Basking In The After Glow – NY Jets Eliminate Cincinnati Bengals In Wild Card Round
They said it couldn’t be done. They said Cincinnati was playing possum. They were wrong. In a dominating performance, the New York Jets defeated the Cincinnati Bengals 24-14 to advance to the AFC divisional round against the San Diego Chargers.
Anybody else want to under-estimate this team?
Rookie QB Mark Sanchez, arguably the biggest question mark faced by the Jets entering the playoffs, played near flawless football. Sanchez went 12 of 15 for 182 yards and a stratospheric passer rating of 139.4. This while facing the harsh Cincinnati wind chill and a Bengals defense that did their best to put the outcome in his hands.
Sanchez wasn’t the only rookie who took care of business for the Jets. Leading a running game that pumped out 171 yards, third-round pick Shonn Greene ran for 135 yards with a 39-yard touchdown giving the Jets a rare back-to-back sweep.
The efforts of both rookies made the New York Jets the first team with a rushing TD by a rookie and a passing TD by a rookie in the same playoff game since 1934. Shonn Greene became the third rookie since 2000 to rush for 100 yards in a playoff game.
Of course, you can’t praise the play of QB Mark Sanchez or RB Shonn Greene without mentioning the Jets offensive line. The offensive line dominated the opponent creating gaping holes for Shonn Greene to run through as well as protecting Mark Sanchez when in passing situations.
Lest we forget to mention them, there is also the Jets unrelenting defense. While Bengals RB Cedric Benson ran for a Bengals-record 169 yards in a playoff game, the vaulted Jets defense allowed Cincinnati little else.
Carson Palmer spent the day befuddled by the Jets stifling defense. Palmer’s lone highlight of the day came midway through the first quarter, when he beat the blitz and connected with Laveranues Coles for an 11-yard touchdown to give the Bengals a 7-0 lead. Palmer would end the day 18 of 36 for 146 yards with a TD and interception.
Cedric Benson was the only Bengals skill player who had a good game. Benson would rack up 169 yards, which is a team single-game playoff record, including a 47-yard touchdown (another playoff record).
Darrelle Revis played his usual shut down game. Chad Ochocinco was held to two catches for 28 yards and did not get his first reception until early in the fourth quarter.
Of course, as instrumental as the offense and defense were to this victory, one must mention Cincinnati Bengal kicker Shayne Graham. Graham, who came into the game with 11 straight field goals, went wide left from 35 yards midway through the third quarter and wide right from 28 yards which ended any hopes of a Bengals comeback.
The Jets will now move on to face the San Diego Chargers, the No. 2 seed and the hottest team going into the playoffs with 11 straight victories. San Diego has been building toward the Super Bowl for years and the Jets road to the big show now goes through them.
Call me a hopeless Jets fanatic but I know they can beat San Diego. I’m willing to bet I’m not the only one feeling that way these days.
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