New York is still newsworthy - New York Jets have chance to become hot TV property with win over Chargers

New York

Bob Raissman

Saturday, January 16th 2010, 5:20 PM

The Jets are not just playing for a spot in next week's AFC Championship Game Sunday in San Diego, they are positioning themselves for their TV future.

Going into this season, Gang Green was not a national ratings attraction. Considering the Jets were led by a rookie coach, Rex Ryan, and a rookie quarterback, Mark Sanchez, playing in a "tough" division with glamour at the top (i.e. Tom Brady), this was understandable.

Often the networks (mostly CBS) relegated the Jets to their "B" and "C" team voices. The Jets did make three prime-time appearances. They played the Dolphins on ESPN's "Monday Night Football" and Buffalo on the NFL Network's Thursday night game (NFLN is not carried throughout the country). And they were flexed into NBC's "Sunday Night Football" against the Bengals in the regular-season finale.

Their two regular-season spotlights came in the last two games of the season. First came the undefeated Colts, a game Indy deemed meaningless. CBS sent its No. 2 team, Greg Gumbel and Dan Dierdorf, to call the tilt. The Sunday nighter became a walkover. As Cincy was folding quickly after being smacked in the mouth by the Jets, TVs were being turned off en masse.

The Jets' win over the Bengals on wild-card Saturday scored no points with the TV schedule droids. Nonetheless Sunday, the Jets have earned this moment against the Chargers.

The Jets have finally achieved headliner status. They are in the late time slot playing the final game of the divisional round, which likely will be the highest rated game of the weekend. CBS is using its No. 1 team, Jim Nantz and Phil Simms, who at some point will assess how the Jets handled this huge moment.

A win puts them on a whole other level (duh). Even if the Jets lose, the perception they leave will weigh heavily on their value as a television property. The team already has defined personalities - Ryan, Sanchez, and guys such as Bart Scott, Kerry Rhodes and Damien Woody - who easily manufacture story lines.

Still, the way things go down today will either catapult the Jets into the national stratosphere (like the Giants) or again relegate them to regional TV status.

Seau scores TD

If Jerome Bettis was as provocative when he worked in NBC's "Football Night in America" studio as he was throwing dirt on Tom Coughlin, claiming Bill Cowher is longing for the Giants' coaching job, he might still have a TV gig.

Maybe Bettis is trying to push his old coach out the door of CBS' "The NFL Today" studio so he can move in.

If this is the plan, Bettis should not hold his breath. It sure looks like CBS has already targeted someone - if not for a role on "The NFL Today" than as a game analyst.

New York once more in the spotlight New York Jets at San Diego Chargers: AFC Divisional Playoff Preview

New York

Make no mistake about it, the Jets are confident heading into Sunday’s AFC Divisional Playoff game against the Chargers. Coach Rex Ryan even went as far as to give his team a schedule that ends with a Super Bowl victory parade in downtown Manhattan. But first thing’s first, and that’s a matchup against the hottest team in the AFC—the San Diego Chargers. Here are three story lines heading into this weekend’s game:

Ground and Pound

The Jets have the No. 1 rushing attack in the league and will look to continue their dominance up front in San Diego. Gang Green has developed an identity and it is one of a physical unit (on both sides of the ball) that will stay committed to the run at all costs because they are built for it.

It doesn’t hurt that the Chargers were ranked 20th against the run during the regular season and 16th in overall defense. The two-headed monster consisting of Thomas Jones and rookie Shonn Greene combined for 169 yards and two touchdowns in the Wild Card victory over Cincinnati.

With that said, the most intriguing part of this will be how effective the Jets will be given the fact that the Chargers know Jets will (and must) run the ball to have success on offense.

Strength on Strength

Philip Rivers leads a Chargers’ offense that was the fifth best passing team in the NFL during the regular season (271.1 YPG). Darrelle Revis leads a Jets’ defense that was ranked first overall and first against the pass. Something has got to give, right?

The challenge for the Jets will be dealing with San Diego’s vast arsenal of weapons. WR Vincent Jackson and TE Antonio Gates each had over 1,000 yards receiving in 2009 and six players caught at least 20 passes. Oh yeah, they still have LaDainian Tomlinson in the backfield. And although he’s not the player he once was, he’s still very dangerous and has the ability to score on any given play.

You have to figure that Revis will get matched up on Jackson and S Kerry Rhodes will take on Gates. But what about Malcolm Floyd and Legedu Naanee? There’s also Darren Sproles who caught 45 passes coming out of the backfield and FB Mike Tobert who caught 25. See what I mean?

If there’s any week where the Jets dress as many defensive backs as possible, it’s this week. Rex Ryan is a defensive mastermind and will surely come up with something that the Chargers have yet to see on film. It should be interesting to watch when these two units are on the field.

Steady Sanchez

Last week Mark Sanchez had the highest quarterback rating (139.4) for any rookie in a playoff game—ever! And while it’s unlikely that he will replicate that performance, the Jets are going to need to him to continue to play smart, turnover-free football if they’re going to have a chance to beat the Chargers.

As I pointed out before last week’s game, there will come multiple points in the game where the Jets will face 3rd-and-long and Sanchez will have to make a throw in a big spot, under pressure. The outcomes of those plays will ultimately determine the Jets’ chances in this game.

Last week he passed the test. Jets’ fans are hoping he passes his second exam this week.

We were completely taken aback by: New York Jets vs. San Diego Chargers Line

New York

The New York Jets vs. San Diego Chargers line opened Sunday afternoon at San Diego -9.  New York will play in San Diego following Baltimore's stunning defeat of New England on the road.  The Ravens will go on to play Indianapolis as a +6 ½ underdog at Bookmaker.com.

The Jets beat Cincinnati on Saturday during their wild card playoffs matchup.

Ironically, The Jets won their first playoff game since beating the Chargers in the 2004 Wild Card round.

Mark Sanchez became just the fourth rookie QB in NFL history to win his postseason debut, joining Shaun King ('99 Bucs), Ben Roethlisberger ('04 Steelers) and Joe Flacco ('08 Ravens). Sanchez and Flacco are the only ones to do it on the road.

"He had the eye of the tiger today and he was ready to get out there and throw it around," coach Rex Ryan said of his quarterback. "I see him getting better and better each day on the practice field. What a job he's done. I think he's tired of hearing he's the weak link on this football team."

Sanchez was an efficient 12 for 15 for 182 yards and 1 TD, good for a passer rating of 139.4.

Jets rookie Shonn Greene carried 21 times for 135 yards and a TD. Greene's total was tied for the third-highest by a rookie in his postseason debut since the merger. It was also tied for the second-highest single-game total in Jets posteason history.

New York will play the hottest team in the NFL right now, the San Diego Chargers.  The Chargers have won 11 straight matching their best single-season streak (1961).

San Diego finished 13-3, the second most wins in franchise history. The team won 14 in 2006.

"You work hard to get to this point," said Chargers coach Norv Turner, who was fired by the Redskins after 13 games in the 2000 season. "You work hard to position yourself. You work hard to get the bye and the home game. Now we want to take advantage of that."

The New York Jets vs. San Diego Chargers line was available at Bookmaker.com.  Claim your 20 percent CASH BONUS when opening an online betting account at Bookmaker.com.  Use bonus code:  GAMBLING911.

Christopher Costigan, Gambling911.com Publisher

 

Don't move: Super calendar! Rex Ryan maps out New York Jets' next month, from San Diego to ...

New York

BY Rich Cimini

dAILY NEWS SPORtS WRITER

Monday, January 11th 2010, 4:00 AM

Jets set for San Diego

Will the Jets beat the Chargers in the AFC divisional round?

The Jets' charter flight home from Cincinnati was decorated with green and white balloons, streamers and congratulatory poster boards. A nice touch, for sure, but nothing compared to what Rex Ryan has in mind for Feb. 9.

A Super Bowl victory parade up the Canyon of Heroes.

Ryan distributed a postseason calendar last week to the team, marked with the dates of everything from the wild-card game to the Super Bowl to the parade. He took that presumptuous step because he wants the players to visualize the journey, from the first game to the ticker tape.

"If you're not man enough or have enough faith in your team to put it on the schedule, you wouldn't," Ryan said Sunday. "But we do. We feel we have an outstanding chance. We feel we have an excellent football team. We're not ashamed of the fact that I believe it can happen."

The Jets' 24-14 victory over the Bengals was "a giant step forward," according to Ryan, but the road to the confetti blizzard is about to get a lot tougher. They're heading to San Diego for a Sunday afternoon showdown against the Chargers (13-3) in the AFC divisional playoffs.

The Jets avoided a rematch with the top-seeded Colts, thanks to the Ravens' upset of the Patriots, but they hardly consider it a lucky break. The Chargers are the hottest team in the league, having won 11 straight, and they haven't been held under 20 points in any game. Their last loss was Oct. 19 to the Broncos, 34-23.

Ryan's top-ranked defense will face a big-play offense led by Philip Rivers, who has passed for 4,254 yards, 28 touchdowns and only nine interceptions.

If you think Ryan is intimidated, you haven't been paying attention for the past 12 months.

"The reality is, if we win three games, we're the world champions," Ryan said. "It's so close you can almost taste it."

If the fifth-seeded Jets stun the Chargers, which would be one of the biggest upsets in team history, they would face the Colts-Ravens winner in the AFC Championship Game. It will be at the Meadowlands if Ryan's former team, the Ravens (the No. 6 seed), knocks off the Colts in the other divisional game.

And you thought the old stadium was history. Maybe not yet.

If it's the Colts, the Jets will get a chance to prove their upset two weeks ago wasn't a Curtis Painter-induced fluke.

But first the Jets have to figure out a way to stop the Chargers, who have three targets with at least 776 receiving yards - Vincent Jackson (1,167), tight end Antonio Gates (1,157) and Malcolm Floyd (776). They're coming off a bye week, so they will be well-rested.

The Jets won't be, but they do have plenty of their own momentum, having won six of seven. They also have a maturing Mark Sanchez to complement their league-leading ground attack. Sanchez, growing up before our eyes, has gone three straight games without a turnover.

"When our quarterback plays well," safety Jim Leonhard, "we feel like we have a great chance to beat anybody."

Ryan mapped out the postseason plan after the season-ending win over the Bengals. In Mangini World, it was always one week at a time. Maybe that's why, when they made the playoffs in 2006, it "was miserable," according to one player. "I know this sounds crazy, but some guys just wanted it to be over."

Ryan dares to dream big.

"Sometimes when you get in the playoffs, you think, ‘Okay, we're in the playoffs, but is it really reality to think we can win a Super Bowl?'" Ryan said. "When you lay it out in front of them, I think they can visualize it and realize, ‘Hey, man, we just take care of our business ... we can get this done.'"

Interesting New York news: Rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez guides New York Jets to playoff victory over ...

New York

CINCINNATI — One playoff game into his career, Mark Sanchez is giving a good Off-Broadway performance.

So are the rest of the New York Jets, who are no longer an overlooked team after dismantling the AFC North champions for the second consecutive weekend.

Any more doubters?

With their rookie quarterback from USC playing mistake-free football, the Jets turned their surprising playoff appearance into a long-running production Saturday. Sanchez threw a touchdown pass, and the league's top running game took it from there, setting up a 24-14 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals.

"It's pretty special," Sanchez said. "It's got nothing to do with me."

Actually, the Jets' first playoff victory since 2004 had a lot to do with him.

Playing in single-digit wind chills against a defense that tried its best to put the game in his hands, Sanchez went 12 of 15 for 182 yards and a stratospheric passer rating of 139.4.

Considered the Jets' weakest link heading into the playoffs, he became their focal point, getting his first playoff win ahead of Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer, his boyhood idol and another former USC standout.

"He had the eye of the tiger today and he was ready to get out there and throw it around," Jets coach Rex Ryan said of Sanchez. "I see him getting better and better each day on the practice field.

"What a job he's done. I think he's tired of hearing he's the weak link on this football team."

He wasn't the only rookie making plays under pressure for New York (10-7). Third-rounder Shonn Greene of Iowa ran for 135 yards, including a 39-yard touchdown, leading a running game that churned out 171 yards for a rare back-to-back sweep of the Bengals (10-7).

Cedric Benson ran for a Bengals-record 169 yards in a playoff game, but Cincinnati managed little else. Its streak without a playoff victory reached 19 years and counting.

Cincinnati went to the Meadowlands six days earlier and got flattened 37-0. The Jets ran for 257 yards, and the Bengals managed a total of 72 yards, with receiver Chad Ochocinco getting shut out. Little changed the second time around — Ochocinco had two catches for 28 yards in the rematch.

"This was a great team effort," said Ryan, who won in his playoff debut as a coach. "We're a good football team. If people don't believe that, they soon will."

Sanchez looked like a playoff pro, joining Shaun King, Joe Flacco and Ben Roethlisberger as rookie QBs to win postseason starts.

Note

• Minutes before kickoff, Jets kicker Jay Feely learned he was going to have to punt, too. Steve Weatherford was dizzy and had a fast heartbeat after warming up, leaving him unavailable. Feely averaged 31.4 yards on seven punts.

New York has not vanished - New York Jets rookie QB Mark Sanchez proves he's worthy of Broadway stage

New York

Mike Lupica

Sunday, January 10th 2010, 4:00 AM

Jets' wild-card win

Who was the MVP of the Jets' win over the Bengals in the AFC wild-card game?

CINCINNATI - They got the kid to play like this, in games like this. The Jets got him to be a star, for them and their fans in Jersey and for New York. They worked the kid out in Southern California when they were deciding whether to trade up and draft him and Rex Ryan, a coach you may have heard of, said the kid didn't miss a throw. The Jets really got Mark Sanchez to win them their first Super Bowl since Joe Namath, the last star kid they had at quarterback. And Saturday, Paul Brown Stadium, Cincinnati, first pro playoff game of his life, Mark Sanchez made you believe he will do just that, beat everybody some day the way he beat the Bengals.

"One of these days, (Sanchez) is going to be the biggest guy we've got on this team," Rex Ryan said when it was over, 24-14 Jets. "The best. And maybe that day is coming sooner rather than later."

Then the big coach who backed it all up for another week, said this about his rookie quarterback: "We know this guy is gonna be a big-time guy."

And when Sanchez followed his coach to the podium, somebody asked him what he was thinking after Cedric Benson ran away from the coach's defense and made it 21-14 in the fourth quarter. Made it look like a game even though it wasn't.

"Let's go," Sanchez said. "Let's play. Let's go score some points."

And before you knew it he was rolling to his left and finding Dustin Keller wide open down the field and doing what he had done all day, which means throwing the ball exactly where he aimed it. And then the Jets were kicking the field goal that made it 24-14. Sanchez would end up 12-for-15 on the day and 182 yards and if Braylon Edwards doesn't drop a sure touchdown from Sanchez, 41 yards away, first quarter, the numbers are even gaudier than that.

Rookie head coach for the Jets Saturday, rookie quarterback. And rookie running back, too. Shonn Greene, a third-round pick out of Iowa, another guy the Jets traded up to draft, was a big-time guy himself Saturday, running for 135 yards on 21 carries, running 39 yards around left end for the Jets' first touchdown when it was 7-0, Bengals. The last time the Jets won a playoff game in Cincinnati, 26 years ago exactly, Freeman McNeil ran for 211 yards. Greene didn't get to 200 Saturday because Thomas Jones got some carries, too, scored a touchdown himself. But Greene got enough. All day.

And made a prophet out of the big coach.

"You ask him," Ryan said. "I told him before the game, 'Son, I think you can get 150 yards today.'"

But in all the important ways, this was Sanchez's coming-out party, Sanchez helping win the game all day long instead of just trying not to lose it. This is what Mike Tannenbaum, the general manager, saw in him. When it was 7-7, Sanchez rolled to his right and waited for Keller to come open across the field, threw him a perfect ball, watched Keller tightrope his way into the end zone from 10 yards out to put the Jets up a touchdown.

New York is being observed closer then ever AFC Wildcard Preview of New York Jets-Cincinnati Bengals

New York

With the opening round of the NFL playoffs just a few hours away, it's time to see which teams will persevere and which ones will make an early exit.

The first game on the docket pits the No. 5-seeded New York Jets (9-7) against the No. 4-ranked Cincinnati Bengals (10-6). Kickoff begins at 4:30 p.m. and the game will air on NBC.

Less than a week ago, the Bengals suffered a 37-0 thumping by the Jets at Giants Stadium in a must-win game to earn a postseason birth. While it was an ugly display put on by the Bengals, they had little to play for with one exception being for a chance to be the No. 3 seed if the New England Patriots lost against the Houston Texans.

Despite the Patriots dropping a close one to Houston, Cincinnati was unable to bolster much of an offensive attack against the Jets, and, as a result, the defense lingered on the field all night and couldn't stop running back Thomas Jones and company from putting points on the board.

Meanwhile, history was made based on the Jets winning that game as first-year quarterback Mark Sanchez and head coach Rex Ryan became the first rookie tandem to ever make it into the playoffs in their first season in their respective roles.

If the Jets are to advance to the second round, they'll have to do so playing on the road and in enemy territory with the Bengals securing a home game at Paul Brown Stadium after capturing the AFC North title this season. The Bengals are 0-1 lifetime at PB Stadium, losing to the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2005 thanks, in part, to Steelers Kimo von Oelhoffen knocking quarterback Carson Palmer out of the game when he drilled the former USC stud in the left knee.

But, even with Palmer (3,094 passing yards with 21 TD passes, 13 INTs) healthy, his go-to wideout Chad Ocho Cinco (72 catches, 1047 receiving yards, 9 TDs) may labor through the postseason after he slipped and fell during warmups last weekend, hurting a knee in the process.

The key to victory for the Bengals depends largely on if they can establish a strong running game with feature back Cedric Benson (1251 rushing yards, 6 TDs) against a Jets defensive front that's become susceptible to the run ever since New York lost run-stopper Kris Jenkins earlier in the year to injury.

As for the Jets, a steady dose of Jones (1,402 rushing yards, 14 TDs) against a beat-up Bengals defense will help alleviate the pressure put on Sanchez. If New York finds itself trailing early by a couple touchdowns, relying heavily on Sanchez's arm may spell trouble for the green-and-white.

Much like the stock market, Sanchez (53.8 percent completion rating, 2,444 passing yards) has been up-and-down this season not to mention turnover proven. He has three interceptions over his last three games and 12 touchdown passes versus 20 INTs on the year.

Omitting the flukey season-opening 12-7 loss to the Denver Broncos when receiver Brandon Stokely scored the game-winning TD off a tipped ball by the Bengals's secondary, Cincinnati only lost once at PB Stadium. On Oct. 18, the Texans beat the Bengals 28-17.

With more to play for today, coach Marvin Lewis and the Bengals should put a more competitive product on the field and test the Jets unlike their first match last Sunday. However, Pro Bowl cornerback Darrelle Revis and the New York defense are likely to keep the game close barring turnovers by its offensive unit.

Predictions:

If Benson tops 100 rushing yards, Bengals win 23-17.

If Sanchez has a turnover-free game, Jets win 24-23.

New York Jets coach Rex Ryan rips Cincinnati Bengals for making 'excuses' in ... (This probably won't come as a surprise)

New York

BY Rich Cimini

DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER

Saturday, January 9th 2010, 4:00 AM

CINCINNATI - It got hot inside the Jets' meeting room Friday night at their Cincinnati hotel, and it wasn't because somebody was fiddling with the thermostat.

On the eve of the playoffs, the Daily News has learned that Rex Ryan delivered a short but fiery speech in which he listed the myriad "excuses" used by the Bengals in the aftermath of their 37-0 loss to the Jets last Sunday, according to people in the room. Among them: A vanilla game plan. Resting starters. Nothing at stake.

"He's pissed," said one person at the team meeting. "He wants respect for this team."

Today, the Jets can shut up the critics - and the whiny Bengals.

After a wild regular season that included two three-game losing streaks, 20 Mark Sanchez interceptions, three fourth-quarter meltdowns, two Ted Ginn daggers, a Maurice Jones-Drew knee to the gut, an uncovered Tony Gonzalez and a Peyton Manning hook, the Jets play a wild-card rematch this afternoon at Paul Brown Stadium.

No more excuses. It's 'go' time. The Jets, the biggest long shot in the 12-team field (sorry, Rex, but Vegas says it's so), intend to stick around for awhile. They're determined to prove they're more than just the product of the Curtis Painter folly in Indianapolis.

"We're in it to win it," said tackle Damien Woody, who won two Super Bowl rings with the Patriots. "We're not satisfied with just getting to the tournament and bowing out. We feel like we're going to go all the way. That's just our mind-set."

Said safety Kerry Rhodes: "We really feel like we have a chance to win it all, not just one game."

The fifth-seeded Jets (9-7) are remarkably confident for a team that received tremendous breaks in recent weeks, but there are good reasons for the positive vibe. They're hot (a 5-1 stretch run) and they're physical, boasting the league's top-ranked rushing attack and the No. 1 defense in points and yards allowed. That they smacked around the Bengals last week also didn't hurt their confidence.

"I won't be surprised when we win," Ryan said.

The Jets haven't won a playoff game since Jan. 8, 2005, a wild-card game in San Diego. This matchup features two old-school teams, run-heavy offenses that complement stifling defenses. Considering the similar styles, and the frigid conditions, this figures to be a low-scoring, field-position game.

And that's okay with Ryan, who believes it sets up perfectly for his defense, which has allowed only 47 points over the last six games. The No. 1 scoring defense has reached at least the divisional round every year since 1993, including five that won the Super Bowl.

Marvelous: Atlanta Falcons Derail New York Jets

New York

NFL News - December 20th, 2009 - Written by Bryan

At kick off the temperature was 29 degrees with a wind chill of 18, but that was not enough to phase the Atlanta Falcons. Matt Ryan's four-yard touchdown pass to tight end Tony Gonzalez on fourth down with 1:38 remaining propelled the Falcons over the New York Jets 10-7.

Despite being eliminated from playoff contention following Dallas' win over New Orleans Saturday night, the Falcons came out and played like the season was on the line. To them, there is still something to play for. Never in the history of the organization has the team had back-to-back winning seasons. At 6-7 entering the day, Atlanta must win the remaining games on their schedule. It started today with the Jets, in a game that featured only 17 total points. With the win, the Falcons are now 7-7 and in addition, likely ended the playoff hopes for the Jets.

Coming into the contest, the Falcons were a 5 1/2 point-underdog on the road in the NFL Betting Odds. The over/under was installed prior to kick off at 36 1/2, but with the game's total reaching only 17, it went the under.

Atlanta was glad to get their two offensive leaders back from injury. Ryan and running back Michael Turner had been sidelined the last few weeks with injuries, but were finally activated after an uneventful week of practice. Unfortunately for the Falcons, Turner once again went down with an injury in the game after only having one carry for seven yards. However, Ryan and the rest of the offense were able to compile enough points to defeat the Jets on the road.

Neither offenses could do much all game long until the game-winning drive by Atlanta. On the day, Ryan was held to only 152 yards passing on 16 of 34 attempts and one touchdown.

Atlanta relied on a tandem of running backs once Turner went out with an injury. Jason Snelling led the ground attack for the Falcons carrying the ball 16 times for 59 yards. Complimenting Snelling's power running game was Jerious Norwood, a speedy back who at any time can break for a big play. He had nine carries for 22 yards, but was used more effectively in the passing game. He accounted for two receptions for 47 yards, one of which went for 38.

It was the Atlanta defense however that kept the Falcons in the game, ultimately allowing them to win. They forced three turnovers that stalled Jets' drives. On the season the Falcons' defense has struggled winning the turnover battle, however, they were plus-three for the day.

New York quarterback Mark Sanchez accounted for all three turnovers, throwing three interceptions, and finished the day 18-for-32 for 226 yards one touchdown and the three interceptions.

With New England defeating Buffalo, the Jets have no chance of winning the AFC East. Mathematically, New York is still in playoff contention, but would need a lot to happen to reach post season play. This is made more difficult as the Jets play the only undefeated team in the NFL next week in the Indianapolis Colts.

The Falcons' 2009 playoff campaign has ended, but a chance at making history still has not. A win next week against Buffalo and the following week in the regular 2009 NFL season finale against Tampa Bay and the Falcons will secure the first back-to-back winning seasons in team history.

New York still in our sights - It's 'Just don't lose, baby' time for New York Jets' rookie QB Mark Sanchez

New York

Gary Myers

Saturday, December 19th 2009, 6:27 PM

Rex Ryan has worked the Jets back into the division and wild-card races by playing stone-age football: Run the ball, play defense, throw only when it's an emergency.

Simply it should be this:

Don't Blow It, Kid.

Don't Do Anything Stupid.

Don't Throw Away The Season.

Sanchez has taken the Jets for such a wild ride through the first 13 games that Ryan probably needs motion sickness pills to keep his lunch down. But after giving him too much flexibility early in the season, Ryan has put the training wheels back on his bicycle and hopes the young man can steer it straight without flying over the handlebars, especially with thechance that it will be snowing during the game.

His job is pretty simple today in what could be messy conditions. The Jets don't need him to win the game; they just don't want him to lose it.

Ryan needs nothing fancy from Sanchez. The Jets have the NFL's No. 1 ranked defense and No. 1 running game. That is a formula that usually results in a record far better than 7-6, except when you have a rookie quarterback who leads the AFC with 17 INTs and sideline hotdogs consumed. It's a formula that should not fail in December, when cold weather is always a factor and now snow could be, too.

The Jets just need Sanchez to be the game manager Sunday. "This is huge, each week," Sanchez said.

Sanchez has a lot of growing up to do. He learned a painful lesson about listening to Ryan two weeks ago. Just 48 hours after Girardi taught him the finer points of the feet-first slide, Sanchez went flying head first for a first down in Toronto and landed hard on his right knee. He sprained his posterior cruciate ligament and was fortunate it only kept him out one game.

Maybe it's a good thing Sanchez now has a brace on his right knee to go along with the one he was already wearing on his left. It might make him less mobile and less inclined to take off like an 8-year-old chasing an ice cream truck.

This late in the year, Sanchez should have transitioned into a more prominent role in the offense. But everybody develops at their own pace. The experience he's gaining now will benefit the Jets next year. He has shown enough flashes in his 12 starts to see that he is going to be a very good player.