Jets open NFL Playoffs with a 24-14 win over the Bengals posted by Joe Anello

It wasn't exactly how he'd like it to happen, but Jets Head Coach Rex Ryan will sure take it. The New York Jets suppressed the home team Cincinnati Bengals Saturday in a 24-14 victory, despite giving up 171 yards on the ground.

After being shut out last week, the Bengals took advantage of early field position to take a 7-0 lead off a Carson Palmer pass to Laveranues Coles in the endzone. From there it was all Jets. Rookie QB Mark Sanchez completed 12 of his 15 passes for 182 yards, including a well-called bootleg where he found tight end Dustin Keller for 45 yards and a score. Sanchez was backed-up by 164 combined yards on the ground from rookie back Shonn Greene and veteran Thomas Jones. Most importantly, Sanchez didn't turn the ball over.

Yeah, this passing thing didn't happen much. 

The same cannot be said for the Bengals, who committed two costly turnovers in the cold weather.  An early Coles fumble cost them at least a field goal and an ill-placed ball from Palmer to Chad Ochocinco was intercepted by Darelle Revis. Aside from those mistakes, kicker Shayne Graham missed his two field goal attempts, both of which were in the second half. Carson Palmer may not be like the elite quarterback he once was, but his receivers were over-matched and couldn't hold onto the ball.

After all the posturing and talk, Ochocinco was shut down by Revis for the second straight week, accumulating only 2 catches for 28 yards in the loss. Revis simply manned up on Ochocinco and removed him from the offense with physicality. The Jets D may feel angry about the rushing yards they gave up, but holding Palmer to 18-36 passing and only 110 yards total is a feat to build on.

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Joe's Opening Drive: Wild-Card Saturday posted by Joe Anello

Playoffs? Yep, they're here! After another 17 week regular season, the Wild-Card round begins this afternoon with the rematch between NY Jets and Cincinnati Bengals, followed by what could be the game of the weekend. Philadelphia travels to Dallas for the third meeting this season between these NFC East rivals. Time for analysis and predictions! It's the Opening Drive of Wild-Card Saturday!

(9-7) New York Jets at (10-6) Cincinnati Bengals
4:30PM ET NBC

For the J-E-T-S, they've been playing playoff games for weeks. With help from a resting Colts squad and a half-hearted Bengals effort last week, the Jets find themselves in the playoffs behind a rookie quarterback who has thrown a hearty 20 interceptions. Rex Ryan has brought a swagger to the team, leading to their having the highest-rated defense and running game in the NFL. 

After getting shut-out last week on the road 37-0 by these same Jets, the Bengals return home hoping to avoid a similar result. After so many years featuring a dynamic and explosive offense, Marvin Lewis has focused on a smash-mouth style running game behind Cedric Benson. Receiver Chad Ochocinco is Carson Palmer's only legitimate outside weapon, but he's not the deep threat he once was. Cincy's D was rated fourth overall during the regular season, holding teams to an average of 300 yards a game. Their starting corners Joseph and Hall are vastly under-appreciated. 

Analysis: Had this been the Bengals from a few years ago, I would have given this match-up to Cincy's high-powered offense. Now? The Jets seem to be tailor-made to go on the road and get a cold-weather win. All-Pro corner Darelle Revis will have no trouble shutting down Ochocinco, leaving the rest of the defense to pressure Palmer and keeping Benson under wraps. New York's offensive success hinges on the play (or lack thereof) of Mark Sanchez. If he has to throw the ball more than 20-22 times, the Jets are going to lose. He puts too many throws up for grabs, throws the Bengals will intercept. Cincy needs to shut down Thomas Jones and the NY running game to force Sanchez into obvious passing downs. 

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Joe's Final Drive: Week 17 posted by Joe Anello

Though it means nothing, I am required by football law to point out I was 7-0 in my Opening Drive predictions for week 17. Woot. Multiple teams lost because they did not keep their starters in while one NFC East leader got railed on. Now, onto the last week of the regular season with this edition of the Final Drive! 

(12-4) Minnesota Vikings 44
(8-8) New York Giants 7 

Way to not show up for the last two weeks of the season G-men. You're ensured some massive roster changes with your less-than stellar effort. Meanwhile, the Vikings jumped back into the two seed with the Eagles' loss, giving old man Favre a week off before mounting a Super Bowl run. There's cause for concern in Minnesota after the Vikings have failed to get Adrian Peterson going heading into the playoffs. We'll see how that plays out in two weeks.

(9-7) Houston Texans 34 
(10-6) New England Patriots 27

The biggest injury of the weekend is clearly the loss of Wes Welker for the Pats. For those of you screaming that Belichick shouldn't have been playing his starters, Welker was injured on the first drive of the game without being contacted. It could have happened warming up. His loss will leave QB Tom Brady without his favorite receiver and plenty of double coverage for Randy Moss. For the Texans, congratulations are due for the first winning season in franchise history, but they couldn't sneak into the playoffs. Regardless, QB Matt Schaub, who led the league in passing yards, gives them hope for the immediate future.

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The Jets should beat the Bengals for two consecutive weeks posted by Colin Linneweber

The New York Jets defeated the Indianapolis Colts 29-15 Sunday night at Lucas Oil Stadium to incredibly regain control of their own playoff fate.

 

Many critics have placed an asterisk next to the Jets (8-7) upset victory because Colts (14-1) Head Coach Jim Caldwell removed quarterback Peyton Manning from the game with approximately six minutes remaining in the third quarter.

 

When Manning was relieved from action, the Jets were narrowly behind 15-10.

 

After Manning was benched, the Jets defense thoroughly dominated and Gang Green ultimately outscored the Colts 26-3 after the conclusion of halftime.

 

It is impossible to say with any certainty whether or not the Jets would have emerged victorious had Manning not been replaced by rookie signal-caller Curtis Painter.

 

Nevertheless, the Jets prevailed when they needed to and, thanks to the plethora of help they received from other teams, if they simply trump the Cincinnati Bengals (10-5) this weekend, they will secure a postseason berth.

 

“You know, there’s very little credit that our football team is given, and that’s unfortunate,” Jets Head Coach Rex Ryan said.

 

“It bothers me a little bit. You have to earn everything you get in this league, whether you’re playing against a starter or backup. We make no excuses and no apologies for getting our job done.”

 

Ryan is absolutely correct.

 

The Jets have been a morbid franchise that has continuously disappointed their fan base ever since Willie Joe Namath uttered his famous guarantee in 1969.

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Joe's Opening Drive: Week 15 posted by Joe Anello

After another dramatic Colts win, the still-undefeated Saints try their luck against the Cowboys on Saturday night while the second seed in the AFC is on the line on Sunday. Let's start the Opening Drive of week 15 in the NFL!

(8-5) Dallas Cowboys at (13-0) New Orleans Saints 

Dallas' DeMarcus Ware is going to play less than a week after suffering a neck strain, but that may not be enough for the free-falling Cowboys. Going into New Orleans and escaping with a victory will require near-flawless play and a lot of luck. Even without tight end Jeremy Shockey, Drew Brees has an abundance of weapons at his disposal. If the Saints move to 14-0, it will could signal the end of Dallas' playoff hopes and the end of Wade Philips' tenure as head coach.

***UPDATE: Dallas freaking did it. I'll be sure to cover this stunner in the Final Drive.

(8-5) New England Patriots at (5-8) Buffalo Bills 

Don't look now, but the rest of the AFC East is catching up to the Patriots. If Bill Belichick's squad loses another road game (which they've done consistently this season) and Miami or the Jets win, the Pats will fall out of the division lead and risk a playoff berth entirely. In a up-and-down season in Buffalo, this could be a signature win to carry them over into next year.

(9-4) Cincinnati Bengals at (10-3) San Diego Chargers

In the most significant game of the weekend, San Diego and Cincinnati are essentially playing for the number two seed in the AFC and an additional home game in the playoffs. San Diego has been lighting teams up in December while the Bengals were just lambasted by Minnesota. After the tragic loss of Chris Henry, I can't believe the Bengals are going to have enough in the tank to head out west and win.

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posted by The NFL Network

On behalf of the NFL Network, I would like to express my deepest sympathies to the friends, families, and fans of Chris Henry. He will truly be missed. Chris Henry, wide receiver of the Cincinnati Begals passed away Thursday morning December 17, 2009.

"We knew him in a different way than his public persona," Bengals owner Mike Brown said of the player who was suspended five times during his five-year NFL career. "He had worked through the troubles in his life and had finally seemingly reached the point where everything was going to blossom. And he was going to have the future we all wanted for him. It's painful to us. We feel it in our hearts, and we will miss him."

A moment of silence will be held on behalf of Chris Henry before tonight's Saints vs. Cowboys game Saturday night at 8pm ET.

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Joe's Final Drive: Week 14 posted by Joe Anello

It was a crazy week 14 in the NFL, book-ended by division upsets on Thursday and Monday night. While the playoff picture is coming into focus, we still have loads of drama in the NFC East and two undefeated teams with their eyes set on the Lombardi Trophy. The Final Drive starts now!

(13-0) New Orleans Saints 26
(6-7) Atlanta Falcons 23

A Chris Redman-led Falcons mounted a valiant comeback, but Drew Brees and the Saints pulled out a thriller to clinch the NFC South. With a Saturday night game against Dallas coming up, the unbeaten New Orleans is proving they are the true team to beat in the NFC, winning in a variety of ways. 

(7-6) Miami Dolphins 14
(7-6) Jacksonville Jaguars 10

Jacksonville had control of their playoff destiny. That is, until Miami won in a squeaker. Now the last AFC wildcard spot is up for grabs in a free-for-all. Sorry Jaguars, you had you chance. Chad Henne continues to impress and Ricky Williams continues to shoulder the load without Ronnie Brown. 

(13-0) Indianapolis Colts 28
(8-5) Denver Broncos 16

Even when he throws three interceptions, Peyton Manning finds a way to crush your dreams. Josh McDaniels' defense looked lost at times and could never get anything substantial going on offense. I could care less about Brandon Marshall's NFL record 21 receptions. It happened in a loss where the Broncos were forced to pass all the time. Color me not impressed.

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Looking Ahead posted by Randolph Charlotin

After the Patriots’ loss to the Indianapolis Colts, the first thing I did when I started my car was turn off the radio. I almost didn’t turn on my t.v. When I did, I absolutely didn’t tune in to ESPN or NFL Network. This lasted through the next day until the Monday night football game. I didn’t read the newspapers for almost two days.

 

Yes, I was disappointed by the loss, but more than anything I didn’t want to hear television’s talking heads compete in the “I can sound more outrageous than the other guy” competition or catch knee-jerk reactions on talk radio or through print media.

 

Two days later, it was still the talk of the town as people chose sides in the argument. Whether head coach Bill Belichick is still a genius or now is an arrogant doofus is your opinion. At this point, I’m done with it.

 

This argument of Belichick’s decision has been blown out of proportions because of Patriot Nation’s dislike of QB Peyton Manning. It’s a tough loss, but losing to the hated Colts and the commercial face of the NFL left many feeling sick. Feel free to call the ill effects the Manning Migraine.

 

But look at it for what it is. This was a loss to the best team in the AFC. Sure it has playoff implications, but this won’t determine home field throughout the playoffs. There’s no way the Colts will be caught from behind, even if the Patriots win the rest of their games. Indy’s two-game lead will be insurmountable.

 

New England’s battle is with the rest of the AFC in hopes of securing second place in the conference. Right now the Pats are still in great position to wrestle it away from the surprising Cincinnati Bengals or Denver Broncos. If the teams finish with identical records, tie-breakers will determine who gets the higher seed.

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Joe's Final Drive: Week 10 posted by Joe Anello

With all of the surprise upsets, there’s no way I can take the time to properly address them all. I’ll hit the best and worst of week 10 in this edition of the Final Drive! 

(3-6) Tennessee Titans 41
(3-6) Buffalo Bills 17 
Biggest thing to come out of this game besides Chris Johnson’s awesomeness is the $250,000 fine on Titans owner Bud Adams, who flipped off the crowds. Nice one Bud. Oh yeah, and Dick Jauron was fired today. Saw that coming. 

(5-4) Jacksonville Jaguars 24
(4-5) New York Jets 22 

We hear Jets coach Rex Ryan cried during his post-game talk to the players. Man has that team crumbled in unspectacular fashion. Mean while the Jags are 5-4 and scarily unpredictable. Maurice Jones-Drew’s kneel-down at the end of the game is getting some criticism, but he only did what he was told to do. The coaches trusted their kicking game and didn’t want to leave the Jets any time on the clock. I get it. 

(7-2) Cincinnati Bengals 18
(6-3) Pittsburgh Steelers 12 

Okay, we all have to start accepting the Bengals as a legitimate AFC contender. Any team that beats Pittsburgh and Baltimore twice in one season thanks to their defense should be treated likewise. Have you noticed they’ve turned into a power-running team? That added to their defense a conference champion makes.

 
One of many. 

(3-6) Washington Redskins 27

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Joe's Final Drive: Week 9 posted by Joe Anello

The last two undefeated teams carried on their winning ways, the last winless team won, the Giants gave one away by kicking a field goal and the Broncos could not hang with the Super Bowl Champs. Let’s wrap up week nine with the Final Drive!

(6-2) Cincinnati Bengals 17
(4-4) Baltimore Ravens 7

So the Bengals are 4-0 in their division. Who saw that coming? Joe Flacco was less than his usual efficient self while Carson Palmer aired it out enough to win. The real difference maker was the running game. Baltimore’s Ray Rice only carried the ball 12 times for 48 yards while Cedric Benson garnered 117 yards on 34 carries. Benson definitely grinded it out, but he’s had two 100+ yard rushing days against the Ravens defense. That can’t be ignored. Also hard to miss is that Bengals defense. Yikes.

 

(8-0) Indianapolis Colts 20
(5-4) Houston Texans 17

With a blistering pace in the first half that saw Peyton Manning throw 40 passes, the Colts almost tired themselves out. Luckily Manning had enough left in the tank for a fourth quarter TD drive. A missed last-second 42-yard field goal by Kris Brown didn’t hurt either. Their last two games haven’t been pretty, but the Colts are still undefeated.

(1-7) Tampa Bay Buccaneers 38
(4-4) Green Bay Packers 28

Oh Green Bay, Aaron Rodgers won’t be able to finish the season at this rate. Rodgers was sacked six times and tossed three interceptions against the Bucs, who had a rookie quarterback making his first NFL start. Josh Freeman only completed 14 of his 31 pass attempts, but he certainly made them when they counted, putting it in the endzone three times. Head coach Raheem Morris finally gets his first win of the season, ensuring no team will go winless in 2009.

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Agent: WR Bryant, Bengals close to deal (AP)

Antonio Bryant's agent said the receiver and the Cincinnati Bengals were "very close" to an agreement on Wednesday, a move that would likely preclude the addition of Terrell Owens. For the second year in a row, the Bengals are trying to find a complement for Chad Ochocinco, the only receiver with appreciable experience on the roster. [read full article]

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McNabb and T.O. team up again, for TV (AP)

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Jets to acquire Chargers CB Cromartie (AP)

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Ochocinco on 'Dancing With the Stars' (AP)

Chad Ochocinco is putting on his dancing shoes for TV. Known for his touchdown celebrations in the end zone, the Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver is taking his act from the gridiron to the stage as a contestant on the upcoming season of "Dancing With the Stars." Gold medal figure skater Evan Lysacek and sportscaster Erin Andrews will also compete. [read full article]

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Cowboys, Bengals in Hall of Fame game (AP)

The Dallas Cowboys will play the Cincinnati Bengals in the 2010 Hall of Fame exhibition game, one day after Cowboys star Emmitt Smith and longtime Bengals coach Dick LeBeau are inducted. The game will be played on Aug. 8 in Canton, Ohio, marking the beginning of the NFL's preseason schedule. Induction ceremonies will be held on Aug. [read full article]

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