Metaphors
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While holding the Colts to 16 points at Indy is a nice result for the Jets defense, there are signs that don't bode well for them against the Pats. Ignoring the Colts TD and end-of-half possessions, here are the drives they had (not necessarily in order):
...2nd-n-9 WR screen
...Jets 1st timeout
...3rd-n-6 incomplete pass
...FG
This drive should get the coach fired. The 1st two plays are fine and force the Jets to use a timeout. You are facing a 50 yard FG from Vinatieri in a dome in the playoffs. The next play has to keep the clock moving to force the Jets to burn another timeout. It should be a run, but we already know how suckish the Colts are there. So a pass is fine but it needs to be complete...even if it doesn't gain any yardage. While garbage play on ST killed the Colts soon after, leaving the Jets with 2 timeouts instead of 1 with under a minute left was inexcusable. The Pats will manage the end-of-game clock (and return coverage) much better than that.
So while the Jets got a nice 1 point road playoff win, the Colts players and coaches probably couldn't have done a worse job with situational football. That won't happen on Sunday. To win the Jets will have to force the Pats into difficult situations, keep them off schedule and control the end of game situations. They didn't do any of these things against the Colts but were let off the hook.
Think that was an aberration? I could do a similar analysis for Pittsburgh (the Jets only other meaningful win after Thanksgiving)...only substitute inept running for Roethlisberger's inane need to throw deep at the oddest times. In fact, it has been quite a while since the Jets won a road game where the opposition and/or officials haven't helped out significantly (Denver, Detroit, Cleveland). The Jets will need to show up huge (something they haven't done recently) or go home disappointed.
- 2nd-n-1, 3rd-n-1, punt
- 2nd-n-6, 3rd-n-1, punt
- 2nd-n-4, 3rd-n-1, punt
- 2nd-n-5, 3rd-n-1, FG
- at Jets 43, deep pass, 2 yd run, WR screen, punt
- at Jets 18, 2nd-n-10 rush, 3rd-n-7 rush, FG
- at Jets 36 with 1:42 remaining:
...2nd-n-9 WR screen
...Jets 1st timeout
...3rd-n-6 incomplete pass
...FG
This drive should get the coach fired. The 1st two plays are fine and force the Jets to use a timeout. You are facing a 50 yard FG from Vinatieri in a dome in the playoffs. The next play has to keep the clock moving to force the Jets to burn another timeout. It should be a run, but we already know how suckish the Colts are there. So a pass is fine but it needs to be complete...even if it doesn't gain any yardage. While garbage play on ST killed the Colts soon after, leaving the Jets with 2 timeouts instead of 1 with under a minute left was inexcusable. The Pats will manage the end-of-game clock (and return coverage) much better than that.
So while the Jets got a nice 1 point road playoff win, the Colts players and coaches probably couldn't have done a worse job with situational football. That won't happen on Sunday. To win the Jets will have to force the Pats into difficult situations, keep them off schedule and control the end of game situations. They didn't do any of these things against the Colts but were let off the hook.
Think that was an aberration? I could do a similar analysis for Pittsburgh (the Jets only other meaningful win after Thanksgiving)...only substitute inept running for Roethlisberger's inane need to throw deep at the oddest times. In fact, it has been quite a while since the Jets won a road game where the opposition and/or officials haven't helped out significantly (Denver, Detroit, Cleveland). The Jets will need to show up huge (something they haven't done recently) or go home disappointed.