A Giant Game (understatement)

I’ve decided not to write a full analysis of Sunday’s horror show.  Call it weak, call it ignorant, whatever.  I call it doing you all a favor.  It was that bad.  Instead, here are a few quick observations:

• The team looked flat from the start.  I had a bad feeling about the game all week, and
  

  I'm Confused, Too

  the first few drives confirmed that.  The team looked disinterested, confused and overall just out of sorts.  Pretty inexcusable given the circumstances.

• The Jets can not win a high-scoring affair, especially when they are down big.  The Eagles turned us into a one-dimensional team – that put a lot of pressure on Sanchez, but more importantly, but a lot of pressure on the O-line, who were not up to the task.  As if we didn’t know it already, this team is all about the run.
• Santonio Holmes is not a leader.  Which is too bad, given he’s the friggin’ CAPTAIN.  I can excuse the 2 turnovers he caused – players make mistakes, even great ones.  But his antics after his TD were just plain moronic.  The fact that they came at a time when the Jets were down big, and in a game where his mistakes led to 14 points, is just ridiculous.  The ignorance and idiocy of professional athletes is just astounding.
  

  That's our Captain!

• Jim Leonard is the Jets’ MVP.  Okay – maybe not, but is it a coincidence that the opposing teams scored 45 points in the games after he was lost for the season this year and last?   Hmmmm….
• Rex Ryan doesn’t know when to shut-up.  I love his bravado and I love his confidence.  But did he really have to proclaim that the Jets were “better” than the Giants, less than 24 hours after getting absolutely waxed by a sub .500 team?  Tone it down Rex.  Win on Saturday, and then talk.

In case you haven’t heard already, the game of the week will take place between the Giants and Jets on Saturday.  Half of New York’s Christmas Eve will be ruined.  The other half will most likely be celebrating a likely playoff berth.  I expect to be in the latter half.  I feel better about this game than the last.  The Giants are a good match-up for the Jets – they don’t have a stud TE to give us fits, they need the running game to set up the pass and Revis should be able to shut down Hicks or Cruz.  Eli generally struggles with blitzes as well so expect a lot of those.

The Giants D is solid, but not spectacular.  The corners are weak and their LBs are average.  We will run the ball a lot to neutralize their pass rush.  Sanchez should have time.

The New York papers are hyping this game like it’s the Super Bowl.  I kind of wish I was there.  I regrettably sold my tixx for the game a few weeks back.  At the time, I sold them for about $50 above face value.  Now, the average ticket is selling for $200 above face!

I told my Dad that I think we can win this one.  He called me the eternal optimist.  I didn’t disagree.  That’s just what you do when you love your team.  You believe.  I know deep down that this is not a great team, but I still believe they can make a run (if they make the playoffs, they would play Houston in the first round and their rookie QB – what a great match-up for the Jets).

So, it will either be a very celebratory Christmas Eve here in London, or one where the “Same Old Jets” bring some proverbial coal to my stocking.  On that note, I will leave you all with this Christmas greeting…please note the transition from the Flight Girls to Sione Pouha (Jets DT)…some editor really enjoyed that, as did I:

http://www.newyorkjets.com/holidaycard/index.html