Jets are dangerous and more
The New York Jets are not yet in the playoffs. Sure, they are currently sitting sixth in the AFC playoff picture, but nothing has been guaranteed for the folks from Gotham.
Yet, after beating the New England Patriots 26-20 in overtime at MetLife Stadium on Sunday afternoon, the Jets now control their own destiny. That win, coupled with a loss by the Pittsburgh Steelers against the Baltimore Ravens, has put New York in the drivers seat for a postseason slot. All New York needs to do is go beat the Buffalo Bills in Week 17, taking down former head coach Rex Ryan.
The Jets might have to go on the road for the duration of the playoffs, but this is a dangerous team that could do some very large damage. New York is 10-5 and certainly deserving of attention, even before it took down the Patriots. The Jets don’t have a ton of signature victories outside of New England, but they have a nice trio of offensive weapons in running back Chris Ivory, and wide receivers Eric Decker and Brandon Marshall.
Marshall was acquired for a fifth-round pick from the Chicago Bears this offseason, and has caught 101 passes for 1,376 yards and 13 touchdowns. Meanwhile, Decker is providing an excellent compliment with 75 receptions, 977 yards and 11 scores.
Of course, somebody has to be getting these men the football. Ryan Fitzpatrick came over for a seventh-round pick via the Houston Texans, and he has enjoyed a career season. Fitzpatrick has thrown for 3,724 yards and 29 touchdowns against only 12 interceptions, showcasing an ability to avoid mistakes which have dogged him in the past.
The defense remains formidable with the likes of Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie on the corners, along with a defensive front that includes Sheldon Richardson and Pro Bowler Muhammad Wilkerson. New York relies on Wilkerson to provide most of the pressure on opposing quarterbacks, but he is getting some support from both Richardson and Lorenzo Mauldin.
New York is likely to be the sixth seed and face the Cincinnati Bengals before perhaps having a rematch with the Patriots in the Divisional Round. Don’t sleep on these Jets.
Steelers still alive
Pittsburgh suffered one of the worst losses in recent memory on Sunday. Playing a 4-10 Ravens team with a first-time starter in Ryan Mallett at quarterback, the Steelers lost a turnover-filled game, 20-17.
With the loss, the Steelers no longer have control of their playoff destiny. Pittsburgh has been getting plenty of publicity throughout the last two months, but this is a team with plenty of holes. The offense is tremendous, but the defense lacks the ability to cover down the field. This defense is always going to hold the Steelers back until the secondary is fixed in a major way.
