The New York Jets had no choice but to “play and pray” on Jan. 1. Unfortunately, the football gods weren’t there to answer their prayers, as a 19-17 loss to the Miami Dolphins, combined with the Tennessee Titans’ 23-22 win over the Houston Texans, mathematically eliminated them from the playoffs. With the Jets losing and Titans coming away victorious, the AFC playoff picture is a bit clearer.

The game was over when: Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez, who threw three interceptions in the game, was picked off by Dolphins linebacker Marvin Mitchell with 2:55 remaining in the fourth quarter. The Jets were down 16-10 at the time, but just 10 yards away from taking the lead back with a touchdown pass. Instead, Mitchell jumped in front of Shonn Greene to grab the pick, and took it all the way back to the Jets’ 36-yard line, which set up a Dolphins kicker Dan Carpenter for a 44-yard field goal to put his team up 19-10, essentially sealing the win.

The difference: Even though the Dolphins had one of the toughest defenses in the NFL to run against, the Jets reverted back to the ground-and-pound style of offense that made them so successful in 2009 and 2010. LaDainian Tomlinson, playing in what could be the final game of his career, put in a vintage performance and looked like a guy with plenty of gas left in the tank.

Tomlinson rushed for 33 yards on six carries in the first half alone, and he surpassed Jerome Bettis early in the third quarter for fifth all-time in rushing yards. The Jets also established Shonn Greene early on, utilizing his downhill, straight-up-the-middle rushing approach to wear the Dolphins out by the end of the first half. Greene had 10 carries for 38 yards by halftime. Greene finished with 55 yards on the ground.

But with the Jets falling behind in the second half and with time running down, they were forced to rely on their passing attack, and Mark Sanchez’s late-interceptions would ultimately do the Jets in. Sanchez’s final line was abysmal, as his 207 passing yards and two touchdown completions didn’t mean much in comparison to his three game-changing interceptions.

Overall: The first half was ugly on both sides. Manish Mehta, Jets beat writer for the New York Daily News, tweeted at halftime that “The Dolphins’ last four drives include three 3-and-outs and an INT. Not good.” Seconds later, Mehta tweeted “#nyjJets offense: Four 3-and-outs in six drives in the first half. Also, not good. #nyj.”

Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez didn’t do much to quiet his critics, as his interception toss nine seconds before halftime resulted in a 58-yard field goal from Dolphins kicker Dan Carpenter. With time winding down in the fourth quarter, Santonio Holmes was seen on camera screaming at one of his teammates in the huddle and was then benched. At his post-game press conference, he was asked if he wanted to return to the Jets next year and he responded by not answering the question, simply saying “Thank you guys” to the media on hand.

Even if the Jets won, they would have been out of the playoff chase with Houston falling short against Tennessee, but a well-played victory over the Dolphins could have been a nice springboard to propel them into next season. Now, after finishing 8-8 with three straight losses down the stretch, they have a long offseason to ponder what exactly went wrong this year.

Eric Holden is a lifelong New York Jets fan. Follow him on Twitter @ericholden.

Sources

www.nfl.com, NFL, player and team stats

www.twitter.com/thejetsstream, Manish Mehta tweets

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

Looks like nobody stayed on script since mid-Fall in this Season at the Improv, when the Dolphins were in mid-free fall and first saw the Jets.

Matt Moore, who made his first Dolphins start that night, plays quarterback for the AFC offense with the most pass plays longer than 25 yards and featuring the Dolphins’ first 1,000-yard receiving and rushing combination, Brandon Marshall and Reggie Bush (but not Sunday). The Dolphins didn’t see their coach fired after an 0-7 start, but after their second loss in the next five games. With the playoffs in sight, the Jets got smacked around each of the past two weeks and have been less consistent than the Dolphins.

Now, New York’s green team comes to town needing a win to start the dominoes falling toward another in-by-their-heel-skin playoff berth.

OK, that you might have guessed. That’s typical of a game that features the Dolphins and Jets, who comprise the NFL rivalry that regularly pours the wacky sauce on an NFL weekend.

Season finales are no exception. Remember how Brett Favre’s season in New York, 2008, ended foiled by a leaping Ted Ginn touchdown catch and defensive end Philip Merling’s interception-return touchdown?

Take the situation of one of the two probable Hall of Famers possibly ending their careers Sunday, the Jets’ LaDainian Tomlinson and the Dolphins’ Jason Taylor.

Taylor has played the second-most games as a Dolphin behind arguably South Florida’s greatest sporting icon, Dan Marino. He has been a local community pillar, similar to Marino. And it’s entirely possible during the pregame ceremony honoring him — the Dolphins ask that fans be in their seats by 12:45 p.m. — he will hear boos from the Dolphins fans who can’t forgive Taylor for being a Jet during 2010.

“There are a lot of coincidences I guess,” Taylor said. “It’s great to end at home. It’s great to have a chance to walk away and do it in front of your home crowd in a city that means a lot to you against an opponent that you’ve had a tremendous history against.

“I want to win. I want to win the game. I don’t want to win the game so I can say I won my last game. This is not about Jason Taylor and my career and all that stuff. It’s not about that. There’s guys in this locker room that are fighting for jobs, fighting for their futures, auditioning for their next jobs, trying to improve and grow their game and their career, so I’m just a small piece of this team train.”

That train has gone on some serpentine tracks. Ask Dolphins players if this is the weirdest season they have been a part of and you get either “definitely” or a head-shaking “it’s football.”

Nobody’s saying the Jets marched in a straight line to their end, whatever that might be. Instead of a secure future with a quarterback settling into a groove, Jets coach Rex Ryan finds himself refuting questions about Mark Sanchez’s future and fielding a mediocre defense.

“I really think we can do some damage if we get into the playoffs,” Ryan said. “I don’t think there’s any doubt about that, because I think we play excellent defense, I think we can run the football and I think that’s what you have to do this time of year.

“So, can we do some things if we can get in? I think we can. Are we better than the eight wins? I think you are who you are. Right now, we’ve won eight games.”

But, then in the next breath, Ryan said: “I’ll tell you what’s interesting. When you look at when we played Miami … 0-7 to start with, 5-3 their last eight games. I’ve always said that they were a better team than their record. I never thought there was any doubt. And the fact that they’re 5-3 in their last eight games I think proves that they’re a better team.”

Just like it all graphed out two and a half months ago.

According to a Yahoo! Sports report, Rex Ryan expects Brian Schottenheimer to be running the New York Jets’ offense again next season unless the embattled offensive coordinator becomes a head coach elsewhere. “I’ll say that, obviously, if he gets a head coaching job, then `See you later,”‘ Ryan said in the report.

“I’ll be happy to see that. Do I expect him back? It’s probably 50-50 on that, because I think there is an opportunity for Brian to get a head coaching job this year. I thought it the first two years, but it wasn’t to be. He certainly will be a qualified applicant to be a head coach, that’s for sure.”

Here are the main reasons why Schottenheimer won’t get a head coaching job next season:

Window of Opportunity Is Long-Gone

Sometimes you have to strike while the iron is still hot. Schottenheimer was a hot head-coaching candidate in the 2009 offseason after helping the Jets reach the AFC Championship Game behind a ground-and-pound flavored offense led by a rookie quarterback, but it’s a whole different ballgame in 2011. The Jets offense is ranked 27th in the NFL and Schottenheimer’s play-calling has been called in question of late after his team suffered back-to-back losses to the Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants.

Regressing Mark Sanchez Takes Another Step Back

Now in his third season in the NFL, Sanchez was supposed to take another step forward this year after leading the Jets to two consecutive AFC Championship Games. But Sanchez’s worrisome performances in 2011 certainly reflect badly on Schottenheimer, as the quarterback has almost identical numbers to the regular-season stats he put up last year.

The main difference is that Sanchez shined down the stretch last season, while he’s been a flop in December of this year. In his past two games, Sanchez tallied quarterback ratings of 67.8 and 54.2 with a total of four interceptions.

Identity Crisis

The Jets were successful in 2009 and 2010 because they devised a gameplan and stuck to it. Ground-and-pound was the name of the game and it worked well down the stretch as opposing defenses were worn down by late-December.

In 2011 the Jets passed far more often then they should have, with Mark Sanchez attempting a career-high 59 attempts in a loss against the Giants and 44 times in a Week Three loss to the Oakland Raiders. Schottenheimer should have given Shonn Greene at least 20 carries a game earlier in the season, but instead he was limited to 16 or less in each of his first four contests.

Upbeat Demeanor

Schottenheimer doesn’t have the right demeanor to become a successful head coach in the NFL. His bright, upbeat nature and “buddy-buddy” shtick with the players may work as an offensive coordinator, but not as the main guy in charge of a team. “We appreciate him being the type of guy to stand up in front of us and say, `You know what, guys? My mistake on that. That was a bad call by me,”‘ running back LaDainian Tomlinson said of Schottenheimer. “He’s done that plenty of times. So who are we to criticize? When I miss a block, that’s my own fault. I missed the block. We just have to hold each other accountable and have each other’s backs at all times.”

The best leaders in the NFL are the guys that can light a fire under the players and motivate with a certain brashness that Schottenheimer doesn’t have. From Tom Coughlin to Bill Belichick to Mike Tomlin, the top coaches in the NFL are the ones who can run their ship like a military sergeant when the time calls for it.

Eric Holden is a lifelong New York Jets fan. Follow him on Twitter @ericholden.

Sources

www.nfl.com, NFL, player and team stats

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

MIAMI – Jason Taylor’s ready to hang it up, while the New York Jets are desperate to keep playing.

Taylor plans to retire after Sunday’s season finale for the Miami Dolphins. They’ll try to send him out with a win against the Jets, who need a victory to keep alive their slim hopes of making the playoffs.

Even if the Jets win, to earn a post-season berth they’ll also need losses Sunday by Cincinnati, Tennessee and either Denver or Oakland.

“This is the first time I have ever been in a situation like this,” said receiver Plaxico Burress, a 10-year veteran. “If we do get in, great. If things don’t work out, we have nobody to blame but ourselves.”

The Jets (8-7) lost control of their destiny when they were beaten last week by the Giants 29-14. Now the Jets are in danger of missing the playoffs after reaching the AFC championship game each of the past two years, and elimination could come at the hands of the AFC East rival Dolphins (5-10).

“It would be beautiful to ruin their playoff dreams,” Miami defensive end Kendall Langford said. “We’re playing for pride. They’re playing for a playoff spot.”

The teams meet in a regular-season finale for the first time since 2008, when the Dolphins won to clinch their only division title since 2000. That game eliminated the Jets from playoff contention.

This year the Dolphins have been consigned to a spoiler’s role since Halloween, thanks to their 0-7 start. Taylor’s retirement announcement this week provided some additional motivation for the last game.

The NFL’s active sack leader spent 13 of his 15 seasons with Miami, made the Pro Bowl six times and ranks with the greatest players in franchise history.

“His presence will be missed, not only in our locker room, but in this organization,” receiver Brandon Marshall said. “Those guys are once-in-a-lifetime guys. We would love for him to go out with a win.”

Coincidentally, Taylor played last season for the Jets before rejoining the Dolphins.

“He was a great teammate, and we loved having him here,” Jets tight end Dustin Keller said. “But they’re going to want to send him off with a big win, and we can’t let that happen. We know what kind of player he is and what he’s capable of, and we can’t let him disrupt the game.”

Taylor has 16 1/2 of his 139 1/2 sacks against the Jets, although he managed none when the teams met in October. New York won 24-6, and while the Dolphins have been a much better team lately, they’ll be without 1,000-yard rusher Reggie Bush because of a knee injury.

The Dolphins took a 17-point lead at New England last week before losing 27-24, which left them 0-5 in games decided by a field goal or less. The Jets’ loss to the Giants carried even more sting, because it may wind up costing them a playoff berth.

Coach Rex Ryan declared months ago that these Jets are even more talented than the two teams he took to the AFC title game. But New York has given up 74 points while losing the past two games, and the offence was so out of sorts against the Giants that Mark Sanchez was forced to throw a career-high 59 passes. The Jets rank 27th in the NFL in yardage, stirring speculation about offensive co-ordinator Brian Schottenheimer’s job security.

With typical bravado, Ryan insisted the season might yet be salvaged.

“We can do some damage if we get into the playoffs,” he said. “I don’t think there’s any doubt about that, because I think we play excellent defence, I think we can run the football, and I think that’s what you have to do this time of year.”

But getting to the post-season is now a long shot. Three of the other games that will determine the Jets’ fate are late starts Sunday, which means that if they win, the Jets will likely be flying home when they learn whether their season is over.

“We’re just focused on the things we can control, and that’s trying to play well against Miami and coming up with a win,” Sanchez said. “After that, we’ll see what happens. Hopefully we get a win and on the plane we find out everything worked out in our favour. But all we can control is winning.”

The Dolphins, meanwhile, are bound for another off-season of change. Coach Tony Sparano was fired Dec. 12, and the next coach will be Miami’s seventh since the start of 2004. With a losing record for the third consecutive year — the Dolphins’ first such stretch since the 1960s — a roster shake-up is likely, too.

Given his team’s situation, the 37-year-old Taylor decided the time was right to call it quits. He’ll do it after playing his 204th game for the Dolphins, more than anyone aside from Dan Marino.

“It’s great to have a chance to walk away in front of your home crowd in a city that means a lot to you against an opponent that you’ve had a tremendous history against,” Taylor said. “I want to win the game, but not so I can say I won my last game. This is not about Jason Taylor and my career. There are guys in the locker-room that are fighting for jobs, fighting for their futures, auditioning for their next jobs. So I’m just a small piece of this team train. I’m going to do my part Sunday to help win.”

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. – Rex Ryan expects Brian Schottenheimer to be running the New York Jets’ offence again next season.

Unless, of course, the embattled offensive co-ordinator becomes a head coach elsewhere.

Schottenheimer has been widely criticized by fans and some media as the Jets’ offence has struggled all season and quarterback Mark Sanchez has not progressed the way the team expected. Some reports have speculated that Schottenheimer’s job could be in serious jeopardy if the Jets fail to make the playoffs.

“I’ll say that, obviously, if he gets a head coaching job, then ‘See you later,’” Ryan said Friday. “I’ll be happy to see that. Do I expect him back? It’s probably 50-50 on that, because I think there is an opportunity for Brian to get a head coaching job this year. I thought it the first two years, but it wasn’t to be. He certainly will be a qualified applicant to be a head coach, that’s for sure.”

Schottenheimer has turned down a few interview opportunities in previous years to remain with the Jets, including Buffalo’s vacancy after the 2009 season. But with increasing criticism of the 27th-ranked offence and Schottenheimer’s play calling, he potentially could look elsewhere this time around.

Although Ryan mostly sidestepped the issue earlier in the week, Friday marked his most definitive show of support for Schottenheimer. When asked what would happen if Schottenheimer does not get a head coaching job this off-season, Ryan responded: “Then, I expect him back.”

Schottenheimer signed a two-year contract extension in the off-season that would keep him with the Jets through the 2013 season, and he said Thursday he would like to remain with the team.

“I’ve said all along, I love being here,” he said. “All I’m worried about is this weekend, because that is what I can control.”

The Jets (8-7) will play the Dolphins (5-10) in Miami on Sunday needing a win and plenty of help from other teams if they are to make the post-season for the third straight year.

Schottenheimer doesn’t think he needs his offence to have a great game to save his job, and he has taken similar heat at times in his previous five seasons with the Jets. But the public outcry against him has been stronger than ever — a Facebook page has been set up to support the cause — and owner Woody Johnson could potentially look to send a message if New York fails to reach the post-season after consecutive trips to the AFC title game.

Most players have publicly supported Schottenheimer, saying there’s plenty of blame to pass around for their subpar performance.

“We appreciate him being the type of guy to stand up in front of us and say, ‘You know what, guys? My mistake on that. That was a bad call by me,’” running back LaDainian Tomlinson said of Schottenheimer. “He’s done that plenty of times. So who are we to criticize? When I miss a block, that’s my own fault. I missed the block. We just have to hold each other accountable and have each other’s backs at all times.”

Schottenheimer, the son of former NFL coach Marty Schottenheimer, was surprisingly upbeat when he met with the media Thursday and insisted he wasn’t letting the criticism get to him.

“Rex and I talk about that all the time,” Schottenheimer said. “We learn so much about this game, just growing up around our fathers, that maybe it allows you to handle things like this a little bit better than most.”

Notes: LB Garrett McIntyre (knee) is questionable for Sunday’s game after being limited in practice. CB Antonio Cromartie (hamstring) and S Eric Smith (knee) also were limited, but Ryan says both will play. … S Jim Leonhard was in the locker-room for the first time since surgery two weeks ago on the torn patellar tendon in his right knee that ended his season. He was on crutches and said his recovery would be up to six months. Leonhard, coming off his second straight serious season-ending injury, is due to become a free agent in March. “I’m 100 per cent confident that I’m going to be playing football somewhere next year,” he said. “Obviously, with the history here, you’d like it to be here, but you never know.” Added Ryan: “A guy like Jimmy Leonhard, I expect that he will be able to come back. I don’t think he is through playing.” … The Jets announced their team awards, which included CB Darrelle Revis being named MVP by his teammates, Tomlinson selected “most inspirational” and TE Dustin Keller named the “Walter Payton Man Of The Year” for his extensive charity work.