JETS SHOCK CHARGERS TO ADVANCE TO NFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

Sports media types frequently talk about teams ‘coming together at the right time’.  The New York Jets have done just that.  All but written off late in the season when they were 7-7, the Jets have moved into the NFC Championship game with a run of inspired play.  On Sunday, the Jets erased a 7-0 halftime deficit to stun the favored San Diego Chargers 17-14.  New York will now head to Indianapolis to take on Peyton Manning and the Colts for the right to play in Superbowl 44 in Miami.

The Jets also got the job done for NFL football betting</a> enthusiasts, cashing tickets with their outright victory as +8’ road underdogs.  New York has now won and covered seven of their last eight games dating back to the regular season.  The combined 31 points went UNDER the posted total of 43.  The UNDER verdict was the Jets’ fifth in their last eight games.

Defense and a sound rushing game are well known keys to success in the NFL, and the Jets have both.  They boast the #1 ranked total defense in the league as well as the top ranked rushing attack.  These fundamental strengths have helped them compensate for a number of rookies in key positions, including QB Mark Sanchez.  Sanchez expressed a lot of confidence after the game:

"It's a big win for our franchise, and we're not done.”

Another key rookie is running back Shonn Greene, who ran for 128 yards and a touchdown in the victory:

"Once I got to the secondary, I had one tackle to break and I did, and it was off to the end zone. A lot of people didn't know about me, but they know about the Jets."

Head coach Rex Ryan—yet another ‘rookie’ in his first year at the helm of an NFL team—gave his thoughts after the contest:

"We believed the whole time, the whole year, when it probably wasn't the popular choice. We don't have to apologize to anyone."

Linebacker Bart Scott suggested that his coach’s actions are much more significant than his words:

"Don't pay attention to the words he says. Pay attention to the content. We're not the same old Jets, and we're trying to change what people think of us."

They’ve done a good job at that so far, and will change even more minds if they can upset the Indianapolis Colts and advance to the Superbowl.  The Jets are +7’ road underdogs with the total set at 39.