New York Jets (13-5) @ Pittsburgh Steelers (13-4)Five weeks ago when the Jets beat the Steelers 22-17 in Pittsburgh, Rex Ryan told his players to "make their mark" because he had a "feeling they would be back."
Well after an impressive and stunning 28-21 victory over the New England Patriots a week ago, the Jets are back in the AFC title game for the second straight season.
Many are hoping and even expecting Gang Green to end their long Super Bowl drought with another victory in Pittsburgh on Sunday, however this game should be much different than the last one.
For starter Troy Polomalu will play this game for Pittsburgh. The hard hitting safety didn't play in the last Jets game, and it will be important for Gang Green to keep an eye on him, because he has a propensity to blitz and strip quarterbacks of the football, a la his hit on Joe Flacco earlier in the season.
For the Jets to win this game, Mark Sanchez, who was terrific against the Patriots, will have to have a similar game, threading the football to receivers Braylon Edwards and Santonio Holmes, and he will have to use his mobility to keep plays alive against Pittsburgh blitzes.
This is also a homecoming for Holmes, who was traded from Pittsburgh to New York in the Spring, and he has been a revelation for Gang Green this year. It should be interesting to see how he performs against his old team. Holmes is one who loves to play in the spotlight.
More importantly the Jets have to show a committeemen to the running game. In the last Steelers game, LaDainain Tomlinson and Shonn Green combined for only 89 yards rushing. The Jets can ill afford to become one dimensional, otherwise they are in big trouble. However, the Jets can run the ball, either with sweeps, or bubble screens, they have to do it to keep the clock running.
The Steelers offensive line has suffered a year full of injuries, and there are questions about the line coming into this game. The Jets have not shown much of a pass rush this year, until last week when the sacked Tom Brady three times and hit him about a dozen more. The Jets have to get to Ben Roethlisberger and put him on the ground.
They never touched him the last time the two teams played. If Gang Green fails to hit Big Ben again, the Jets won't come away with a victory.
Then there is the match-up of Darrelle Revis and Mike Wallace. Wallace is Roethlisberger's big play wide receiver who has ability to stretch the field. Revis has shut down every top receiver to come his way, and if he should shut down Wallace, it puts pressure on the rest of the Jets D to cover Hines Ward and budding star Emmanuel Sanders.
Kicking: If this game comes down to the kicker, the Jets are in big trouble. Not only did they lose a playoff game in Pittsburgh six years ago because of the terrible kicking conditions, but they have a very unreliable kicker in Nick Folk kicking for them. Folk has made a habit of missing big field goals this season, and if it comes down to him, Jets Nation should hide under a pillow.
Prediction: The Jets are once again riding a magic carpet ride through the postseason. As much as I want this to be the end of the Jets Super Bowl drought, they can't keep doing this on the road week after week after week, especially against the top teams in the conference.
A Jets victory won't be a surprise, but it is difficult to beat the same team twice, especially just five weeks apart. The Jets will get to and win a Super Bowl under Ryan eventually, but they are going to have to play this game at home one of these years. STEELERS 24, JETS 14.
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