Good morning, New York sports fans! Although we know this is not a good morning if you are a New York Jets fan -- rather, it is a crushingly disappointing one.
For the second straight season the Jets fell one game short of the second Super Bowl appearance in franchise history, losing to the Pittsburgh Steelers, 24-19, in the AFC Championship Game. Sometimes, life just doesn't seem fair. This is the eighth Super Bowl appearance for the Steelers.
Jets coach Rex Ryan said having this happen two years in a row "cuts your heart out." Well, I'm sure there will be plenty of Ryan critics pinning the blame on the bombastic coach today, especially after comments like this one from corrnerback Darrelle Revis.
"We came out flat."
From the action on the field, that is hard to argue with. Listless offense. Poor tackling. Getting physically manhandled. Falling behind 24-0.
How does that happen in the AFC Championship Game?
We will have plenty more reaction to the defeat throughout the day right here at SB Nation New York. Gang Green Nation is also reacting to the loss today.
The Steelers will face the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl XLV. The Packers defeated Chicago, 21-14. Bears quarterback Jay Cutler is taking a beating today for spending most of the second half on the sideline with an apparent knee injury.