get the Jets' offense jumpstarted against the Patriots. That is why it is key for the Steelers to keep him in the pocket. Troy Polamalu has a great ability to read a quarterback's eyes. Sanchez has a tendency to stare down receivers, especially tight end Dustin Keller. Will he adjust his game to throw off Polamalu? The best way to offset Polamalu is to have a balanced offense. Most of his disguising and gambling comes on obvious passing situations.
Curious to see if Ryan will put Revis on Wallace the whole time. During their regular season matchup Cromartie was on him the whole game but that's when Revis was a little banged up.
Hines Ward is old but still comes up with some clutch catches. Eliminating Wallace really changes the dynamic of the Steelers offense.
Curious to see if Ryan will put Revis on Wallace the whole time. During their regular season matchup Cromartie was on him the whole game but that's when Revis was a little banged up.
Hines Ward is old but still comes up with some clutch catches. Eliminating Wallace really changes the dynamic of the Steelers offense.
I have to think that Ryan isn't going to mess around with Wallace and will put Revis on him. That will be an interesting match-up to watch, though I have to think that Revis will just shut him down too. I think they put Cromartie on Emmanuel Sanders.
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Schefter said he’s taking the Jets in another upset in the AFC. “I think that Pittsburgh is a little beat up after playing a physical game against Baltimore. I think they have some question marks at some key spots, at offensive tackle, at cornerback. I think the Jets are rolling, beating the Colts and Peyton [Manning] in Indy, Tom Brady and the Patriots in New England, and I think that they’re so confidently cokcy that they believe, they’re convinced, they’re going to Pittsburgh and going to beat the Steelers.”
He said he isn’t buying the theory that the Jets could have a letdown after all the emotion that went into their matchup with the Patriots. “I think at this stage of the season, that sort of thing builds on itself. When you’re 60 minutes from Dallas and Super Bowl XLV, I cannot even imagine a letdown. I just cannot imagine it.”
Mark Sanchez has developed a Ben Roethlisberger-like knack of taking his team deep into the playoffs despite the odds stacked against him. Both quarterbacks have similar challenges this week in tough pass-rushing defenses that can attack from everywhere.
Although each team had some success running the ball in the Dec. 19 meeting, neither Sanchez nor Roethlisberger can expect that kind of consistent support this time. They must bear down, use their mobility to sidestep the pass rush and convert big plays downfield, especially in difficult down-and-distance situations.
Sanchez has a much stronger, sturdier line, even after losing right tackle Damien Woody. The Steelers have struggled up front beyond ace rookie center Maurkice Pouncey and come in with banged up tackles. While Pittsburgh defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau will send James Harrison and LaMarr Woodley flying from the outside at Sanchez, Roethlisberger will get a lot more unpredictable looks.
The Jets also have the best cornerbacks on the field. Darrelle Revis will play a big part in slowing Pittsburgh speed receiver Mike Wallace. In addition, safety Eric Smith and linebacker David Harris have made big plays in coverage during the playoffs. As for Sanchez, he might catch a big break if Troy Polamalu (leg) isn't near full speed after missing the December matchup. Polamalu played last week but struggled mightily vs. Baltimore.
Ryan has been saying the right things, and his team is doing the right things. In just his second year, it's time for Sanchez to take that next big step, as Roethlisberger once did. The pick: Jets 20, Steelers 17.
I think the gods have just let this be the Jets season..they were tested through scandals of coaches on the sidelines tripping players,arrested WRs with DUIs and Foot Fetish videos and are still in the AFC Championship game....There would not be too many teams who could handle all this and not only make the playoffs but beat Indy and NE on the road back to back which is unprecedented.
While the Jets did all this stupid circus stuff on their own behalf and it was dumb,you could say that only a VERY STRONG and willful team can get this far without caving into the storylines outside of football.
This is the strongest Jets team in both physical and mental that I have seen since the Sack Exchange days and I doubt that the Steelers are going to be good enough to derail the Jets unless turnovers are an issue.
The Jets are the better team and I expect them to win and then hopefully lose in the Super Bowl so that the Jets end up with the Super Bowl loser curse in 2011...if there is a season next year.
Jets 23 Steelers 14
Last edited by PATRIOTSFANINPA; 01-21-2011 at 12:47 PM..
I think the gods have just let this be the Jets season..they were tested through scandals of coaches on the sidelines tripping players,arrested WRs with DUIs and Foot Fetish videos and are still in the AFC Championship game....There would not be too many teams who could handle all this and not only make the playoffs but beat Indy and NE on the road back to back which is unprecedented.
While the Jets did all this stupid circus stuff on their own behalf and it was dumb,you could say that only a VERY STRONG and willful team can get this far without caving into the storylines outside of football.
This is the strongest Jets team in both physical and mental that I have seen since the Sack Exchange days and I doubt that the Steelers are going to be good enough to derail the Jets unless turnovers are an issue.
The Jets are the better team and I expect them to win and then hopefully lose in the Super Bowl so that the Jets end up with the Super Bowl loser curse in 2011...if there is a season next year.
Jets 23 Steelers 14
I have to disagree with the Jets being a better team that Steelers. Yes, they have a chance but better than the Steelers is a stretch. Remember, Polamalu is back this game. That makes a HUGE difference in that Steelers defense.
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I think the gods have just let this be the Jets season..they were tested through scandals of coaches on the sidelines tripping players,arrested WRs with DUIs and Foot Fetish videos and are still in the AFC Championship game....There would not be too many teams who could handle all this and not only make the playoffs but beat Indy and NE on the road back to back which is unprecedented.
While the Jets did all this stupid circus stuff on their own behalf and it was dumb,you could say that only a VERY STRONG and willful team can get this far without caving into the storylines outside of football.
This is the strongest Jets team in both physical and mental that I have seen since the Sack Exchange days and I doubt that the Steelers are going to be good enough to derail the Jets unless turnovers are an issue.
The Jets are the better team and I expect them to win and then hopefully lose in the Super Bowl so that the Jets end up with the Super Bowl loser curse in 2011...if there is a season next year.
Jets 23 Steelers 14
The same can be said about the Steelers that had to endure and off-season of Ben the Scumbag and four games of Charlie Batch.
This years Jets defense is not as good as last years. The offense is better...and that is the rub. If the Jets win Sunday it will be the O, not the D...Steelers Defense is better overall.
Homefield should be huge. Temperatues of 10-5 degrees. My pick: Steelers by 4. Shutting up all front-running Jets fans coming out of the woodwork: priceless.
AFC Championship Game: Jets at Steelers
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