WILD CARD RECAP: STANDING PAT

In a battle that seemed to be hyped more because of the coaches rather than the player involved, the New England Patriots reminded the the New York Jets and the rest of the NFL that there was a reason they had only lost one playoff game in their previous four trips. In what has been a marvelous run under Coach Belicheck, the Pats added their eleventh playoff win to their resume. The game on Sunday was a microcosm of what the Patriots have done over the past half decade. The offensive stats will not impress you, but the methodical drives up and down the field keyed by the smart decision making of Tom Brady kept New England in charge all afternoon. However, even with an effective offensive attack, the Patriots could not shake the Jets until late in the second half. That is when the trademark Patriots defense made two crucial plays to take all of the momentum and end the Jets' chances. In a 20-13 game, Chad Pennington threw a screen pass to his left that looked to have fallen incomplete. While everyone else on the field stopped, the heads up recognition of Vince Wilfolk cause him to pick up the ball and run it down inside the Jets 20 yard line. The officials had never blown the whistle before, and the play was ruled a fumble recovered by New England. Prior to the play the Jets were driving and had gained all of the momentum, but Wilfolk's recovery gave the Patriots the upper hand. Later in the second half, the Jets had regained their composure and now trailed 23-16 with the ball. But on the next play, Chad Pennington was intercepted by Asante Samuel who returned it for a touchdown. The hopes of the Jets were crushed, and the Patriots affirmed their position as the class of the AFC East.

While there was obvious disappointment among the Jets and their players, one cannot view this season as anything but a success. Every season there seems to be a team that defies all expectations and makes the playoffs, and this year the Jets were that team. With a coach like Eric Mangini, the Jets are in good hands for many years to come. He is loved by all his players and excels in preparation and motivation. The strong point of the Jets moving on looks to be their improving defense. They have a core of young playmakers highlighted by the talented Jonathan Vilma and Kerry Rhodes. While the Jets should be a playoff contender in the upcoming future, they must look to upgrade at running back if they are to be taken as serious title contenders. Leon Washington is a nice player, but he would be better off if he was paired with some one a bit more talented than Cedric Houston. Also, Chad Pennington is the type of QB who could go down with an injury at any time. The Jets must feel confident with backup Kellen Clemens in case of emergency. The Jets were among the luckiest teams in football with injuries this season, and while it's hard to keep that up for multiple seasons, the Jets are the type of team that would not be crippled by a loss to any player.

After defeating the Jets, New England will now travel to San Diego to take on the best team in the NFL. Their main task will be stopping LaDainian Tomlinson; a task that not many have been able to do. The most interesting aspect of the divisional matchup will be what can Coach Belicheck come up with to stop Tomlinson and confuse the young Philip Rivers. The matchup gives us two coaches who are on opposite ends of the spectrum in terms of postseason success, and it will be another opportunity to see if Marty Schottenheimer can win the big game. With a weekend full of intriguing matchups, this may be the best of them all.