Jets Both Lucky And Good

Who would’ve thought a few weeks ago that the Jets would be the team controlling their own destiny heading into week 17 and the Giants would be the ones on the outside looking in.

Obviously not Rex Ryan, who just last week thought his team was eliminated from the post season.

My how things have changed.

While the Giants laid one of the biggest eggs in recent history this afternoon (see Glenn’s post below), the Jets handed the Colts their first loss of the season, and in the process ensured that they’ll play a meaningful game next Sunday.

But the Jets’ win wasn’t without controversy…namely the Colts’ decision to rest Peyton Manning and a couple other stars while the game was still close in the 3rd quarter.

Instead of the Hall of Famer under center, the Colts went with rookie Curtis Painter who promptly fumbled in the end zone (leading to a Jets TD) and threw an interception.

Look for Painter to be out of the NFL and actually a painter sometime in the near future.

My favorite part of the game, the incessant booing from the Colts fans (how often does a 14-0 team get booed off the field) and Peyton Manning refusing to take his helmet off while he was “benched.”

Think he wanted to get back in the game? He might say all the right things in the post game and during the fall out this week, but you know he wanted to play.

But back to the Jets. They were the beneficiary of all this, and though they did play well, you can’t look past the fact that they were handed a gift by Indy.

And that post-Christmas gift-giving continues next week, when Gang Green hosts a Bengals team that clinched a playoff spot and cannot improve their standing with a win next week.

Look for more of the same next week as Cincinnati will no doubt rest-up their stars and let the Jets trounce all over their scrubs.

Something tells me the Jets will take it.

Of all those teams in the 7-7 log jam in the AFC this week, they were the only ones who put themselves in a position to win and get in.

Who cares who those W’s come against.

Matt Estreich for The Huddle