The Philadelphia Eagles have plenty of reasons to be bitter at the New York Jets. First the Eagles destroyed the Jets on Dec. 18 to get their hopes up for a miracle playoff run, and then the Jets ruined that by losing to the New York Giants on Dec. 24. But while Philadelphia fans are stewing in disappointment, they can take solace in how New York fans – also like myself – are equally disappointed in their team.

The Jets have gone from potential Super Bowl contenders to playoff long shots in the span of just a few weeks. What’s more, New York has lived through this situation before – which pretty much triggered the Rex Ryan/Mark Sanchez era to begin with.

Before Ryan and Sanchez arrived in 2009, New York was just coming off the end of its stint in the Brett Favre soap opera. In 2008, the Jets had Super Bowl hype around them when Favre came to town, but they started slowly with a 3-3 record. Likewise in 2011, the team stumbled out of the gate to a 2-3 start. Yet in midseason, the 2008 and 2011 squads got on a roll and looked ready to make a big run.

The 2008 team was a bit hotter, as it won five straight games to go to 8-3. And since the defending champion Giants only had one loss at the time, hype for an all-New York Super Bowl was building up. However, once the Jets got their eighth win everything started to fall apart – like it has for the 2011 edition.

The outcomes aren’t completely similar, since Favre’s Jets did at least get a ninth win while Sanchez’s team is still stuck at 8-7. But in both cases, they had chances to lock up playoff berths and utterly collapsed in the month of December. Favre ran out of gas and was more hobbled up than usual, three years before Sanchez completely crumbled against the Eagles and Giants.

The 2008 Jets got so bad in their final two losses that it triggered a full scale makeover, as Favre “retired” again, Eric Mangini was fired and the Ryan era was ready to begin. New York seemed to get the better end of that deal with two straight AFC title game appearances, yet Ryan and Sanchez have now reached the low point of their tenure.

If the 2011 Jets complete their collapse and miss the playoffs as well, it might not get Ryan and Sanchez out of town like the 2008 downfall did to Mangini and Favre. However, after three years of talk and bluster and no Super Bowls for Ryan, and after another season of regression from Sanchez, their time is starting to run out. After this, New York might not forgive another year or two with this kind of ending – or any other ending before the first week of February.

In 2009 and 2010, the Jets proved to be experts at ending a season on a hot streak. But in between , there have been a pair of pretty ugly Decembers that have kept New York from January. The consequences for the horrible ending of 2011 may not be as severe as the ones from 2008. Yet Ryan and Sanchez’s window of opportunity is getting smaller, and that might be severe enough before long.

Robert Dougherty is a life-long Philadelphia resident who has followed the Eagles since he was eight years old.

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According to a Yahoo! Sports report, the Christmas Eve clash between the New York Giants and New York Jets actually matters for a change. “For all the history of these teams – the Jets have Joe Namath and Super Bowl III while the Giants have Lawrence Taylor, the David Tyree catch and three titles – none of it intersects,” says the author of the article, Jason Cole. But of the 11 times the teams played during the regular season over the past 42 years, five were highly entertaining and significant. Here’s a look back at the top five games in the Giants-Jets rivalry.

1) Nov. 1, 1981

The Giants and Jets were both in the midst of the playoff race by the midway point of the season, and the early November matchup between the squads would determine who was the top team in New York in the 1981 season. The Jets, featuring legendary Sack Exchange players Mark Gastineau, Joe Klecko, Marty Lyons and Abdul Salaam, sacked Giants quarterback Phil Simms nine times and held their offense to just seven points. The Jets came away with a 26-7 win.

2) Dec. 18, 1988

The teams squared off in the season finale of the 1988 season, with the Jets coming away with a 27-21 victory to knock the 10-6 Giants out of the playoff race. The Jets, who finished 8-7-1, were already eliminated from the postseason, but they showed plenty of heart in the affair. The Jets held a 20-7 lead in the third quarter, but Phil Simms hit Stephen Baker and Lionel Manuel for touchdown passes to give the Giants a 21-20 advantage. But with time winding down, Jets wide receiver Al Toon caught a touchdown pass to seal the victory for the Jets and end the Giants’ playoff hopes.

3) Nov. 2, 2003

The Giants would win their third straight game against the Jets in a wildly entertaining overtime affair on Nov. 2, 2003. New York Jets quarterback Chad Pennington pushed the pace of the offense and led a late comeback charge, tying the game at 28-all in the waning minutes of regulation time. But Giants kicker Brett Conway booted a field game with four seconds left in overtime to earn a 31-28 victory for his team.

4) Oct. 7, 2007

The last time the Giants played the Jets in the regular season was in the 2007-08 season, the year they won the Super Bowl over the New England Patriots. The Giants would ultimately win their fourth consecutive game over the Jets in thrilling, come-from-behind fashion. The Giants found themselves behind, 24-14, but Eli Manning connected on touchdown passes to wide receivers Jeremy Shockey and Plaxico Burress to put his team back on top. Aaron Ross then sealed the victory with a game-changing interception, ultimately helping the Giants come out on top, 35-24.

5) Nov. 10, 1974

The Jets earned a 26-20 win over the Giants for their first ever regular-season overtime victory. It was also the first time any regular-season NFL game ended with an overtime win, as this was the year that the league instituted overtime to non-playoff games. It was a back-and-forth affair, with the Jets tying the game in the fourth quarter on a quarterback sneak from Joe Namath. In the overtime period, Namath connected with Emerson Boozer to seal the win for the Jets.

Eric Holden is a lifelong New York Jets fan and he will be pulling for his team to knock Big Blue out of the playoffs on Christmas Eve. Follow the author on Twitter @ericholden.

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PHILADELPHIA (AP)—Andy Reid and the rest of the Philadelphia Eagles are
hoping the team they just whipped helps them out in a big way.

The Eagles (6-8) are still in the playoff hunt in a mediocre NFC East
following a 45-19 rout over the New York Jets on Sunday. Now they’ll need those
same Jets (8-6) to beat the New York Giants (7-7) on Saturday to keep them in
contention.

“I’m a big Jets fan this week,” Reid said Monday.

So is everyone else in Philly.

The Jets-Giants game should be over before the Eagles kick off against
division-leading Dallas (8-6) on Christmas Eve. So, there will be plenty of
scoreboard watching during pregame warmups.

“You control what you control,” Reid said. “You have to play the game
whether that team wins or loses.”

For the Eagles to repeat as NFC East champions, they must beat the Cowboys
on the road and defeat Washington at home on Jan. 1. They need the Giants to
lose to the Jets and then beat Dallas in their last game.

If all four scenarios work out Philadelphia’s way, the Eagles would win the
division in a three-way tie at 8-8 because they would have the best record in
the East at 5-1.

“It feels good that we are still alive,” tight end Brent Celek said.
“That is all you can ask for at this point. We are not where we wanted to be at
the beginning of the season, but we are doing all we can do with what we have.
We just have to play together as a team and go up there, fight and beat
Dallas.”

The Eagles weren’t supposed to be in a position where they had to scratch
and claw and hope to make the playoffs. Many experts picked them to contend for
the Super Bowl this season after an offseason spending spree brought several
star players to Philadelphia, joining an already strong core that included
Michael Vick, LeSean McCoy and DeSean Jackson. Even management declared this an
all-or-nothing year.

But a 1-4 start doomed the Eagles and they’ve failed miserably to live up to
those enormous expectations. Consecutive lopsided losses to New England and
Seattle dropped the Eagles to 4-8 and seemingly ended their playoff chances.
Fans were calling for Reid to be fired, and for offensive line
coach-turned-defensive coordinator Juan Castillo to go with him.

Now it appears both Reid and Castillo have secured themselves another
season. Players have rallied around Castillo, saying they have more confidence
in his schemes and calls. The results support that. The defense has shown vast
improvement recently, holding both Miami and the Jets to under 250 total yards
and getting 13 sacks.

“You have to understand that we really didn’t have training camp,”
Castillo said. “And I think initially I started too fast and what I found out
is I had to go backwards with some of those guys because they had missed some of
that and we were making some mistakes just on fundamental stuff. You know, now
as we understand all of our packages, we’re able to add as we keep going. And
there is still a lot to add, but the first thing we have to understand is how to
handle our fundamental packages.”

From Florham Park, N.J. — For the past couple of years, we have heard a lot from the bombastic New York Jets about what they are and what they’re capable of doing.

On Thursday, the loudest voice in the locker room disclosed what the Jets are not.

“I don’t think we’re a Super Bowl team,” linebacker Bart Scott said. “Right now, we’re not even a playoff team.”

That might sound like blasphemy in Rex Ryan country, where the Lombardi Trophy isn’t just mentioned but is promised — “I guarantee we’ll win it this year,” the coach said at the scouting combine in February — yet these Jets have had a bit of the edge knocked off them this season.

Still, they control their destiny. If they run the table in these final three weeks, they will secure at least the No. 6 seed in the AFC. That will require some strong play from their No. 6, quarterback Mark Sanchez, and knocking off Philadelphia, the New York Giants, and Miami.

The Jets (8-5) are perfectly capable of doing that, seeing as they typically have gotten better at the end of the season under Ryan, the Giants could have their playoff spot locked up when they play the Jets, and the Dolphins won’t be overflowing with incentive in their finale.

But the real measuring stick for the Jets will be Sunday’s game against the Eagles, a team similarly loaded with talent and likewise capable of laying an egg. Philadelphia should have banged-up Michael Vick and receiver Jeremy Maclin in the lineup, is coming off its most complete defensive effort of the season (a 26-10 victory at Miami), and has a wisp of hope of winning the NFC East (the Eagles must go 3-0; Cowboys and Giants 1-2 or worse).

As pleased as the Jets are that they’re riding a three-game winning streak, they know that those triumphs came against downward-spiraling Buffalo, Washington with Rex Grossman and Kansas City with Tyler Palko.

Vick and the Eagles should be a real test, a way for the Jets to determine whether they truly belong in the upper echelon of teams, or if all those championship promises were just more hype by the Hudson.

This much we know: In each of their first two years under Ryan, the Jets surged at the end of the season and made it to the AFC championship game despite never playing host to a postseason contest. The Jets are loaded with experienced players who have come within one step of the NFL’s biggest stage.

“I think there’s benefit of going through the playoffs and gaining that experience,” Ryan said. “Well, no team has won more playoff games than the New York Jets have over a two-year period — not Green Bay, not anybody — so that’s going to help us. We have to get there first, obviously, but that could make us dangerous.

“The fact that we’re the No. 1 red-zone scoring team in the league. The fact that we’re built to win games in December and January with the way we attack people offensively.… And then our defense, we’re starting to hit our stride.”

Some of the Jets’ biggest talkers have been more muted in recent weeks as the team has struggled to regain its equilibrium after the one-two punch of losses to New England and Denver over a five-day stretch in mid-November. The Denver loss was particularly deflating because the Jets played 55 minutes of outstanding defense, only to lose down the stretch when Tim Tebow directed a 95-yard scoring drive to steal the victory for the Broncos.

Two weeks later, Jets guard Matt Slauson confided: “There was a point after the Denver game there where it did seem like the panic button had been pressed a little bit.”

So far, pushing that button has worked. Clearly, the Jets recognize the urgency of the situation and that they have the potential to do some damage in the playoffs with the way the AFC appears to be so wide open.

Denver leads the AFC West, and no one knows how far the Broncos can go without a consistent passing attack. Houston, which won the AFC South, has a rookie quarterback in T.J. Yates who’s largely untested. New England has Tom Brady and a dazzling record of success, but also the league’s last-ranked defense. Ben Roethlisberger is dealing with a bum left ankle, and Pittsburgh might have to start Charlie Batch in San Francisco on Monday.

As it stands, Baltimore looks like the most complete team in the conference, and the Ravens stomped the Jets in Week 4, 34-17, scoring three touchdowns off Sanchez turnovers. The Jets didn’t have Pro Bowl center Nick Mangold in that game, so that played a part in their inability to handle the Ravens’ rush.

In his first year as Jets coach, Ryan mistakenly thought his team was eliminated from the playoffs after a home loss to Atlanta in December 2009. He was barbecued for that in New York, considering the Jets were not only still alive but also went on to reach the postseason.

This time, it’s some of his players who are managing their expectations, making sure they don’t get too far ahead of themselves.

“We’re still trying to play our best football,” Scott said. “We’re still trying to play completely as a team.… You just don’t wake up and say, ‘We’re a Super Bowl team.’”

Coming from the chest-thumping Jets, that’s growth.

sam.farmer@latimes.com

twitter.com/LATimesfarmer

“J-E-T-S, Jets! Jets!! Jets!!!” This is what every person yells who bleeds green and white on a football day or night because they know the New York Jets are in their flight mode, or as Santonio Holmes likes to say, ‘Tone Time,’ ready to win this game so they’re a step closer holding the Lamordi Trophy. Because everyone knows, when a team holds the Lombardi Trophy, they have every right to say they were the best in the world that year. Yes, the Jets deserve to say that!

I’m definitely not the one who is going to talk bad about the NY Jets because I believe they are strong, tough, fun trash-talkers, intelligent nice guys who all need a Super Bowl ring and many more. The flight boys can make some mistakes every now and again but making mistakes helps people learn to make better choices on and off the field.

The offense is coming together in ways that we may not always have to count on defense to win games. No one really talks about quarterback Mark Sanchez’s weapons, so I will! He goes from wide receivers Plaxico Burress, Santonio Holmes to Jeremy Kerley, then to his tight end number 81, Dustin Keller (remember this name!) and if he wants to run the ball, running backs Shonn Greene and LaDainian Tomlinson are there backing him up. While Sanchez is busy throwing the ball, he has the best center, Nick Mangold, leading the offensive line.

When I watch the Jets offense, it gives me the idea that if I put my mind to something, the end results will be fantastic. Touchdown! The Jets defense, though, teaches me to never give up and be tough.

Where should I even begin with their defense? Rex Ryan had made comments about how it would be sweet if his defense were better than the 85 Chicago Bears defense. But 26 years from now, people will want their team to be like the 2011 Jets defense. When I finally own a NFL team in my future, I would want it so bad; I might beg linebackers Bart Scott, David Harris cornerbacks Antonio Cromartie and Darrelle Revis to be on my team.

I love number 51 on defense, Aaron Maybin. He is a role model that people should look up to. He dealt with some personal issues in football and out of football by being labeled as a burst to losing a child. To escape from problems, he draws. He doesn’t cause issues and I think doesn’t want to be a part of any problems unless it involves hitting the quarterback.

Also, Eric Smith and Jim Leonhard are the best safeties in the league. I mean, they would never let a rookie catch a touchdown pass; cough cough, Troy Polamalu.

But one thing I want to tell everyone, including New England Patriot fans: Just because your team won against the Jets before does not mean you guys are the best football team ever and the Jets suck. It means you were better that day. Repeat this in your head a couple of times!

 

The Philadelphia Eagles could have their season ended for all practical purposes with a loss to the Arizona Cardinals on Nov. 13. If so, then I would have to focus on my other favorite team, the New York Jets, to get me through December and January. Yet if the Jets are going to make it to January and beyond, they have to prove they can beat the best.

Defeating the San Diego Chargers and the Buffalo Bills seems to have proven that they can do that, and beating the New England Patriots in a Sunday night showcase would be even better. However, New York has also gotten lucky by taking on San Diego and Buffalo when they weren’t at their best – and now New England is quite vulnerable as well.

The Chargers were 4-1 and the Bills were 5-2 before the Jets came and knocked them off. Yet now the Chargers have sunk to 4-5 and there are doubts on whether the Bills can keep up their early pace in the long run. While New York came up big in beating these potential contenders, it was fortunate to catch them when they were due for a letdown.

Similarly, the Jets are fortunate to catch the Patriots during a rare down period for Tom Brady(notes) and company. After tough losses to the Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Giants, the Patriots are down to 5-3 as well and aren’t looking like the champions of old. When New England is at its best, it is that much harder for the likes of New York to knock them off – as the Jets learned when they lost in Foxboro on Oct. 9.

At that time, the Jets were working on a three-game losing streak and looked like they were taking a step back, while the Patriots looked on track to dominate the AFC East again. Circumstances have changed a month later, yet if New York is really ready to take control of the division and its own Super Bowl destiny, it won’t let things change back another month later.

The Jets have caught two winning teams while they were down already, but catching this one would make the biggest statement of all. With a win, New York would look like the new potential kings of the AFC East – and get closer towards beating contenders that aren’t struggling. This is the golden opportunity that Rex Ryan has been waiting for since he got to New York, as there may be no better chance to overthrow the Patriots – at least in the regular season – than right now.

New York took advantage of a few breaks and one of its periodic hot streaks to get to this point, but now is the time to really follow through. It was assumed that if the Patriots ever came down to earth, the Jets would be there to claim the throne in the AFC East – and it now has more room for New York than ever before. All that remains is for the Jets to actually sit on it while New England is giving them the chance.

Robert Dougherty is a life-long Philadelphia resident who has followed the Eagles since he was eight years old.

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Make no mistake about it, the New York Jets (5-3) need to win more so than the New England Patriots (5-3) when the AFC East powers face off at MetLife Stadium on Sunday.

Forget that New York knocked New England out of the playoffs last season, that it has advanced to two straight AFC Championship games and done so by winning four playoff games on the road. Those are admirable accomplishments, but still just accomplishments of the past. This is about the now.

Head coach Rex Ryan and quarterback Mark Sanchez(notes) have proven themselves worthy adversaries of their Patriots counterparts, Bill Belichick and Tom Brady(notes), but after suffering a 30-21 loss to New England in Week 5, the Jets’ chances of winning their division in 2011 will take a huge hit should they fall short this weekend.

The Jets, Patriots and Buffalo Bills (5-3) are tied atop the AFC East entering Week 10. New York bullied Buffalo at Ralph Wilson Stadium in Week 9, limiting QB Ryan Fitzpatrick(notes) to 191 passing yards on 15 of 31 pass attempts—two of which were intercepted—en route to a 27-11 win. Sanchez overcame an early interception in the contest and completed 20 of 28 passes, including an 8-yard TD to receiver Santonio Holmes(notes) that gave New York a 20-3 lead in the third quarter.

New England, having lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Giants in Weeks 8 and 9, respectively, is looking for its first win this month. With 1 minute and 36 seconds left to play in last Sunday’s Super Bowl XLII rematch, Brady, on fourth and 8, put the Patriots in front 19-17 (before the extra point) when he threw a 14-yard TD to tight end Rob Gronkowski(notes).

But just as the crowd at Gillette Stadium could taste victory, Patriots safety Sergio Brown(notes) was called for pass interference while covering receiver Victor Cruz(notes), allowing New York to advance to the goal line. On the ensuing third and goal, QB Eli Manning(notes) completed a game-winning, 1-yard TD to TE Jake Ballard(notes) with 15 seconds remaining.

Despite the Patriots’ last-minute loss to the Giants, the Jets have more at stake in Week 10.

The specter of New England will persist until New York can become the preeminent power in a division that is still up for grabs. The Jets winning Sunday’s game would be an important step toward such, but a defeat gives the Patriots a sweep in the season series.

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MIAMI (Reuters) – The New England Patriots and the New York Jets clash on Sunday with top spot in the National Football League‘s (NFL) AFC East division at stake while the Big Apple’s other contenders, the Giants, face the San Francisco 49ers in a match-up of divisional leaders.

After contrasting starts to the season – the Patriots racing out of the traps and the Jets making a false start – the two teams both enter Sunday’s game with 5-3 records.

The Buffalo Bills, the early pacesetters, have fallen back to 5-3, meaning there is intense competition for the playoffs in what has been, in recent years, one of the toughest of divisions.

The form team are the Jets – they are 3-0 since losing to the Patriots in week five while the Patriots have lost their last two games, including a dramatic late loss to the New York Giants last week.

The rivalry pits some of the league’s big characters against each other – Tom Brady, the Patriots’ quarterback always relishes taking center stage in the Boston-New York City sporting rivalry, while Darelle Revis, the Jets cornerback, loves nothing more than picking off the Patriots.

On the sidelines are two of the league’s most fascinating coaches – the stern, austere-appearing Bill Belichick of the Patriots and the larger and louder than life Jets boss Rex Ryan.

“You want to win your division, that was our goal. The two years I’ve been here, obviously New England has won the division both times. They’ve beat us already. So we know what this game represents, we’re not afraid to talk about it,” said Ryan.

“We’re approaching it like we have to have this game. We want to win our division. We think it goes through New England. There’s that old saying: ‘To be the champ, you have to beat the champ’, and they’re sitting right in front of us,” he added.

Belichick, typically, was more circumspect.

“The Jets are certainly playing well – have a three-game win streak, scoring points, not giving up many. They’re doing a good job,” said Belichick.

“I don’t think there are a whole lot of new things, just they’re doing a good job. It’ll be a big challenge down there for us this week. I’m sure it will be a very lively crowd, emotional atmosphere.”

SMART FOOTBALL

The Giants are buzzing from their victory over the Patriots, which recalled the Super Bowl triumph at the end of the 2007 season, but now the NFC East leaders face the NFC West’s top dogs in San Francisco.

Eli Manning, who in the absence of his injured brother Peyton, is enjoying some positive time in the spotlight, knows a tough task awaits at Candlestick Park.

“You have to play smart football. They are really talented on defense. Their front seven is really good and you don’t see a whole lot of teams running against them. They get good pressure on the quarterback, just bringing four guys a lot of times. They don’t turn the ball over on offense and they get turnovers on defense,” said Manning.

“They have a great turnover margin so I think it is a matter of playing football. Don’t give them easy breaks and make it tough on their offense. They don’t give up many big plays so it is a matter of being consistent and getting in good third down situations and trying to convert there,” he added.

Monday night’s game sees the rivalry between the Green Bay Packers and the Minnesota Vikings return to normality without the additional presence of Brett Favre in the Vikings quarterback role.

The Packers (8-0) are the only unbeaten team in the league while Minnesota are struggling this year on 2-6.

(Editing by Clare Fallon)

New York Jets’ Santonio Holmes catches a pass from Mark Sanchez for a touchdown against the Buffalo Bills. Photograph: Derek Gee/AP

The high-flying New York Jets beat the Buffalo Bills 27-11 on Sunday, soaring back into contention for top spot in the AFC East.

Written off as a Super Bowl threat after three consecutive defeats, the Jets have responded with three successive wins to join the Bills at 5-3 in the hotly contested division.

The Jets could even find themselves level at the top of the division if the New England Patriots (5-2) lose to the visiting New York Giants later on Sunday.

Mark Sanchez threw a touchdown to Santonio Holmes, and LaDainian Tomlinson and John Conner also found the end zone with one‑yard runs to help the Jets record their first win on the road this season and give the Bills their first home defeat.

The high-powered Bills offence that had been averaging over 30 points a game was held in check by the Jets, who kept Buffalo out of the end zone until conceding a touchdown with just over three minutes to play.

The New York Jets announced earlier this week that they cut backup center, Colin Baxter(notes), from the active squad. Manish Mehta of the Daily News stated that New York planned to sign Baxter to the practice squad if he cleared waivers. Baxter had other plans as he heads off to the San Diego Chargers.

Baxter and the Jets

It is unclear if the Jets made Colin Baxter an offer to play on the practice squad. Manish Mehta’s blog implies that Baxter chose San Diego over New York. Reality may be that the Jets never made an offer. Colin Baxter may have taken San Diego’s offer because it was the only one on the table, or maybe he was insulted by the cut.

Rookie center Colin Baxter started two games for Gang Green this season while Nick Mangold(notes) was out with an ankle injury. New York lost both games, and although you cannot blame Baxter entirely for those losses—he definitely played a part. A huge disconnect between quarterback Mark Sanchez(notes) and Colin Baxter was evident.

Baxter is back in San Diego

That’s right—Colin Baxter started the 2011 season on the San Diego Chargers roster. He signed with the Chargers on July 27, 2011, as an undrafted free agent. Baxter was later cut from the active roster and picked up on waivers by the New York Jets on September 4. Colin Baxter re-signed with the San Diego Chargers on October 26—the day after he was cut by Gang Green. Baxter will be added to San Diego’s practice squad.

Who backs up Mangold?

Right now, Taylor Boggs(notes) is listed as a center. He will be backing up starter Nick Mangold. New York has made changes to their practice squad. Offensive lineman Matt Kroul was released from the practice squad on October 25. It is expected that Kroul will be signed shortly to the active roster. He could be a possible number three center. Look for Dennis Landolt(notes) to join Gang Green after the bye week.

New York’s offensive roster looks like a revolving door recently. If they want to have a cohesive unit that plays well together—Gang Green is going to have to stop treating their offense like a fantasy team roster.

More from the Yahoo! Contributor Network

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Lynda Altman grew up just outside of New York City. She has been a Jets fan all of her life and would love to see Gang Green in the Super Bowl this year. You can contact her @LdyJetsFan on Twitter.

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FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP)—Darrelle Revis(notes) strolled into the New York Jets’
locker room wearing a knitted hat decked out with dreadlocks and smiling from
ear to ear.

But, Halloween’s a week away. What’s with the costume party?

“I’m celebrating it early,” the All-Pro cornerback said Monday with a
laugh. “This is my Halloween outfit.”

Ah, yes. Happy days are here again. Just like that, the Jets (4-3) have gone
from gloom and doom to fun-loving again.

Two wins in a week can do that sometimes, and Rex Ryan’s team is feeling
loose and confident as it heads into the bye-week break on a two-game winning
streak. First was a 24-6 win over Miami last Monday night, and then a 27-21
comeback victory over San Diego on Sunday.

“The way we’re playing, the style of football that has been successful for
us, we’re getting back to that,” safety Jim Leonhard(notes) said. “This is how we
win. This is our blueprint.”

All of that talk about the season possibly spiraling out of control for the
Jets has been replaced by the spunk and swagger that appeared to be missing just
a few weeks ago. And, as usual, it all starts with Ryan.

The mouthy coach took an inadvertent swipe at Chargers coach Norv Turner
last week, and later apologized. But it was enough to create a coast-to-coast
stir. Then, Ryan defended his secondary on Monday after San Diego tight end
Randy McMichael(notes) said the Jets’ defensive backs aren’t “anything” and that the
Chargers beat themselves—and had nothing to do with New York’s play.

“Stay classy, San Diego,” a smiling Ryan said, stealing a line made famous
by Will Ferrell’s character, Ron Burgundy, in the movie “Anchorman.”

Jets players weren’t as low-key in their responses to McMichael’s comments,
but were equally amusing.

“When you’re up by 11 points in the fourth quarter and you can’t even
finish the game up, that shows what kind of team you are: a team that can’t
finish,” said cornerback Antonio Cromartie(notes), a former Charger. “And that’s been
San Diego the whole time.”

Added Leonhard: “He’ll have fun watching the tape today.”

The Chargers blew an 11-point third-quarter lead, helped by 13 penalties and
the Jets’ defense holding them to 1 for 7 on third downs in the second half. As
for McMichael, he finished with three catches for 45 yards.

“Nobody was worried about McMichaels,” Revis said. “Whatever his name is.
McMichaels, McMichael. I don’t know his name.”

Yep, this is once again the team the rest of the NFL has loved to hate the
last two years, when the Jets rubbed people the wrong way all the way to two
consecutive AFC championship games.

“If we play like that,” Ryan said of the win over the Chargers, “we’re
going to be tough to beat.”

And even tougher to quiet. Ryan is known for making bold statements and
outrageous proclamations, and projecting a confident and cocky attitude that the
team gravitates around.

“I know there’s a coach that was saying (the players) don’t believe what I
say,” Ryan said without identifying the coach. “Really? Oh, OK. I wonder who
you talked to. No one in this locker room. It might not be the truth, but I tell
them what I believe to be the truth. There’s a difference. But, I’m telling you
what I think is a fact.

“Sometimes, it doesn’t always work out that way.”

Such as those Super Bowl guarantees Ryan has made before each of the last
few seasons. In fact, Turner got back at Ryan for his swipe by issuing a playful
jab of his own, asking if the Jets coach had the rings he would’ve won if he
were the Chargers coach with the ones he has promised in New York.

“I will no longer say the word `rings’ anymore, because of the `kiss
Belichick’s rings’ stuff and the rings here with San Diego,” Ryan said
jokingly. “I’m not going to use that word anymore. No more of those things. I
get crushed every time I say it.”

What about using “Lombardi Trophy” next time you promise a parade?

“That’s a possibility,” Ryan said, smiling.

How about the term, “Super Bowl?” Is that still in the official Rex
lexicon?

“I can use that one, yes,” he said. “But it’s just not `rings.”’

The Jets aren’t blindly optimistic, though. They recognize they have plenty
of work to do to get back into the conversation as serious playoff contenders,
but the win over the Chargers offered a glance at what they might be able to
accomplish. When San Diego took a 21-10 lead in the first half, it appeared the
Chargers were on their way to a blowout.

But the Jets’ defense took advantage of mistakes and the offense started
humming, with Mark Sanchez(notes) finishing with three touchdown passes to Plaxico
Burress(notes). It was perhaps the best half of football the team has played all season
— and now comes a break before the Jets embark on their playoff push.

“We ended on a good note and that’s where we want to pick up,” Cromartie
said. “When we get back, guys are going to be ready because our next two games
are very important division games. We’re playing against Buffalo and then come
back again and play New England. We just have to make sure our mindsets are
correct when we come back in, everyone is fresh and everyone is coming back
healthy. That’s all we’re worried about.”

Oh, but then there’s the fact the Jets are 0-2 in games immediately after
the break under Ryan.

“We’ll do it business as usual,” said Ryan, who gave the players off until
Sunday. “The only difference is we’re going to win coming out of the bye this
year.”

The New York Jets beat the San Diego Chargers in a Sunday afternoon battle on October 23, 2011. This win gives New York the distinction of being undefeated at home this season. The final score was 27-21.

Plax is back

Concerns over the chemistry between quarterback Mark Sanchez(notes) and wideout Plaxico Burress(notes) have been laid to rest—at least as far as the red zone goes. Burress caught four passes during the game—three were for touchdowns. Looks like Plaxico has finally found his groove.

Revis island

Once again, Darrelle Revis(notes) comes up with a huge interception and runs it back for 64-yards. Gang Green was able to score on this drive. The interception by Darrelle Revis broke Philip Rivers’(notes) 100 game record without an interception in the fourth quarter. This game the Jets came up with two interceptions in the fourth quarter. The first one was by Darrelle Revis and the second interception was by Kyle Wilson(notes).

What changed

I noticed major changes with the way the Jets played this afternoon. The biggest change is that Mark Sanchez is starting to get the protection he needs in order to make the passing game work. Sanchez seems to be more composed in the pocket. The touchdown receptions to Burress were huge. When forced out of the pocket, Mark Sanchez showed that he is able to get rid of the ball without taking a sack. Sanchez had a 25-yard run to keep a scoring drive alive.

Gang Green’s defense seemed to gel into a cohesive unit. They were making plays and unlike prior games, they were able to stop the run. Pressure was kept on Philip Rivers throughout the game. New York’s defense seemed to be in high gear for the second half of the game.

The Jets were clearly the underdog against the 4 and 1 Chargers coming into this game. San Diego was supposed to completely dominate New York. Instead, the Jets came out swinging and were able to pull out a win.

More from the Yahoo! Contributor Network

Jets wideout Burress and quarterback Sanchez not clicking: A fan’s view

Jets Kenrick Ellis’ Felony Trial Postponed Until February 2012: A Fan’s View

Lynda Altman grew up just outside of New York City. She has been a Jets fan all of her life and would love to see Gang Green in the Super Bowl this year. You can contact her @LdyJetsFan on Twitter.

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

When: Sunday, 10 a.m. | TV:
CBS | Radio: 105.3 FM, 101.3 FM (Temecula)

Record: 3-3 | Division: AFC
East

Last week: The Jets beat the hapless Miami
Dolphins 24-6 on Monday night to snap a three-game losing streak.
The Jets were outgained by Miami, but the Dolphins are so bad that
a victory was assured to go New York’s way.

Last game vs. Chargers: It was a painful one.
The Jets came into Qualcomm Stadium and beat the favored Chargers
17-14 in the 2009 AFC divisional playoffs, a game in which kicker
Nate Kaeding missed three field-goal attempts.

Player to watch: Derrelle Revis, CB — Revis is
widely considered the best cover man in the NFL. After Monday
night’s performance, that’s hard to dispute. He shut down receiver
Brandon Marshall and made a pair of interceptions,
the first of which he returned 100 yards for a touchdown. He’ll be
matched up against Vincent Jackson most of the day
in as intriguing a one-on-one battle as there will be all
season.

On offense: The Jets would like to be a
run-first team than churns out yardage between the tackles, but
that has proven difficult at just 3.3 yards per carry. Mark
Sanchez isn’t a quarterback to carry a franchise, but he’s
helped by a solid group of receivers, led by Santonio
Holmes.

On defense: New York’s defense, led by head
coach Rex Ryan‘s innovative scheme, hasn’t been as
dominant as in years past. The Jets are ranked No. 28 in run
defense, giving up 132 rushing yards per game. Their pass defense
is solid with Revis and former Charger Antonio
Cromartie at cornerback. This unit is characteristically
strong in takeaways, forcing 14 turnovers in six games.

Special teams: The Jets lead the NFL in kickoff
return average, but those efforts are mitigated by the increasing
frequency of touchbacks. Joe McKnight will return
anything that’s catchable, considering he has a 107-yard kickoff
return for a touchdown. K Nick Folk, who beat out
Chargers kicker Nick Novak in Jets training camp,
is perfect in eight attempts.

Coaching: Ryan is a character with media savvy,
but he’s also an excellent defensive coordinator. He has supreme
confidence in his team, and believes the Jets are still a Super
Bowl contender despite their lackluster start.

 

 

 

 

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Rex Ryan and the New York Jets want a win in the worst way. Three straight losses and rumblings about possible locker room disharmony have many fans and media speculating that the Jets could be on the verge of falling apart. It’s just Week 6, but New York’s game against the winless Miami Dolphins is being considered by many as a must-win — and Ryan remains confident his team can turn things around. “We haven’t performed to our expectations, our fans’ expectations and all that,” Ryan said. “We certainly understand that, but this season’s not over. And people want to throw some dirt on us, well, we can affect how this season ends.” On the surface, a 2-3 record is far from a near-crisis situation. But, the fact the jokes haven’t been flying as frequently from the usually brash Ryan and his bunch of chatterboxes fuels the feelings that this Jets team isn’t as loose as past groups. Getting back home after a brutal three-game stretch on the road could be exactly what New York needs. “I think Monday night is the time to definitely turn it around,” wide receiver Santonio Holmes said. “The spotlight’s on us, everybody’s watching. It’s time to really play some football and turn this organization around.” Except for the fact the Dolphins (0-4) are coming off a bye-week break and hungry for a win, too. “Quite honestly, you’re talking about a caged animal, so to speak, in the Miami Dolphins and they’re looking at one when they see us,” Ryan said. “Both teams have not performed to expectations and can’t wait to play this game, so it should be a physical game.” Just as most of the other matchups between these two AFC East rivals have been over the years. That includes “The Monday Night Miracle” in 2000 at the old Meadowlands, when the Jets stormed back from a 30-7 fourth-quarter deficit and beat the Dolphins 40-37 in overtime. Miami has also won both road games between the teams in Ryan’s first two seasons as New York’s coach. “When the Jets and Dolphins are playing, you can kind of throw out the record books sometimes,” said newly signed Dolphins quarterback Sage Rosenfels. “I know we’ve had a lot of success going up there and playing these last few years, it’s been some great rivalries. There’s a reason they put this game on Monday night because the entire Eastern seaboard is interested in this game.” It also might mean a little more than usual. For the Jets, it’s a chance to prove that the last three weeks — losses at Oakland, Baltimore and New England — were nothing more than a bump in their Super Bowl road and not the start of an ugly spiral. “Nobody feels desperate,” tight end Dustin Keller said. “We just have to stick to our game plan and stick to what we do individually, and that’s worked for us in the past.” For the Dolphins, it’s an opportunity for coach Tony Sparano to turn his team around after a miserable start. He’s already working without his starting quarterback after Chad Henne was lost for the season with a separated left shoulder. Matt Moore replaces Henne — for this week, at least. “There’s no pressure on him,” wide receiver Brandon Marshall said. “We’re under, under, under, under, under, under, under, underdogs. so there ain’t no pressure on anybody.” Moore will also become the 16th quarterback to start for the Dolphins since the Dan Marino era ended at the beginning of the 2000 season, the most among NFL teams in that span. “Obviously, Marino was a great one,” said Moore, who was 10-13 as a starter with Carolina. “It doesn’t matter who’s back there, the guy who’s going to make the plays and win ballgames ultimately is going to be the guy. Whether that’s 15 guys in 15 games, or one guy, they’re going to find the right guy.” Sparano’s job might depend on it. Miami is in danger of starting 0-5 for first time since losing its first 13 in 2007, en route to 1-15 season. There has also already been speculation about Sparano’s job security. “That’s a hard place to be, 0-5,” he said. Sparano says he has been through this before, including as an assistant for Marty Schottenheimer’s Washington Redskins in 2001. That team won eight of its last 11 to finish at .500, giving Sparano some hope for this Dolphins team. “It just takes a win to get yourself going and right now that’s all we’re worried about,” he said. “We’re worried about making our football team better, using this time to develop some of our players here and figure out how to win a game.” While the Dolphins’ offense is trying to regroup after the loss of their starting quarterback, the defense has perhaps been an even bigger disappointment. Miami is ranked 28th in overall defense, and 31st in passing defense — despite having two of the best young cornerbacks in the league in Vontae Davis, who missed the last two games with a hamstring injury, and Sean Smith. New York has had its share of problems on defense, too, giving up an unexpectedly large number of big runs and being anything but dominant. But the offense has been the consistent trouble spot, with Sanchez taking lots of hits behind an inconsistent offensive line, a running game that is slow to get going and a group of wide receivers still trying to jell with the quarterback. Sanchez has one less receiver this week after the Jets traded veteran Derrick Mason to the Houston Texans after not making as big an impact as expected. “We thought we had a pretty good group of guys here, and it’s unfortunate that the organization felt another way,” Holmes said. “We have to deal with the punches that are thrown at us and continue rolling.” Otherwise, the Jets could suddenly find themselves just a half-game ahead of the Dolphins in the standings. Not that Ryan is even entertaining any of those thoughts. In his mind, his team still has its sights set on the Super Bowl. “I can guarantee that we’re going to chase it, that’s for sure,” Ryan said. “Do I think we’ll win it? Yeah, absolutely.”