FIRST PLACE BABY !

Same ole Jets? It sure seemed like it was going to be the same ole Jets but something happened. We won !

This is a new team. A new era. A new leader in the AFC East standings. Yes, the New York Jets, winners now of four straight games, are in first place after going into Foxboro to play our most bitter rival and coming out with a crazy 34 - 31 victory.

It was our old HC of the NYC for a few hours against his old coordinator. It was New York vs Boston. It was the biggest non-playoff game in the Mangini Era. It was time to make a statement against a good team that has owned us the past few years. A loss would have proved that we can't beat anyone good and we had lost 11 of the last 12 games to the Patriots. However, a win was going to show that we are a team to be reckoned with and it surely helped that a man named Tom Brady was not on the other sidelines.

It was a game of highs and lows. Who would have thought that the Jets would be up 24-6 (and should have been more had Dustin Keller not dropped a TD pass but I surely have forgiven him). A true Jet fan knows that nothing is easy (well, unless you play the Rams) so we knew it would be a battle. I didn't think we'd blow and 18 point lead but I knew it would be close.

The first half was great. On the game's first drive, Leon Washington caught a 7 yard TD pass from Favre to put the Jets up 7-0 after a nice drive down the field. After giving up a field goal, it was time for more Jets. Jerricho Cotchery made a crazy one handed grab on a Favre bomb for 42 yards. I'm still not sure how he caught the ball. We wound up with a field goal. And before I knew it, there was Leon Washington on a Kick Off return after another Patriots field goal running for 92 yards and a touchdown to increase the lead. This Leon guy is so dangerous every time he touches the ball. Before I knew it, we were up 24 to 6 after another Jets TD. And then the Jets fell asleep. The defense was playing great until we got 24 points. With not a lot of time left in the half, we gave the ball back to the Patriots after the offense stalled and they wound up with a TD right before the half to keep them in the game. So, how can you complain being up 24 to 13 in New England? I surely wasn't complaining.

However, the 3rd quarter was disgusting. We had no offensive game plan. I think we had like 20 yards of total offense in the 3rd quarter leaving our defense on the field most of the time and they weren't doing anything. The Patriots were confusing us a bit but we were not rushing the passer and leaving guys wide open down the field. The Patriots score of course and then go for 2 points where we NEVER can stop. Why are we the only team in the league that NEVER stops a 2 point conversion and never makes them either? Anyway, it was then 24-21 and then before I could blink (a Cotchery fumble hurt), it was 24-24. Yup...we just gave them 18 points right back with shoddy defense. I was disgusted going into the 4th quarter.

But Brett Favre was not going to let the Jets down. We had a HUGE time consuming drive, helped out with a defensive holding call, that got Thomas Jones into the endzone for a score. Phewwww. Back up by 7.

We then held the Patriots forcing them to punt but in typical Jets fashion, we got conservative thinking we could just run out the clock. On 3rd and 2, we went for a run to seal the game. Of course, we didn't gain a yard and had to punt. Come on Mangini, throw a safe pass. We were not going to get two yards in that situation where the entire Patriots team was on the line. So, we had to give them the ball back with a bit over a minute to go and NO time-outs.

And I knew what was going to happen. They walked right down the field and scored on a crazy sideline catch by Randy Moss with Ty Law right on him. Play reviewed - game tied. The Defense was gross the 2nd half. Matt Cassel threw for 400 yards. Yes...Cassell, not Tom Brady, threw for 400 yards. What a joke. And Mangini and crew did was most Jets fans can't stand...they went to the Prevent D. Yup...and again, it didn't work. It drives me crazy. I can't tell you how many games in my life I've seen the Prevent Defense prevent the Jets from winning. It must be at least 50+ devastating losses.

So, there was the coin flip heading into OT. I can't believe I didn't wake up my daughter after the cursing and screaming at the TV. At this point, I kissed my in-laws and wife goodnight as I knew we were going to lose and when that would happen, I wasn't talking to anyone and was just going to leave the room and go upstairs to try and sleep.

But, Brett Favre orchestrated one of the best drives in NY Jets history. The drive didn't start well with a sack on the first play and no gain on the second play. But, on 3rd and 15, Favre found Dustin Keller for 14 and he spun and dove for the last yard to keep the drive alive. This Keller guy is going to be a star ! Favre was 5 for 6 on that last drive with a few huge passes to Keller and Coles. He drove the team for 14 plays and 64 yards to set up the FG attempt. I just kept on flashing back to Herm Edwards and the whole field goal fiasco in that cost us that game in Pittsburgh. But, this was going to be different. We were on the 18 yard line. The snap was a bit high. It got down. And Feely nailed it. The Jets Win. The Jets Win.

We are now 3-0 vs the AFC East on the Road so now Buffalo and Miami have to come to us. Take away next week's game at Tennessee, our schedule is in our favor. Dare I say that word that starts with "P"? I won't say it yet but I'm starting to believe now !

Thursday Night Attire

Who's wearing this shirt on Thursday Night !

Jenkins Is The Key To The D !

This guy is turning out to be the defensive MVP of the Jets this year !

Historic Win Sets Up Thursday Night's Battle

I missed the home opener this year for my neice's baby naming. But, since then, the Jets have had 4 home games and now, each has been a victory.

Of those two games, I have witnessed a 34-0 lead that turned into the Jets scoring 55 points. Now, yesterday, I get a 40-0 lead at half-time and romp 47-3 which turned out to be the gets biggest margin of victory EVER.

Now, it sets up for the biggest game in a few years on Thursday Night. It's Jets vs Patriots with the winner taking sole position of first place.

I don't even know where to begin from yesterday's game. The offense did everything right. Favre didn't even need to do much as he completed just 14 passes (but only missed on 5) for a season low 167 yards. But, that is fine with me as he made the throws when he needed to. The biggest one was a 54 yard bomb to first round pick Dustin Keller. When was the last time you saw a Jets tight end run a DEEP route and catch the ball? This guy is going to change the entire offense as he learns the game. He also caught a short TD and had his first 100 yard game as a pro. What was great is that it was Favre's first time in 8 games he didn't throw an interception. Again, we didn't have to throw the ball too much. In the entire 2nd half, we only had two passing attempts.

The Jets didn't need to pass because they were running all day long. Thomas Jones had the brunt of the work rushing for 149 yards and 3 TDs. The Jets scored EVERY time they touched the ball in the first half (7 for 7).

However, the story of the day was the defense. We forced 5 turnovers (two interceptions and 3 fumbles). Calvin Pace ran for a 50 yard TD after Abram Elam squashed their QB forcing the ball loose. Kerry Rhodes finally got into the interception action snagging one as we as Hank Poteat. Dwight Lowery and Bryan Thomas also forced the other fumbles. We were pressuring the QB all day and were just dominating them against the run as they had no where to go.

And how about backup kicker Jay Feely? He booted some pretty long field goals including a 55 yarder.

It was a complete game all around but it was against the pathetic Rams.

Thursday night will tell a better story if we can go up to Foxboro and stick it up the Pats asses !

First Place Baby !

Ahhhh, it's nice to be in first place. We are technically tied with the Patriots and Bills but the tie breaker for 3 teams is divisional record and we have a better one!

Yesterday was a bit interesting.

We basically swapped touchdowns on interception returns but Favre's really hurt us as his was late in the game and made it into a nail biter.

But, I loved how he responded. He orchestrated a 14 play, near 9 minute drive for a field goal to solidify the victory.

There was one stretch of the game where the Bills had the ball for 24 straight plays and got basically nothing out of it. My fear was that the defense was going to get tired but they played a solid game. Jenkins had his best day as a Jet with two sacks and a few other pressures. Revis had a great day as well with two interceptions with one going for 92 yards for the score.

But, the play of the game had to be Leon Washington what he did on a kickoff return after the Bills scored to make it close again. A ball gets kicked deep near the sideline but was not going out of bounds. Leon takes on foot and make sure it is out of bounds. While keeping his foot out of bounds, he fields the ball which was still in play. Huh? It turns out that doing this is the same as kicking the ball out of bounds. Who the hell knows this rule? Who has the brains on the field to even think about this? Hats off to Westoff for coaching this little known rule into his players heads. Instead of starting deep in our end, we now were starting on the 40 yard line. What a great play. He should have gotten the game ball just for this play alone.

The offense mixed it up a bit better not just throwing the ball and had a more balanced attack. They got some big key runs out of Jones and Washington when they needed it and Coles and Cotchery had solid games.

Hey, we went into Buffalo where we NEVER play well and won a divisional game. I'm not gonna get too nit picky on this one.

Can you say 5-3 and those First Place Jets ! Woooooooooooooo Yeah !