Post by Lithfan on Jan 16, 2016 7:46:28 GMT -5
January 16, 2011
How sad is it that our best win in the last 47 years should have to come in a Divisional playoff game, but still, it is a great memory nonetheless..
One could argue that this was the most significant win in Jets history since their Super Bowl III victory over the colts. And in many ways, it was just as unlikely.
The Patriots had won their last 8 regular season games, by an average score on 37-15. Included in their 8 game winning streak was a45-3 victory against the Jets, embarrassing their Divisional rivals on a nationally televised Monday Night game. The Jets were given little chance to top the 14-2 Patriots, but that is exactly what they did in that Divisional Round playoff game.
How unlikely was it? How unlikely is it that Rex Ryan would outcoach Bill Belidick, and Mark Sanchez would outplay Tom Brady. Ryan came up with a brilliant game plan to confuse Brady and the Pats on offense, and Sanchez played mistake free football and threw 3 TDs to lead the Jets to victory.
"It was unbelievable," defensive lineman Trevor Pryce said. "The game plan was out of sight. We did some stuff I've never seen a pro football coach do. That's Rex. . . . It was the craziest thing. I don't know how we did it. We made one thing look like this and it's another thing. When you can confuse a Hall of Fame quarterback, you know your game plan is working."
"I could see some of the horror in his eyes when nobody was open," Pryce said. "He's not a running quarterback so he knows he's going to get hit. And he got hit plenty."
The trouble started early for Brady -- on the Pats first drive of the game, after leading the Pats deep into Jets territory he was picked off by David Harris, his first interception since week 6 -- snapping a streak of over 330 passes without a pick.
Harris took the pick back 58 yards to the Pats 12, but the Jets came up empty when Nick Folk missed a chip shot. Sanchez struggled with accuracy early as the Jets could not get much offense going in the first quarter, falling behind 3-0 in the first.
Sanchez got going in the 2nd quarter, going 3 for 4 for 51 yards on a 5 play 49 yard drive that ended in Sanchez’ 7 yard pass to Ladainian Tomlinson for the TD and a lead the Jets would not relinquish.
The Jets would extend the lead just before the half. On 4th and 4 from their own 38, Belidick called for a fake punt on a direct snap to Patrick Chung. Chung mishandled the snap and was stopped short of the line of scrimmage and the Jets took over in NE territory at the 37. Two runs by Tomlinson got them down to the 15 yard line. Sanchez would hit Braylon Edwards who carried two New England defenders into the end zone for a 14-3 halftime lead.
The Pats would cut into the Jets lead late in the 3rd. A 2 yard TD pass from Brady to Alge Crumpler, followed by a Sammy Morris run for the two point conversion got them within 3 as the 3rd quarter ended.
Sanchez and the Jets responded. On their first play from scrimmage following the kickoff, Mark hit Jerricho Cotchery for a 58 yard gain and the Jets were in the red zone. Another completion to Cotch got them to the 7. Sanchez would hit Santonio Holmes for the last 7 yards to extend their lead to 10 points, The Pats got back within 7 with a Shayne Graham field goal at the 2 minute warning. Antonio Cromartie recovered the onside kick and returned it to the Pats 25. A penalty moved it to the 20. Shonn Greene carried for 4 yards and then went 16 for the TD that put the Patriots to sleep. A late Patriots TD made the final margin 28-21.
"All the pressure was on them," linebacker Bart Scott said. "We were supposed to come in and barely hold their jockstrap."
"Anybody can be confident and tough when you're winning," said Scott. "What kind of character do you have when you're behind? What kind of character do you have when that other team hits you back in the face? See, we can give it, but we can take it."
Source: The Daily News
How sad is it that our best win in the last 47 years should have to come in a Divisional playoff game, but still, it is a great memory nonetheless..
One could argue that this was the most significant win in Jets history since their Super Bowl III victory over the colts. And in many ways, it was just as unlikely.
The Patriots had won their last 8 regular season games, by an average score on 37-15. Included in their 8 game winning streak was a45-3 victory against the Jets, embarrassing their Divisional rivals on a nationally televised Monday Night game. The Jets were given little chance to top the 14-2 Patriots, but that is exactly what they did in that Divisional Round playoff game.
How unlikely was it? How unlikely is it that Rex Ryan would outcoach Bill Belidick, and Mark Sanchez would outplay Tom Brady. Ryan came up with a brilliant game plan to confuse Brady and the Pats on offense, and Sanchez played mistake free football and threw 3 TDs to lead the Jets to victory.
"It was unbelievable," defensive lineman Trevor Pryce said. "The game plan was out of sight. We did some stuff I've never seen a pro football coach do. That's Rex. . . . It was the craziest thing. I don't know how we did it. We made one thing look like this and it's another thing. When you can confuse a Hall of Fame quarterback, you know your game plan is working."
"I could see some of the horror in his eyes when nobody was open," Pryce said. "He's not a running quarterback so he knows he's going to get hit. And he got hit plenty."
The trouble started early for Brady -- on the Pats first drive of the game, after leading the Pats deep into Jets territory he was picked off by David Harris, his first interception since week 6 -- snapping a streak of over 330 passes without a pick.
Harris took the pick back 58 yards to the Pats 12, but the Jets came up empty when Nick Folk missed a chip shot. Sanchez struggled with accuracy early as the Jets could not get much offense going in the first quarter, falling behind 3-0 in the first.
Sanchez got going in the 2nd quarter, going 3 for 4 for 51 yards on a 5 play 49 yard drive that ended in Sanchez’ 7 yard pass to Ladainian Tomlinson for the TD and a lead the Jets would not relinquish.
The Jets would extend the lead just before the half. On 4th and 4 from their own 38, Belidick called for a fake punt on a direct snap to Patrick Chung. Chung mishandled the snap and was stopped short of the line of scrimmage and the Jets took over in NE territory at the 37. Two runs by Tomlinson got them down to the 15 yard line. Sanchez would hit Braylon Edwards who carried two New England defenders into the end zone for a 14-3 halftime lead.
The Pats would cut into the Jets lead late in the 3rd. A 2 yard TD pass from Brady to Alge Crumpler, followed by a Sammy Morris run for the two point conversion got them within 3 as the 3rd quarter ended.
Sanchez and the Jets responded. On their first play from scrimmage following the kickoff, Mark hit Jerricho Cotchery for a 58 yard gain and the Jets were in the red zone. Another completion to Cotch got them to the 7. Sanchez would hit Santonio Holmes for the last 7 yards to extend their lead to 10 points, The Pats got back within 7 with a Shayne Graham field goal at the 2 minute warning. Antonio Cromartie recovered the onside kick and returned it to the Pats 25. A penalty moved it to the 20. Shonn Greene carried for 4 yards and then went 16 for the TD that put the Patriots to sleep. A late Patriots TD made the final margin 28-21.
"All the pressure was on them," linebacker Bart Scott said. "We were supposed to come in and barely hold their jockstrap."
"Anybody can be confident and tough when you're winning," said Scott. "What kind of character do you have when you're behind? What kind of character do you have when that other team hits you back in the face? See, we can give it, but we can take it."
Source: The Daily News
