Jets blow chances to pull off upset
INDIANAPOLIS – In the end, it was the Jets feeling blue.
Make no mistake they lost to a superior team in all phases of the game. They would up losing to a quarterback who legitimately may go down as the greatest ever to play the position.
No shame in that.
While they will hold their heads high after a season that brought them more than they ever thought would happen, the Jets will reflect for months about what might have been.
The Jets will look to three instances in this game where they could have either had momentum on their side or put themselves in a position where they would have put the threat of a possible upset into the minds of the Colts.
When they did not capitalize, the ending was almost predictable.
Early in the first quarter after the Jets sacked Manning and forced a punt, they drove 45 yards down the field to the Colts 26. Attempting to get the first three points of the game, Jay Feely would miss a 44 yard field goal to keep the game scoreless. It was an early victory for the Colts and a bad sign that the offense was able to move the ball effectively early and still come away with zero points once they were inside the 30.
This would be slightly negated by the Jets great red zone defense limiting Manning The Great and offense to two field goals, including a tremendous goal line stand at the 1 when he attempted to push forward three feet and the defense would not let him move an inch.
With the Jets now leading 14-6 late in the second quarter, they got another big break as Calvin Pace forced Joseph Addai to lose the football and Jim Leonhard recovered. The ball was now at the Colts 29 and upset was in the air.
Could the Jets really do this?
A touchdown would have put made the margin 15 and would have sent their confidence through the roof. At the same time, Lucas Oil Stadium would have the feeling and silence of a funeral procession.
The offense elected not to go for their Colts throats and instead slit their own wrists. A conservative run call was then met by a false start penalty and a four yard loss by Thomas Jones on another running play. Eventually, it was fourth down and Feely was back on to try a 48 yard field that he would make this time.
17-6 is different than 21-6. With enough time on the clock, it gave Manning the opportunity to lead his team down the field to score a touchdown before the half. The Jets defense had not necessarily stopped the Colts offense as much as it was timely defense. Surely, there was no way that the Jets were going to limit Manning and his offense in this championship game to only six points.
On cue, it took only four plays and just under one minute for Manning to drive down and stick the ball in the end zone. For all they had done to that point, the lead was only 17-13 and both the Colts and the crowd were back into the game.
INDIANAPOLIS – In the end, it was the Jets feeling blue.
Make no mistake they lost to a superior team in all phases of the game. They would up losing to a quarterback who legitimately may go down as the greatest ever to play the position.
No shame in that.
While they will hold their heads high after a season that brought them more than they ever thought would happen, the Jets will reflect for months about what might have been.
The Jets will look to three instances in this game where they could have either had momentum on their side or put themselves in a position where they would have put the threat of a possible upset into the minds of the Colts.
When they did not capitalize, the ending was almost predictable.
Early in the first quarter after the Jets sacked Manning and forced a punt, they drove 45 yards down the field to the Colts 26. Attempting to get the first three points of the game, Jay Feely would miss a 44 yard field goal to keep the game scoreless. It was an early victory for the Colts and a bad sign that the offense was able to move the ball effectively early and still come away with zero points once they were inside the 30.
This would be slightly negated by the Jets great red zone defense limiting Manning The Great and offense to two field goals, including a tremendous goal line stand at the 1 when he attempted to push forward three feet and the defense would not let him move an inch.
With the Jets now leading 14-6 late in the second quarter, they got another big break as Calvin Pace forced Joseph Addai to lose the football and Jim Leonhard recovered. The ball was now at the Colts 29 and upset was in the air.
Could the Jets really do this?
A touchdown would have put made the margin 15 and would have sent their confidence through the roof. At the same time, Lucas Oil Stadium would have the feeling and silence of a funeral procession.
The offense elected not to go for their Colts throats and instead slit their own wrists. A conservative run call was then met by a false start penalty and a four yard loss by Thomas Jones on another running play. Eventually, it was fourth down and Feely was back on to try a 48 yard field that he would make this time.
17-6 is different than 21-6. With enough time on the clock, it gave Manning the opportunity to lead his team down the field to score a touchdown before the half. The Jets defense had not necessarily stopped the Colts offense as much as it was timely defense. Surely, there was no way that the Jets were going to limit Manning and his offense in this championship game to only six points.
On cue, it took only four plays and just under one minute for Manning to drive down and stick the ball in the end zone. For all they had done to that point, the lead was only 17-13 and both the Colts and the crowd were back into the game.
When Jets elected to preserve the lead by running out the clock instead of attempting to increase their lead, storm clouds began to hover.
Those storm clouds grew dark when the Jets faced a fourth down at the Colts 35 yard line needing seven yards. In essence, the game was on the line right here.
There were three options to choose from in this situation.
Option 1 was to kick a 52-yard field goal with Feely. He already had made and missed kicks shorter than this one earlier in the game.
Making this field goal would have made the score 20-13, but still giving Manning a chance to tie the game anyway. A miss would give the Colts the ball at their 43, which would be a death sentence.
Option 2 would be to pooch punt the ball and pin them inside the 10. Problem is that if the execution fails, this would equate to giving up 14 yards of field possession, giving them the ball on a touchback at the 20.
Translation: It makes no sense.
This leaves us with Option 3, and that is to go for it. Settling for field goals in this game against Manning is another way of asking to lose the battle. Punting was not an option and going for it was the best chance of winning the game and keeping Manning off the field as long as possible. If you do not convert, you give them the ball at that spot and take your chances.
Essentially, you ask yourself whether your percentages were higher kicking a 52-yard field goal or attempting to convert on fourth down. Both seems to be in the same vicinity, so you may as well take your chances.
Instead, Rex Ryan elected for the Feely field goal and he missed for the second time in the game. Manning took the ball at his own 43 and eight plays later, the Colts were on top and the game was all but over. After trailing by 11, Indianapolis scored the game’s final 24 points, shutting the Jets out 17-0 in the final 30 minutes.
Perhaps the Jets still would have lost anyway. However, they had their chance and you don’t know when that opportunity will come around again.
Option 2 would be to pooch punt the ball and pin them inside the 10. Problem is that if the execution fails, this would equate to giving up 14 yards of field possession, giving them the ball on a touchback at the 20.
Translation: It makes no sense.
This leaves us with Option 3, and that is to go for it. Settling for field goals in this game against Manning is another way of asking to lose the battle. Punting was not an option and going for it was the best chance of winning the game and keeping Manning off the field as long as possible. If you do not convert, you give them the ball at that spot and take your chances.
Essentially, you ask yourself whether your percentages were higher kicking a 52-yard field goal or attempting to convert on fourth down. Both seems to be in the same vicinity, so you may as well take your chances.
Instead, Rex Ryan elected for the Feely field goal and he missed for the second time in the game. Manning took the ball at his own 43 and eight plays later, the Colts were on top and the game was all but over. After trailing by 11, Indianapolis scored the game’s final 24 points, shutting the Jets out 17-0 in the final 30 minutes.
Perhaps the Jets still would have lost anyway. However, they had their chance and you don’t know when that opportunity will come around again.
It was there for the taking.
They just couldn’t take it.
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