Well, perhaps rookie head coach Rex Ryan is on to something....
When the New York Jets lost to the Atlanta Falcons at home with two weeks to go, they dropped to 7-7 and Coach Ryan assumed his team had been eliminated from playoff contention.
But once the Jets won their final two games and clinched the No. 5 seed in the AFC, Ryan proclaimed his club to be the team to beat. In fact, he gave his players an itinerary which included the Super Bowl in Miami and a parade in NYC to celebrate a championship.
He told the press that he didn't see why his team shouldn't be the favorites to win the Super Bowl. After all, he believed in his club and he knew the Jets had the best defense in the NFL and they could run the ball as well as any other team.
After the Jets beat the Bengals on Wild Card Weekend, they went to San Diego and knocked off the Chargers--who were coming off 11 straight wins to end the season--in the AFC Divisional Round.
Now, they will head to Indianapolis to face the top-seeded Colts in the AFC title game.
Wouldn't it be ironic if the Jets could upset the Colts 41 years after New York shocked the Baltimore Colts to win Super Bowl III?
Back in January 1969, Rex Ryan's father Buddy Ryan was in his first year as a coach (Linebackers Coach) with the AFL's Jets. And Buddy Ryan won his first Super Bowl ring with the Jets.
And talk about karma.
In Week 16, the Colts were 14-0 and playing the Jets in Indianapolis. But Colts head coach Jim Caldwin rested MVP QB Peyton Manning and other starters. Backup QB Curtis Painter was ineffective, helping the Jets win to stay alive.
In Week 17, the Bengals, who had clinched the AFC North and had nothing much to play for, also rested some players and were blown out 37-0 by the Jets.
Had the Jets lost against the Colts, they would have been all but eliminated. Instead, with the win in Indy, they took control of their own destiny over the Broncos and the other AFC Wild Card pretenders.
Had the Jets lost to Cincinnati, they would have finished out of the playoffs. It was that simple: Win in Cincinnati, and they would claim the No. 5 seed. Lose in Cincy, and they were out.
Of course, they made it, and upset the Bengals in the Wild Card round.
Wouldn't it be ironic this Sunday if they upset the Colts too? Beating the two teams that basically allowed the New York to sneak into the playoffs because those two teams decided to rest starters?
One thing for certain: the Giants must be kicking themselves now. The Giants, who started 5-0, collapsed at the end and missed the playoffs.
Had the G-Men been able to make the postseason, who knows? Maybe New Yorkers could be dreaming of an all-New York Super Bowl this year.
And had the Baltimore Ravens (the No. 6 seed) been able to upset Indianapolis on Saturday, then the AFC Championship Game would be played at Giants Stadium instead.
When the New York Jets lost to the Atlanta Falcons at home with two weeks to go, they dropped to 7-7 and Coach Ryan assumed his team had been eliminated from playoff contention.
But once the Jets won their final two games and clinched the No. 5 seed in the AFC, Ryan proclaimed his club to be the team to beat. In fact, he gave his players an itinerary which included the Super Bowl in Miami and a parade in NYC to celebrate a championship.
He told the press that he didn't see why his team shouldn't be the favorites to win the Super Bowl. After all, he believed in his club and he knew the Jets had the best defense in the NFL and they could run the ball as well as any other team.
After the Jets beat the Bengals on Wild Card Weekend, they went to San Diego and knocked off the Chargers--who were coming off 11 straight wins to end the season--in the AFC Divisional Round.
Now, they will head to Indianapolis to face the top-seeded Colts in the AFC title game.
Wouldn't it be ironic if the Jets could upset the Colts 41 years after New York shocked the Baltimore Colts to win Super Bowl III?
Back in January 1969, Rex Ryan's father Buddy Ryan was in his first year as a coach (Linebackers Coach) with the AFL's Jets. And Buddy Ryan won his first Super Bowl ring with the Jets.
And talk about karma.
In Week 16, the Colts were 14-0 and playing the Jets in Indianapolis. But Colts head coach Jim Caldwin rested MVP QB Peyton Manning and other starters. Backup QB Curtis Painter was ineffective, helping the Jets win to stay alive.
In Week 17, the Bengals, who had clinched the AFC North and had nothing much to play for, also rested some players and were blown out 37-0 by the Jets.
Had the Jets lost against the Colts, they would have been all but eliminated. Instead, with the win in Indy, they took control of their own destiny over the Broncos and the other AFC Wild Card pretenders.
Had the Jets lost to Cincinnati, they would have finished out of the playoffs. It was that simple: Win in Cincinnati, and they would claim the No. 5 seed. Lose in Cincy, and they were out.
Of course, they made it, and upset the Bengals in the Wild Card round.
Wouldn't it be ironic this Sunday if they upset the Colts too? Beating the two teams that basically allowed the New York to sneak into the playoffs because those two teams decided to rest starters?
One thing for certain: the Giants must be kicking themselves now. The Giants, who started 5-0, collapsed at the end and missed the playoffs.
Had the G-Men been able to make the postseason, who knows? Maybe New Yorkers could be dreaming of an all-New York Super Bowl this year.
And had the Baltimore Ravens (the No. 6 seed) been able to upset Indianapolis on Saturday, then the AFC Championship Game would be played at Giants Stadium instead.
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