Playoff Watch: Week 15
These are indeed tough times. As I stare at my ticket for the December 28 showdown between the Jets and Dolphins (Pennington-gate, Favre-gate, revenge-gate, and any other cliche-gate you can find), I wonder if my heart will be able to afford watching the game as much as my wallet afforded the purchase of the lower tier seats just 24 rows back from the 10 yard line.
Will it be a meaningful game? Will it be a deciding game? Can’t tell right now because the Jets need to win the two games prior, and we could use some help around the league for a clearer forecast of this year’s playoffs. Here are the games outside of New Jersey that are of significance to Jets fans this weekend.
NFC Over AFC Rule
Lions (0-13) vs Colts (9-4) Go Lions!
A winless Detroit plus an Indianapolis team that is amidst a six-game winning streak equals a group of Jets fans that aren’t getting their hopes up, but you never know. Intra-divisional matchups are never guaranteed outcomes, so with the Jaguars and Titans following this game against the Lions, there’s a sliver of hope that the Colts could lose their last three, which would potentially eliminate them from the wildcard or place them at the lowest seed. Both would be beneficial scenarios to the Jets, either providing strength to a wildcard option if our AFC East dreams dissipate or helping us potentially avoid their pass-heavy offense in the first round of the playoffs should we get a seed higher than Denver or, maybe, a bye week.
Panthers (10-3) vs Broncos (8-5) Go Panthers!
Thus is the luck of a Jets fan when a monster back like Denver’s Peyton Hillis waits until AFTER playing your team to get a season-ending injury. Carolina’s pass defense, meanwhile, may not be its strength, but the team has a lot of momentum after their win over the Bucs Monday night. With the Giants on their horizon for next week, Carolina is firing on all cylinders, taking no prisoners, and all of those other cliches one can use to describe a team with momentum. If the Panthers maul the Broncos, it gives the Jets a stronger chance at a higher seed in the playoffs should they win the AFC East.
Division Domination
49ers (5-8) vs Dolphins (8-5) Go 49ers!
San Francisco is 2-0 against the AFC East since Thanksgiving, let’s hope they can make it 3-0. A win not only takes Miami down a peg in trying to hog the pinnacle grip on our division, but it would maybe, just maybe, ease the pain we’ve been feeling in being a team that got beat by the 49ers.
Patriots (8-5) vs Raiders (3-10)
The Raiders beat us and the Broncos, which means they have reason to believe they can beat the Patriots. Add in Randy Moss’ return to Oakland, and perhaps there’s more motivation for the Raiders to beat down New England. Like the Lions against the Colts, Jets fans aren’t holding their breath on this one. Still, we are rooting for the silver and black this week. We need every edge possible in the AFC East right now.
Wildcard/Division Title Decider
Ravens (9-4) vs Steelers (10-3) Go Steelers! Right?
Here’s the grandaddy of the games this weekend. It’s the first of two back-to-back games for both teams against a tough opponent, with the Ravens facing the Cowboys in Week 16 and the Steelers squaring up against the Titans. A Ravens loss gives the Jets some hope for wildcard insurance if the AFC East division title becomes unattainable. However, a Steelers loss would increase the Jets chances of receiving a bye week should they win their last three and the Steelers lose their last three. Hence, a slight conundrum as to who to hope wins. The half-empty crystal ball says “Go Steelers! We need that wildcard option,” whereas the half-full orb says “Go Ravens! That first week by is ours”
What say you fans and readers?
Filed under: Opinion
Go Steelers we arent getting a bye
The Ham is right. The only way we get a bye is if the Steelers lose out. Not going to happen. Go Steelers.
Jets fans have to look at the glass as half empty, Go Steelers!
I’m 19 rows off on the 20 yard line. Picked up the tickets in Sept, thinking this was gonna be a rout. Man, I’m just hoping that this is gonna be one of those moments, where the faithful fan sticks by his team during a tough time and they pull it out…otherwise I’m gonna be left freezing my stuff off throwing cracker jacks at tony soprano.
In other news, Matt Cassell’s father passed away, and he is likely not starting this week. Horrible news for Matt, that really sucks as things are going so well for him. The guy starting for him has allegedly thrown about 3 passes in his entire life.
In spite of his tragic loss, Cassel was at practice today. Looks like he’ll play.
Where’s Willis’ one game suspension for the hit on Smith?
What was illegal about Willis’ hit?
Jets WR David Clowney gets to play in place of injured Brad Smith. Here’s tom hoping he’s drafted in 100% fantasy leagues an nobody’d secret by the time we play Miami!
Listen up fellas as per the arguments b4 about Clowney :
I have been watching the Bears Saints game on nfl network tonite and there were 2 huge plays where Orton launched a bomb to Hester, now he didnt catch either pass but drew PI on both plays.
Hester isnt that great of a WR but he can burn through double coverage and my hope is Clowney can do the same we saw what he was able to do in preseason
The Bears just won the game in OT b/c of hesters PI draw.
Make a roster spot for him we need a shake up in our team
he can be a difference maker we dont have any burners on the team.
Regards,
- ShOcKiNg sLiCe oF PiG
It be great to see Smith and Clowney in the game.
We need a definite shake up.
The Bills game is a must win for the Jets.
I live in Miami and i’ve seen a lot of fins games…they are very very very lucky.
everything is just going their way.
The Jets cannot afford to lose any more games this season.
our jets never make it easy..do they? win ONE of these last two….oh well…we’ll all be there or glued to our sets on sunday……….GO JETS
nothing about being a Jets fan is easy…thats what makes it so fun :D
Willis led with the helmet in my view, although Smith was hit low at the same time. In similar circumstances, Eric Smith was suspended.
It did annoy me how he celebrated the hit, but the last thing we want is him to miss the Miami game. SF w/o Willis is an easy match up for any team (even last week’s Jets).
As if it wasn’t enough that we lost to the 49ers we also injured their best weapon – Frank Gore – so he’ll miss their game against the Phins.
GREAT!!!
[sigh]
forget the bye i just wanna make the playoffs
Let’s all accept that a bye is out of the question because even if Pitt loses 2 of their last three, they’ll have a better conference record than us.
Indianapolis is a lock for the first WC spot, and Baltimore is close to locking the last WC (so go STEELERS!!!). So that leaves the NY Jets only one road to the post season… Win the AFC East. That means we HAVE to win two more, but only winning out keeps us safe from the Pats or Fish taking the Division.
“Bundgaard, on December 12th, 2008 at 8:06 am Said:
As if it wasn’t enough that we lost to the 49ers we also injured their best weapon – Frank Gore – so he’ll miss their game against the Phins.
GREAT!!!
[sigh]”
Told ya the Dolphins have gotten it easy.