Jets Inch Colts Out of Playoffs By One

January 8, 2011

Jets 17
Colts 16

This is the second time these two teams have met each other in the playoffs in two years, the first being won by the Indianapolis Colts, where they had scored 24 unanswered points and beat the New York Jets 38-17 in teh 2009 AFC Championship game. Colts quarterback Peyton Manning has a record 9-10 in post season games, and this one was his nineteenth start.

For the Colts defense, both defensive ends Robert Mathis and Dwight Freeney, who had a combined 66 tackles and 24 forced fumbles the last two seasons, were healthy and played the whole game.

Jets' head coach Rex Ryan called this game against the Colts "personal" and had planned a different approach to stopping Manning's efficiency: shut down Manning's key receivers instead of focusing too much defensive energy on blitzing the quarterback--who is one of the best quarterbacks at changing play calls at the line of scrimmage. Jets corner backs and their coverage of Colt wide outs played a big part in their defensive attack, with Antonio Cromartie covering Pierre Garcon and Darrelle Revis covering Reggie Wayne. Revis held Wayne that day to only one catch for minus one yard.

Colts running backs Joseph Addai and Dominic Rhodes each had at least 13 carries (Rhodes had 14) and their first half play rush yardage was more than their Week 17 play against the Tennessee Titans (First half 116 rush yards, Week 17, 101 rush yards).

Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez had a shaky game, overthrowing his receivers and throwing an interception as well as getting sacked. Jets running backs LaDanian Tomlinson and Sean Green helped Sanchez immensely; Tomlinson had 16 rushes for 82 yards and two touchdowns.

Colts kicker Adam Vinatieri kept them in the game after wide receiver Garcon's score, their only touchdown, in the second quarter. Vinatieri made it from 32, 47, and 50 yards out, the last being what the Colts thought was the game winning field goal. This score would have added to Manning's one other postseason fourth quarter winning drive (he's had 45 in the regular season). Much to the Colts' chagrin, the Jets came back. Jets quarterback Sanchez rallied his teammates when they needed it the most and with a clutch catch made by wide receiver Braylon Edwards, the Jets were within field goal range. With under five seconds left in teh game, kicker Nick Folk nailed a 32 yarder, making him 4 of 5 for lead changing field goals and winning the game for his team.

Deservingly so, the New York Sports Digest headline after the game read, "Folk Yeah!" This was the Colts' first Wild Card loss in playoff history. Jets coach Rex Ryan now has a postseason record of 4-1. The Jets will head to Foxborough next week to face the AFC East Division Champion New England Patriots.