There is only one Super Bowl that would capture my full attention: Green Bay Packers vs. New York Jets.
We’re still a game away from that being a possibility, but the chances are looking better than Charlie Sheen does of never again setting foot in Vegas. The Packers must beat the Chicago Bears, while the Jets need to get past the Pittsburgh Steelers to put themselves in the big game. The oddsmakers are betting against me — and not just because of the aforementioned bad Vegas joke — but when are they always right? Currently, they’re calling for a Packers/Bears Super Bowl.
Jay Cutler. Boring. Lovie Smith. I’m dozing off. Ben Roethlisberger. Give another second tier quarterback a chance at a title.
Regardless of who the Jets play, including the Steelers, their offense is going to be tested. The Bears, Packers and Steelers were three of the best defenses in the NFL this season. In the Steelers’ case, the second best. They allowed just 276.8 yards a game, with only 62 of that coming on the ground. In the playoffs, that total drops to just 126 and 35. That’s bad news for the Jets running game, which at 148.4 yards a contest is second most among all teams. The good news is statistics are just averages, which means teams have had mild success at times against the Steelers’ rush defense. New York is one of those teams. In their Week 15 meeting, the Jets, who won 22-17, racked up 106 yards on the Heinz Field turf.
Once again, Mark Sanchez has to have a big game. Another three-touchdown performance like against New England would suffice, but let’s be realistic. Sanchez had just six two-plus touchdown games out of the 18 he appeared in this year, including the playoffs. The Jets aren’t going to be able to win with field goals. They need touchdowns. LaDainian Tomlinson and Shonn Greene are great backs to have in their arsenal, but they’re expected to take a pounding. Sanchez needs to get them as close to the goal line as possible to make their job easier.
This is why the Rex Ryan went out and acquired Santonio Holmes in the offseason. The former Steeler opens up the field for Braylon Edwards and Jerricho Cotchery. Cotchery will especially be vital in the slot as Sanchez will have to release the ball quickly on blitzes, particularly when James Harrison is coming his way. Steelers cornerbacks Bryant McFadden, William Gay and Ike Taylor are good at their positions, but not great. The Jets can exploit them.
New York’s defense is just as strong as Pittsburgh’s. That’s why a 14-10 final score is more likely than some digits in the 30s. Right now, Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie are shutting down wideout opponents. Expect Revis on Hines Ward, while Cromartie matches up against Mike Wallace. That’s as good a pair of receivers the Jets have faced this season. One strong corner was a major reason the Jets lost last season’s AFC championship game. No more excuses.
This hasn’t been an easy postseason road for the Jets. The Indianapolis Colts and Patriots were two of the best teams in the AFC, which makes this Super Bowl run an even more impressive feat. The Colts win helps fade last season’s conference championship loss to them. New England, however, is a division foe, a team that thumped the Jets 45-3 two months ago. A win over the Patriots will re-energize an already vivacious organization. On Sunday, it’s the Steelers second go-round with the most talkative team in recent memory. This one backs up their mouths though.
A third straight win on the road this time of year is tough. The Jets are just that.