It's funny to think about the fact that after the Jets' week 15 loss, coach Rex Ryan declared the team's season over and that they had been eliminated from the playoffs.
Interestingly enough, coach Ryan couldn't have been more wrong in his proclamation. Here's what really happened.
The Jets simply needed to win both of their games during the following two weeks, and they'd control their own destinies. This was still a tall order to fulfill, especially considering their week 16 opponent.
Having to travel to Indianapolis to play and defeat the 14-0 Colts seemed nearly impossible. Perhaps this was why Ryan had declared the team's season done in the back of his mind.
Whatever the case was, things worked out much better than expected for the Jets. Every team they needed to lose actually lost in week 16, and the Jets surprisingly won their game.
This came with the help of the Colts' coaching staff, who decided to pull Peyton Manning out of the game after half time. This opened up the gates for the Jets, who quickly preyed on the inexperienced Curtis Painter at quarterback.
The team ended up winning the game, which prompted a lot of criticism from experts and fans. Whatever the case may be, it gave the team a hope for the playoffs.
All the Jets must do at this point is to put on their war boots and beat the Cincinnati Bengals in their week 17 match-up. The game will be played in New York, not to mention the fact that Cincinnati has already clinched a playoff spot and may very well rest their starters.
Can the Jets make the playoffs this season? Absolutely. Anything less would be a major disappointment in light of the above.
This Sunday will be a very interesting day for New York sports fans without a doubt. I wish them the best of luck.
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