DEARTH ON WAY OUT?

The Jets have signed Kansas City long snapper Tanner Purdum, 25, a member of the Chiefs practice squad this season.  Could mean an end to James Dearth, 34, the Jets long snapper since 2001, who is an unrestricted free agent this season.  Yes, there were some questions about Dearth this season after a few bad snaps on Feely FGs, but Dearth has been a rock for over 8 seasons now.

RYAN ADDS RAVENS COACH

Add Mark Carrier to the list. The Jets have hired the former Ravens assistant to be in charge of the Defensive Line.  A little odd being that Carrier was a safety when he played in the NFL.

PENNINGTON ON WAY BACK?

The Daily News reports that Dolphins QB Chad Pennington would not rule out a return to New York as the backup to San-chise, saying:  “Would it be tough? Sure it would be tough, emotionally, but it’s always a possibility,” he said. “I never rule anything out. Absolutely.”

MANGOLD WANTS NEW DEAL

C Nick Mangold, with one year remaining on his rookie contract, told the Daily News that he’s hoping to sign a long-term extension before the start of the 2010 season. “I know — and I hope — they’ll do the right thing,” Mangold said. “I’m not too worried about it right now.”  Entering his fifth season, he’s due to make $3.3 million. With Colts C Jeff Saturday earning $9 million this year and Rams C Rams’ Jason Brown, who signed a five-year, $37.5 million deal ($20 million in guarantees) last offseason, expect a big number for Mangold who is regarded as the leagues top Center.

It is being reported that QB Mark Sanchez has decided to go ahead with surgery on his left knee after visiting with Dr. James Andrews last week.

The surgery, to stabilize the patella ligament in his left knee, injured when Sanchez was at USC, will not cause Sanchez to miss any preseason time.

The Daily News is reporting that Jets doctors will be performing the surgery. Does this scare anyone else but me?

At the moment, it appears that Kerry Rhodes is still a wanted man in Gotham City.

Despite not living up to the 5 yr., $33.5 million contract extension he signed in 2008 with $2.8 million base due in 2010 and $2 million bonus due in March, Rhodes says that Ryan called him and told him the Jets need him next year.

“Rex Ryan is my guy. I like Rex a lot,” Rhodes said. “We get along. We’re great friends. He called me [yesterday] and reiterated again that they want me here. And to be honest, I really do want to be here. This is the team that gave me my first shot, drafted me in the fourth round when a lot of other teams didn’t give me a chance. They gave me the big contract here. I’m letting fans know I do want to be here and end my career as a Jet.”

Time will tell on this one.

You knew what was coming. We all knew what was coming. Peyton Manning was not going to go down like that.

With a 17-6 lead with 2:11 left in the first half, and after Sanchez threw a perfect 80 yard pass to Edwards, Manning marched the Colts 80 yards on four plays over 58 seconds, hitting Collie for three straight completions for 18 yards, 46 yards and then a 16-yard touchdown. The 46-yard pass play was a killer because it looked like Drew Coleman miss-timed his jump and had the ball go just over his arm. That score cut the Jets’ lead to 17-13 at halftime.

You could say that was the gamechanger.

The game was officially over when Feely missed the 52 yarder to start the 3rd quarter, giving Manning great field position.  To give Ryan some slack here, Feely said he was making 60 yard attempts in pre-game warmups and felt good from within 55.

With a kick that went wide right, the Colts took a 20-17 lead with 8:03 left in the third quarter when Manning fired a 4-yard pass to the corner of the end zone to Garcon over Lowery.  Game. Set. Match.

It didn’t help that Shonn Greene hurt his ribs to start the 3rd quarter on a running play and didn’t come back.

Overall, the Jets run this year was nothing short of great. Here are some quick hits from the game and reflections on a great run.

1. Looks like we have a San-chise. Could not have asked for a better game from your QB, whether it be a rookie or a 10 year veteran. Sanchez was poised and ready for this game (and every other playoff game this year). What a great game for Sanchez and a reminder of h0w it feels to get so close and to vow to never let it happen again.

2. 100 yards on 2 catches by Braylon Edwards was nice to see. I think Edwards guaranteed a spot on the roster for next season, but his comments after the game, particularly addressing the team’s lack of intensity in the 2nd half, shouldn’t have been said. Take the loss and get better next season.

3. What a bad time for Shonn Greene to be out.  The teams sparkplug this season, Greene appeared to reinjure his ribs in the 3rd quarter and never came back. (Greene first hurt his ribs during the preseason).  Thomas Jones was out of gas during the entire playoffs. Greene was too crucial to lose.

4. Bart Scott was missed. Ankle injury forced Scott to miss most of the game.

5. Jets secondary needs to improve. Strickland gets hurt way too much (Groin injury in first quarter knocked him out of this one), and Sheppard is done. With a $10 million guarantee coming in March, it is pretty safe to say that Sheppard will not be around to receive that money.

6. Interesting comments by Manning after the game. First, Manning said he was surprised that Sheppard was benched in favor of Lowery and said he noticed it immediately; Second, Manning said during the week, he and QB Coach Frank Reich went back to the 2005 Ravens vs. Colts Week 1 game to see if they could spot any trends from Coach Ryan:

“I grinded on those guys hard all week,” Manning said. “I studied a lot of film. I studied that 2005 game against them. As I was watching it, I said, ‘You know, I think they might play some of this defense.’ And that’s kind of what they did today.”   Pretty crazy comments. Manning is certainly in a world of his own.

7. Cotchery makes every catch, doesn’t he?

8. Sanchez, Cotchery, Keller, Greene are a nice 4 to build around.

9. Defensive lineman for the draft?

Here we go, folks.

You know what’s at stake. 60 minutes to the super bowl.

Get in your lucky chair; get the same food you have eaten for the past two games out; get that lucky shirt out of the dryer. 

60 Minutes.

Here’s what needs to be done to win:

1. Stop Peyton Manning. Obvious right?  Let’s break it down a bit. Manning is known for his ability to get to the line, read the defense and call a play accordingly. The Jets need to mix it up when 1) Manning gets to the line and 2) When Manning makes a play call. Confusion is the only way to slow him down. The Jets LBs and safeties are going to be tired after this game but Manning needs to be shown about 100 different looks.

The Colts are having major troubles running the ball this season (1, 100 yard runner in last 11 games).  The Jets should have an extra defender for pass coverage or blitzing. It is crucial that the Jets don’t get sucked in to stopping the running game if Indy has some success in the first quarter.

2. Limit Dallas Clark. With Revis on Wayne, it will be up to Rhodes and Leonhard to slow down Clark. Indy does not have a powerful running game and the Jets need to play a smart, tight game with Clark.

3. Run the ball. We’ve seen it over the last two weeks; Shonn Greene is emerging as the real deal. Keep it up this week and let Greene get into a rhythm. No dumb tigercat plays or reversals. Play an old-fashioned football game and run it down Indy’s throats.

4. Mark Sanchez. They have been saying for two weeks now that Mark Sanchez will have to step up and make plays. For two weeks now the Jets have won by running the ball.  With an offensive line that is cruising right now, Sanchez will have time for quick pass plays and, more importantly, the occasional deep pass to hold back the Colts defense.  Edwards needs to be used for the deep ball even if only for a ploy to open up the running game.

5. Patience. The Jets this postseason have been the model of calm. No matter the situation, the Jets seemed prepared and ready. As for Cincy and San Diego, the pressure was too much.  The Jets need to continue the defensive and running game and simply wear out the Colts.

Predictions:

It seems that games are won and lost this postseason due to INTs. Oddly enough, that fact should hurt the Colts more than the Jets. Manning and the Colts are all about passing right now and by hopefully confusing Manning, the Jets will be able to force an INT or 2. Throw in the defensive genius that is Rex Ryan, and the Jets will be in this game. Throw in the running game that is Shonn Greene and the Jets will prevail. 

Jets 20

Colts 17

Just got the following email from the New York Jets:

“Pre-Order now and be the first to have the Jets AFC Champs gear”

Are you kidding me???  The link included pics of Jets sweatshirts and hats with AFC Champions on it.

This is right up there with showing a field goal kicker’s stat of “never missed a FG from under 35 yards” right before the 30 yard kick.

Good job, Jets.

Aside from Shaun Ellis breaking his hand (Ellis will play Sunday), the Jets come away from San Diego in good health and good spirits.

The keys to Sunday’s AFC Championship game against the Colts (which will be discussed later in the week) will be similar to the keys against the Chargers; namely, Run, blitz, contain.

Listening to Mike Francesa this afternoon on 660 WFAN, you would think the Jets absolutely stole that game against the Chargers.  Francesa sulked through his segment today, and received a barrage of calls from Jets fans who complained about Francesa’s attitude.  Gotta love Mikey.

How sweet it is….

After a season which has seen hope mixed with history topped off with a little attitude, the Jets are in the AFC Championship.

Last nights 17-14 victory against the Chargers exemplified what the Jets are all about this season: They will wear you down with their run, they will keep you alive with their defense, they might make you sweat and bring back bad memories of the past, but in the end, they will prevail. 

Despite the Chargers coming out in pregame and telling the Jets that they didn’t belong on the same field as them (something that Bart Scott would later reveal, “agitated us”), the Jets were the dominant team. A perfect defense (described by LaDainian Tomlinson), another solid game by Sanchez, and a dagger to the heart 4th down call in the end to seal the game, are what you witnessed from the Jets.

This Jets team has something that isn’t usually seen in a Gang Green jersey: attitude.

This Jets team has done something that isn’t usually done in a Gang Green jersey: Win two playoff games in the same season. (First time since 1982).

Let’s look at some notes from the game.

1. Shonn Greene. You can’t say enough about this kid. 128 yards (including an Adrian Peterson like 53 yard TD run) seems to be the norm for Greene this year.

2. Third Quarter: After surviving a tough first half (which included some questionable play calling), the Jets tightened up and held the Chargers to 15 yards including 2 big turnovers on back to back INTs by Philip Rivers. Throw in a nice strip sack by Kerry Rhodes (yes, Kerry Rhodes), and the Jets were all over the Chargers in the 3rd quarter.

3. Darrelle Revis and the Defense. Enough can’t be said about Revis. Apparently, Revis approached the Jets coaches after the first half and explained that the zone coverage the Jets were using was not working and man to man was necessary for the second half.  Seemed to work pretty nicely I would say.  A great defensive game was needed against the Chargers pass heavy team and the Jets were ready for the Challenge.

4. Tomlinson looks like he is done, yeah?

5. Thomas Jones has some competition in Greene, yeah?

6. Nice poise by Sanchez in his TD pass to Keller who was wrapped up tighter than a pig in a blanket. 99 out of 100 times the QB throws it into the 10th row, but Sanchez hung in there and threw a perfect pass.

7. That was some bad play-calling in the first half, Schotty. Weird calls. Without having gotten a first down even, the Jets put Sanchez at WR twice, including an option play by Smith in which the Chargers almost buried him six feet under.  Not even a deep pass to mix up the Chargers.

8. Thanks for the catches Braylon Edwards. With the necessity in today’s game to have a big presence at WR, Edwards needs to continue to assert himself and let defenses know the Jets can throw to the ball.

9. Jay Feely continues to be the man.

10. Did Nate Kaeding actually miss 3 FGs?  Kickers are now 0-5 against the Jets this postseason. Amazing.

11. Keep picking against us, Mike Francesa. Early last week, Francesa claimed the Jets actually finished the season 7-7, because as Francesa put it, “those last 2 games shouldn’t count.”

12.  Not sure if the Colts prefer this matchup to the Chargers, but they got it now. Peyton Manning does not get sacked, but the Jets need to figure out a way to cause some havoc and contain Manning and the Colts.

On to Indy. AFC Championship, Sunday at 3pm.