JETS OPEN UP WILDCARD IN CINCY WITH A CHIP ON THEIR SHOULDERS

JETS OPEN UP WILDCARD IN CINCY WITH A CHIP ON THEIR SHOULDERS
by TJ Rosenthal-Contributing Writer-Football Reporters Online

Sometimes the best remedy for being an underdog is carrying an "us against the world" mentality. On Saturday the New York Jets will do just that as they visit the Cincinnati Bengals in the opening round of the AFC Playoffs. There are plenty of experts and football fans who believe the Jets were benefactors of good fortune at the end of the season, and not truly playoff worthy. The Jets have reminded us all week that they are the league's number one rushing team and defense. In a rematch of week 17, the Jets will soon get their chance to prove the doubters wrong, while taking one step closer to the ultimate goal, a trip to the Super Bowl.

Last weeks 37-0 trouncing of these same Cincinnati Bengals has been defined in the press this week a few different ways. The first viewpoint has been that only  the 9-7 Jets had everything to play for, with a win or go home scenario staring them down last Sunday night.  Unlike the Bengals who had nothing to gain except the addition of key players to the injury report had they risked injury in order to get a meaningless win. The other side of the coin offered has been that the Jets are a tough team built for January that is getting on a roll. Gaining momentum on both sides of the ball. 

The reality is, the truth will come out, starting on Saturday. For now, what can be said about the Jets win in the final game at Giants stadium, is that the club DID achieve one thing. It set the template for how these 2009 Jets CAN be a force through January.  That is, a bruising run game (one that rushed for 257 yards combined last week) with a defense that is tough to move it on, a quarterback in Mark Sanchez who risks little, and an emerging playmaker who will see opportunities to make a difference in Brad Smith. Smith's 58 yard run that set up the Jets first TD,  a 2 yard plunge by RB Thomas Jones, made it a second straight week with a big play for the former QB at Missouri. Smith has been used before behind center in his four years as a Jet, but the breakout game Sunday night (4-92 yds 1 TD) followed another game in which Smith made a huge difference with a big play. In Indianapolis one week prior, Smith returned the second half kickoff 106 yards for a TD, the longest in Jet history, putting the Jets up 10-9 at the time against the then undefeated Colts..

 If Smith has emerged as a true weapon who can be effective with an increased work load both as a running QB and one who can pitch the ball to Jones or rookie RB Shonne Greene,  the load will be lightened for Sanchez. This would come as a delight to the Jet staff, as they look to keep the rookie under wraps more. After a great start that  helped lead the Jets to a 3-0 record, a mid season turnover swoon developed, leading to a 20 interception season. The total tied Sanchez with Detroit rookie Matthew Stafford for second most in the NFL. Only the Bears Jay Cutler threw more with 26 . Should Rex Ryan's Jet defense be even more opportunistic with sacks and scoring off of turnovers, Sanchez's role will be lightened even more. For now, short throws mainly to the outside, away from traffic seem like the best formula for the rookie out of USC, who has not thrown a pick the last two weeks since the gameplan has become even more stringent on the QB.

The Bengals will be at full strength this Saturday after resting four defensive starters and their top rusher  last week. Banged up RB Cedric Benson, the teams leading rusher figures to help an offense that struggled to move the ball at all against the Jets last week. Veteran QB Carson Palmer who has been solid all year for the division winning Benglas, had zero yards passing in the first half. Palmer played just one series in the second half.

 Flamboyant WR Chad Ochocinco  offered Jet Superfan Fireman Ed tickets to the game after failing to come through on doing his own Fireman Ed chant after scoring on Jet star  Darelle Revis in week 17. The Bengals top WR was held to no catches on the day, this after proclaiming all week on Twitter that he was going to win the battle. Ochocino then praised Revis on Monday again on twitter, saying that number 24 was tops in the NFL. Ochocinco, who injured the knee on the icy field during warmups last week said that after having sex on Monday, the knee held up beautifully and is ready to go. So with the defense at full strength, Ocho healthy, Benson back, and Palmer sure to be more focused,  the Bengals will be aiming to show why they were AFC Central champions. 

 The Jets hope to continue as they left off. Ground and Pound it with Thomas Jones and Shonne Greene on offense, while All Pro CB Darrelle Revis and the Jets defense shuts Ochocinco and the Bengals  down on defense. Rex Ryan has been bold during his press conference's saying that of all the teams still alive, he'd rather be coaching the Jets; a team with the number one D and rushing unit in the NFL. He's also tried to reframe the notion that the Jets are long shots to go far. Vegas odds have them a 50-1 shot to win the Super Bowl. The brash outspoken rookie head coach has called the Jets in fact, "the team to beat" in this years playoffs.

 Jets LB David Harris, injured last week with a sprained ankle was insulted this week by the Benglas Benson. Asked what the potential loss of Harris would mean to the Jets, Benson replied "I don't even know who that is." Harris leads the Jets in tackles. He practiced lightly on Thursday. No word as to his status has been determined yet. 

Despite the Jets and Ryan proudly mentioning those "number one" stat categories, they know they have something to prove. In order to truly be thought of as an elite team in 2009 , the Jets have to go out and prove they deserve to be. They have to go out and once again beat the Bengals. This time, in a do or die  game for both sides. This time, on the road.

The Jets were fortunate in catching a break when so many AFC teams lost in week 16 that they regained control of their destiny. They faced a Bengal team on cruise control last week. Although those back to back odd circumstances worked heavily in NY's favor, they don't have to apologize for them. 

What they have to do instead, is make the best of their opportunity. The opportunity to prove that maybe, just maybe, they have bought enough time in 2009 for all three phases to finally put it together in unison. That they have found the right approach for the offense with Sanchez playing it safe while mostly handing it off  to the top rushing unit on football. That they have hung around long enough for  the defense to have regained it's early season swagger. That they acknowledge Brad Smith has to be a bigger cog in the gameplan. Saturday in Cincinnati marks the beginning of a playoff run that is there for the taking. Only however, if the Jets can seize the moment by channelling the emotions born when a team goes out to prove so many people wrong by playing focused, sound passionate football.


KEYS TO THE BENGALS:

EMOTIONS: Are the Jet truly setting their sights on the Super Bowl or are they satisfied just to have made it out of December?. Many have called their playoff berth a joke, or simply luck. Rex Ryan will undoubtedly use the "Us against Them" card throughout the postseason. The Bengals did not like getting knocked down 37-0. They're also at home. WR Chris Henry's death weeks back after a domestic dispute shocked the Bengals  who went out days later in San Diego and played magnificently in Henry's honor. This past week, Jets owner Woody Johnson's daughter Casey, 30, was found dead in LA.  Both teams will play with heavy
 hearts as a result of these tragedies on Saturday.

STEP UP NOW ROOKIE, IT'S YOUR TIME TO SHINE: It goes without saying that if the Jet ground game falters, so will the Jets. However, the Jets may in fact move it on the ground yet also need Sanchez to deliver some key third down throws. Maybe even over the middle. Lead a comeback or two. Here's to hoping that Sanchez plays with that confidence he exuded  most notably Monday night in Miami, leading the Jets back twice in the second half. The perception of Jets doubters will change only with a win that includes Sanchez having contributed more than handoffs and quick rollout tosses to the flat. A win is a win though, so if it means play it safe with the lead, he'll do it. Ill advised throws  have to be behind the kid who seems to be adjusting to his game managing role well, or else, trouble looms.

X FACTORS: Here are two, Brad Smith and FS Kerry Rhodes. Smith can provide big plays on special teams, as WR, and while getting direct snaps in the Jets version of the Wildcat or Kordell Stewart "slash" role of taking handoffs right under center. Rhodes has been coming on since the benching a month ago. His hit on Ochocinco that broke up a pass play last week showed that he is back to playing with instinct again. His three interceptions have got us thinking that something big could be on the way from the guy Rex Ryan hoped could be the next Ed Reed. A key read by Rhodes on a Palmer throw could go a long way to help leading the Jets to victory.  One that would make  Ryan's first playoff game as an NFL head coach even more memorable.

additional notes: 

The last time these two teams met in the playoffs was in 1982, Jet RB Freeman McNeil rushed for 202 yards in a 44-17 Jet win . That was the strike shortened season when the playoffs were called the Super Bowl tournament.

The Bengals were the last team admitted into the AFL back in 1968. Paul Brown was the head coach. Soon to be 49er legend but then assistant Bill Walsh, was credited with inventing the West coast offense during this time. This out of necessity as the team had a hard time run blocking. Former Bengal Super Bowl coach Sam Wyche was the QB.


follow TJ Rosenthal on twitter @thejetreport

Of Blacks & Blues

Of Blacks & Blues

By Michael-Louis Ingram-Associate Editor-Football Reporters Online/BASN Contributing Writer

 
PHILADELPHIA (BASN/FRO): It is an incontrovertible truth; there are two songs that arguably every female on Planet Earth know the opening lyrics to…
 
The first would be Gloria Gaynor singing “I Will Survive” (first I was afraid; I was petrified…); but the best, in my humble opinion, is Aretha Franklin singing “Respect…”
 
Interesting in that while everyone knows the Queen of Soul is singing it, many don’t know who wrote it. The late, great Otis Redding gets the credit (“Otis Blue” is among my favorite albums/CDs – and greatest blues efforts of all time), but Aretha gets the fame.
 
In this fishbowl world of sports journalism, that parable fits the script. Fame, or better said, infamy and credit for same are served up on a nightly basis on that bastion of bullshit, ESPIN - aka the Muthafuckin’ Mouse; whose idea of pest control is to trash Black athletes as animalistic circus performers, one step away from prison.
 
As they segue into their somnambulistic soliloquies, simpering over soup-cooling stereotypes, the straight faces belie a seething resentment between the stale jokes and attempts to fuse popular culture within who beat whom at what…
 
But without a doubt, the cruelest turn is when these totalitarian turds wipe away their fake tears in a moment of contrition - the latest being the death of Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chris Henry.
 
Within hours, the daily assault on darkies subsides briefly for the stern face and measured speech; but even in death there is no peace from the six o’clock “suspect is a Black male” sensibilities of these scumbags.
 
While it was clear Ole Man Trouble had been around young Henry for a spell, in The Mouse’s attempts to chronicle Henry’s run-ins with the law, one would-be reporter recalled Henry being a “one-man crime wave.”
 
Never mind that the man did more damage to himself than anyone else; it just had to be said (for accuracy purposes, I’m sure); and these rancid rapscallions ramble on as if they need to scratch their jock itch by landing a last jibe or two over a dead man’s body.
 
And as more details as to how he died come out, the efforts to bury and loved ones to grieve are further compromised by manipulative maggots bent on muff-diving into a young Black man’s misery…
 
It’s real easy for these Bastards to jump into someone’s shit; but what I wouldn’t give if an athlete who ESPIN wanted to pimp off of would flip the script. You know, something like:
 
Hey Dana Jacobson - are you still down with “Fuck Notre Dame, fuck Touchdown Jesus – and fuck Jesus?”  How would you like to be reminded for that crap every other night, you twit? Like when you Bastards constantly scream on someone like Terrell Owens being a diva and criminal in spite of the fact he has never committed a crime, and, unlike you, excels at what he does?
 
Or, Bonnie Bernstein, why are you still working at The Mouse after that bullshit you offered regarding land Niggers and sand Niggers:
 
“It’s sort of like, you know, and this isn’t — I’m prefacing this by saying this is in no way an analogy to sports because I know we live in a hypersensitive society — but I remember a while ago I was reading an article in the New York Times about Palestinian suicide bombers and I just remember being struck by the notion that from the point of birth, people in Palestine are taught to think that dying in the name of God is a good thing.
They grow up wanting to be suicide bombers. So bringing it back to sports — and again, I’m not making the comparison or the analogy — if a young talented basketball player is being told at an early age that they are destined, it is a good thing to focus on basketball and not worry about what’s going on in the classroom, why are any kids going to be worried about what’s going on in the classroom?”
 
Or be worried about what sports reporters say about those young talents; no need wondering where this mindset comes from…
 
Hypersensitive? You vainglorious cow - if something like that had been said about Jews, you would be front and center trying to call whomever on it; you have a lot of fucking nerve here!
 
While we’re at it, let’s constantly remind everyone about Jemele Hill’s Hitler statement; and the fact Lou Holtz said essentially the same thing, but wasn’t suspended like Hill was; yet Hill will still make the silly-ass asides to be one with The Mouse…
 
So even in the midst of The Mouse, certain mice aren’t treated as nice.
 
But whether you are lab rat or hood rat, the formula is the same, and it ain’t rocket science: defame, decry, dehumanize – and make insignificant whatever positives the Black athlete brings to their respective sport.
 
Unless, of course The Mouse is sucking the dick of the current Negro du jour; and as they spit, swallow and gargle their way to accommodate him, their crumbling cerebellums hope a skeleton or two will soon be rattling in his or her closet very soon…
 
Well, with hope after Chris Henry has been laid to rest, some of the athletes observing the Mouse mess will think twice before indulging these talking idiots; and insist on being respected -  like Otis did.
 
Because once Chris Henry was no longer a story, it was on to the next Nigger – and that Nigger (based on the day’s highlights) could well be you.
 
Rest in peace, Mr. Henry – you deserved better than this, regardless of circumstances.
 
michaelingram@blackahtlete.com
mike@footballreportersonline.com