Jets vs. Falcons - Four in a Row?

Last week the Jets annihilated the lowly Tampa Bay Bucs with a barrage of defense and must do the same the week against Atlanta if they want to stay in the playoff race. I’ve been in and out on the Jets playoff run, but now I am completely down for it. Not only would it be great for the Sanchise to get some playoff experience under his belt and with the way this defense is playing anything can happen. Seeing the Jets dismantle the Bucs last Sunday made me think maybe, just maybe I would enjoy watching them play in a playoff game. It certainly would be good for Sanchez’s development and should help the team in the future in terms of their growth. That being said, there’s no way this team is going anywhere, so let’s enjoy the ride.

The Bucs play last week resembled the 2008 Detroit Lions more than the 2003 Tampa Bay Bucs, which lead to an increasingly entertaining football game if you like atrociously coached and quarterbacked anemic football. I loved it. Rex Ryan continues to impose his will on the NFL. The Jets have finally recovered from the loss of Kris Jenkins and then some. Darrelle Revis owns the NFL and Jets fans can take solace in the fact that at least one Jet will be present in Miami during Super Bowl week as Revis will be playing in the Pro Bowl on the preceding Sunday. Not that any one will be watching that game. The TV audience will probably resemble the home crowd at a Jacksonville Jaguars game.

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As much as I regret to say this because as of now I do not know either one of the starters’ status, but this matchup depends on the quarterbacks. If it’s going to be Kellen Clemens against Chris Redman on Sunday, I won’t even want to watch. The Jets defense dominated last week and this week the Jets will depend on them again to bring the game home. Clemens was fine last week, but it was apparent that they simplified the game for him and took kind of a risk free approach, or as I like to call it, the opposite approach of those “ladies” on MTV’s “Teen Mom”. Whether it is Clemens again this week or an injured Mark Sanchez, the Jets offense will not be taking many chances. So once again the defense must control this game.

Look for the Jets to try to run all over the Falcons for two reasons: 1. They have no confidence in their passing game and 2. They have the top rushing offense in the NFL, why wouldn’t they? Defensively the Jets are going to blitz the hell out of the Falcons even if Matt Ryan plays. That’s just how they play.

I’m going to go against the grain here and ruin my Sunday.

The prediction

Jets 27

Falcons 9

Let’s pray that I’m right.

Viva Sanchez!

By Daniel Rein
ProFootball-fans.com New York Jets Correspondent