SB Nation New York - Jets Pick Up The Pieces After AFC Championship Game Loss To Steelershttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48977/ny-fave.png2011-01-24T19:10:48-05:00http://newyork.sbnation.com/rss/stream/17063792011-01-24T19:10:48-05:002011-01-24T19:10:48-05:00Decisions Forthcoming For Jets
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<p>A quick overview of some key decisions the <a href="https://www.ganggreennation.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Jets</a> will have to make this off-season before getting in-depth in the coming weeks</p>
<p><b><i>Holmes or Edwards? - </i><span style="font-weight: normal;">Or both. It will be interesting to see how Mike Tannenbaum approaches attempting to sign both of the Jets premier wide receivers. From everything I have heard and read, Holmes is a bigger priority but it will be hard to let Edwards walk after the type of season he put together.</span></b></p>
<p><b><i>No Country for Old Men - </i><span style="font-weight: normal;">It sounds like <span>Jason Taylor</span>, <span>Mark Brunell</span> and <span>Trevor Pryce</span> are both going to retire. <span>LaDainian Tomlinson</span> will likely be back to finish out his contract but with a reduced role in the offense. <span>Kris Jenkins</span> will have to take a big pay cut to stick around, and the same might go for <span>Damien Woody</span>. The Jets will have a very tough decision to make on defensive lineman Shaun Ellis, the longest tenured player on the team. Also expect to see fullback Tony Richardson retire and be replaced by John Conner.</span></b></p>
<p><b><i>No-Cro - </i><span style="font-weight: normal;">Originally most people assumed <span>Antonio Cromartie</span> would only be around one year and then <span>Kyle Wilson</span> would take over at corner opposite <span>Darrelle Revis</span>. However, since Wilson's most memorable play was an easy interception slamming off his face-mask in the AFC Championship Game, that decision may not be so cut and dry. </span></b></p>
<p><b><i>Tiger Formation - </i><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span>Brad Smith</span> is also a free agent who will be tough to keep around, especially if the Jets attempt to bring both Edwards and Holmes back. Smith is valuable on both offense and special teams and would be very difficult to replace.</span></b></p>
<p><b><i>McKnight Time - </i><span style="font-weight: normal;">With LaDainian Tomlinson a year older and Brad Smith potentially leaving, <span>Joe McKnight</span> better be ready to take on a bigger role on this team.</span></b></p>
https://newyork.sbnation.com/2011/1/24/1954117/decisions-forthcoming-for-jets-nfl-free-agencyJoe Caporoso2011-01-24T18:50:50-05:002011-01-24T18:50:50-05:00Jericco Cotchery Named 2010 Eskenazi Award Recipient
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<p>The New York Jets’ loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Sunday’s <span class="caps">AFC</span> Championship Game is still fresh in the minds of Jets fans. To help ease the pain of defeat, let’s forget about the tough loss and long offseason ahead by mentioning one of the team awards that was announced today. Wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery, who had a solid season and playoffs, was <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/TheJetsStream/status/29684239058345986" target="new">named the team’s Eskenazi Award winner for 2010</a>. The award is given annually to the most media-friendly player on the squad, and is a tribute to longtime New York Times beat writer Gerry Eskenazi.</p>
<p>Congratulations to Cotchery for the award, and a thank you to him for helping make being a fan fun. Without access to some of our favorite players, it’s harder to feel as emotionally invested. Cotchery certainly does his part to bring fans closer to the game.</p>
https://newyork.sbnation.com/2011/1/24/1954100/jericco-cotchery-named-2010-new-york-jets-team-awards-eskenazi-award-winnerMichael Bean2011-01-24T18:25:10-05:002011-01-24T18:25:10-05:00Mark Sanchez 'Optimistic' About Injured Shoulder
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<p>Here is the transcript of New York Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez’s press conference today, the day after the Jets fell one game short of reaching the Super Bowl for the second straight season. Sanchez said he was “optimistic” about his injured shoulder.</p>
<p><strong>On his development this season…</strong><br>
The most important thing, personally, was trying to cut down on interceptions. I cut down on turnovers (and) ball security (issues). To improve like we did, to jump as many spots as we did in third-down conversions, on red zone efficiency, everything we improved in as an offense. That just comes with experience. I’m really proud of the coaches and the players for improving like we promised each other we would on this day last year. We talked about getting a little bit better and we did. At this point, we’re right there. We’re so close. As hard as it is, we’re just knocking on the door. We’re the only team to make it back in that final four of teams and that’s unbelievable. There is something to be said for that. It’s just really too bad that we didn’t make it all the way.<br>
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<strong>On the importance of re-signing Braylon Edwards and Santonio Holmes…</strong><br>
I felt great with both of them. They both have big play-making ability, obviously. They both can change the dynamic of a game. They helped me out tremendously in their own ways, by just talking or playing, they’ve helped me. I’d love to get them back. This is the worst part because you go from, growing closer together, we’re as tight as we can possibly be right now, then you move to (the) business side of things and it’s harder. It becomes black and white. That’s just the way it goes. Things happen. Guys change teams. Who knows? It’s really too bad, I’ll stay positive and I hope we can get everybody back, but I know that is not realistic. We’ll work with what we’ve got and stay in contact with them and I’ll do everything I can possibly do to help.<br>
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<strong>On if he feels there will be a lot of changes to the team next season…</strong><br>
I don’t know. I just feel like there are probably more than a handful of guys, at least 10, that won’t be playing (here) next year because of contracts deals or age. Guys have played a long time and they’ve had great careers. LT (LaDainian Tomlinson) and Jason Taylor, I mean those guys are great competitors. They are nearing the end of their career, (but) I hope we get them back, I hope they have one more year in them because they’ve helped me. The reality is this is a tough game and these guys have played a long time, so we’ll see what happens.<br>
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<strong>On if this team is built for the long-haul…</strong><br>
Absolutely. The nucleus of this team will be here and we’ll keep as many guys as possible. I know they’ll do that, management wise, we’ll be smart about it and do what’s best for us. I’m confident in Rex (Ryan), in Mike Tannenbaum and Mr. Johnson doing the very best they can to keep our guys.<br>
<strong> <br>
On the status of his shoulder…</strong><br>
I’ll still talk to the doctors about it, we did our exit physicals and they are thrilled about the progress I’ve made in the last couple of weeks. Things are pointing in the right direction. If there was something serious, I think (things) would have declined. Things could have gotten worse, I wouldn’t have been able to practice. If anything, it just got better. That’s a good sign. I’ll just take it from there, talk to the doctors, get a couple of opinions on it, try to get it looked at and we’ll take it from there. I’m optimistic about everything and hopefully nothing needs to be done. A little rest and I’ll be ready to go again.<br>
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<strong>On if he has an appointment set up with Dr. James Andrews for his shoulder yet…</strong><br>
No, not yet.<br>
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On if he has plans to set up an appointment with Dr. Andrews…<br>
I don’t know, last year it was definitely something that needed to be looked at, kind of hands on. This is something that can be looked at through an <span class="caps">MRI</span> or X-Ray (slide), so we’ll see what happens.<br>
<strong> <br>
On what exactly his shoulder injury is…</strong><br>
I think it’s just sore and recovering. (laughing) It feels good. I think it’s healed now.<br>
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<strong>On next season…</strong><br>
I feel like we’re so close. You just can’t start that slow in a game (<span class="caps">AFC</span> Championship game at Pittsburgh) like that. I’m proud of our guys for the way that we improved last year but we’re going to need a little more. That’s the only thing I can think of right now, just a little bit more, out of me, as a leader, as a quarterback, just getting completions and taking care of the ball even better next year. There is going to be more of an emphasis on taking control and assuming command of this team and this organization, that’s just the way I feel. (We have to get) everybody on board, the new guys that we bring in, we’ve got to get them right, we’ve got to get them playing like a Jet from day one. That’ll be our goal, but we’ve got a great group. I’m thrilled about playing with these guys. I definitely got better from playing with them and being around them. I’m wearing gang green with pride, I’m thrilled about being here and we’ll take it one game at a time.<br>
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<strong>On what the playoff run did for his development…</strong><br>
I don’t think I’ve been more focused, maybe in my life. I don’t think I’ve been more prepared. I just felt good about the plan. I was seeing things before they happened. The game started to slow down. I felt great. It really did and it just felt good being with this team and just being in the team meeting rooms. Every time we would get in the team meeting rooms and I’d see Rex talk, it was just like, ‘This is it. We’re going. This is our year. It’s going to happen,’ and it’s just too bad.<br>
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<strong>On how badly he wanted the ball in his hands with a chance to win the game…</strong><br>
That’s all you want. It’s a tough way to go out, but we fought hard in the second half. It was too bad we didn’t have that effort in the first half. We’ll regroup, figure it out and get a little better all offseason. We have a great group, so we’ll take it from here. It is too bad. We wanted that one last opportunity.<br>
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<strong>On what the team needs to do to reach the next level…</strong><br>
We’re so close. It’s going to be about everybody committing to this team with an unsure future. That’s hard, but I think we have the guys that can stay committed. We have the guys that can work out on their own if there are no offseason workouts. Who knows what’s going to happen, so we’re going to need guys to get together on their own, study on their own and be ready to go as soon as the season starts up again. Hopefully, it’s right on schedule, but we’re just going to have to get a little better individually. We’ll make the right changes on offense, defense and special teams. We’ll get better, but I’m proud of our effort. I’m proud our coaches and our players. It was a great year, a tough way to go out, but I’m proud of our guys.<br>
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<strong>On whether the loss is something you have to shake off or something you have to remember…</strong><br>
Inevitably, you’re going to think about it. I’ll think about it tomorrow morning and for the next few months, but it’s supposed to hurt. It can’t feel good. It’s too bad. We have a good group.<br>
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<strong>On whether he worries the window of opportunity is closing for this team…</strong><br>
I don’t think that, not with Rex (Ryan), not with the kind of management we have (and) not with the players we seem to get every year. I know there is a lot of turnover each year. Who knows who is going to be back? Who knows when the season is going to start? I’m confident we have the right people in place, from the trainers to the equipment managers to the coaches, and we’ll get the right players and we’ll figure it out. We’ll get a little bit better. We’ll be ready to play next year.<br>
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<strong>On Braylon Edwards and Santonio Holmes…</strong><br>
They’re a quarterback’s best friend. Them, a great defense (and) a good running game like we had, it makes it easy on a quarterback. We’ll do our best to keep them. I know it’s not totally realistic to be able to keep both, but we’ll figure it out and I’m confident in Mike Tannenbaum trying to get the best players back.<br>
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<strong>On how his shoulder is feeling…</strong><br>
I’m feeling good. The exit physical went really well. The doctors are pleased, so we’ll just take it from there. I’ll probably get it looked at these next couple of days, but the most important thing is that it got better every week. That’s huge. We’re very positive about it. We’ll just get it looked at and move on from there, but I’m optimistic.<br>
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<strong>On whether it is too soon to put his first two seasons in perspective and be proud of them…</strong><br>
Sure, I’m proud to be a Jet. I’m proud to be in this building and come to work here every day. There is nothing to hang our heads about. It’s a tough way to go out, but we have a great group and we’ll be right back next year and, hopefully, we’ll be a little better. It’s a little too early for me to reflect on everything, but I’m happy to be here. I love it here. (We’ll) get a little better.</p>
https://newyork.sbnation.com/2011/1/24/1954041/jets-mark-sanchez-optimistic-about-injured-shoulder-afc-championship-gameEd Valentine2011-01-24T17:27:59-05:002011-01-24T17:27:59-05:00Rex Ryan: ' In My Heart, I Believe We'll Be Champs'
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<p>Here are some excerpts from New York Jets coach Rex Ryan’s press conference today, the day following his team’s second consecutive loss in an <span class="caps">AFC</span> Championship Game.<br>
<strong><br>
Opening remarks:</strong></p>
<p>First off, I want to thank everybody for your coverage of our team. Most of the time they were good comments, not always, but sometimes we deserved those bad ones (smile). I do want to thank you for the coverage that you guys give us in this organization. <br>
<br>
After looking at that game, boy, it was brutal to watch. That first half in particular, it wasn’t like we changed a whole lot of calls defensively, it was we changed the way we played. I’m kind of at a loss for words on why we played that poorly. You’ve got to give them credit. (Rashard) Mendenhall made some great runs. We had him hit in the backfield a number of times and he’d spin out for nine (or) 10 yards. It was uncharacteristic of our team. We got it together. I was proud and I think we all recognized the heart of our football team (with the way) that we responded. We thought we were going to win the game in the second half, but to their credit, they made enough plays at the end of the game. One thing I told our players was to be proud to be a Jet. There’s a lot to be proud of. The fact that we didn’t reach our goal this year, clearly that’s a disappointment, but it doesn’t mean we had a bad season. We had a heck of a season when you look at it. How close are we to realizing our goal? We’re pretty darn close. We’re the only team of the final four teams that went (to the Conference Championship Games) last year, to make it back to the final four. I think that’s something for (to be optimistic about) that we’re a pretty good football team. I don’t think there’s any doubt about it. Now, we weren’t good enough to get it done (this year), but that doesn’t mean we won’t be good enough to get it done next year. We beat some pretty good teams along the way. I think the fact that we played five road games out of the last six, including trips to Chicago, Pittsburgh twice, New England, Indianapolis, that’s about as tough as it gets. We have ourselves to blame.</p>
<p>We’ve got to find a way to win our division and that’s no easy task. This isn’t just about beating New England because, quite honestly, we’ve done a pretty good job of it. It seems like nobody else in the league can beat them, so we’ve got to find ways to beat Green Bay, to beat Baltimore, to beat these other teams that we lost to. I think that’s going to be a huge challenge to us. I challenged our guys, with the uncertainty of the <span class="caps">CBA</span>, to hold each other accountable, to talk to each other, to stay in touch, (and) to do those things. We don’t know what’s going to happen. Nobody does. But, (I told them) to hold each other accountable and that you represent yourself, (but) you also represent this organization on and off the field. I have to be mindful of that as well, obviously, with my past history. Be proud to be a Jet because I know I am. <br>
<strong><br>
On if he is optimistic that the team will be able to keep their core together for next season:</strong></p>
<p>I don’t think there’s any doubt. I would love to have our entire 53 guys back. Is that realistic? No. We all know that’s not realistic. There’s going to be some guys that are going to make a lot more money than we can afford to pay, but it doesn’t mean we don’t appreciate them, because we do. There’s probably going to be a guy who may retire (and) a guy that for whatever reason we move on from. I think this is a heck of a football team, and I would love to have this entire group back next season. I recognize that’s not realistic.</p>
<p><strong>On if it is important for the players to shake off the loss or if he wants them to hold on to it:</strong></p>
<p>I think you want to look at both ends of it. I think you want to realize how close we are and watch the Super Bowl game. I’ve taken the opposite approach. I haven’t watched the last two of them because of the pain of it. But in a way, you’ve got to appreciate where you were and the kind of season you had and realize how close it is. Is that team really that much better than us? I don’t believe that’s the case. Let it drive you into realizing that it’s not a fluke that we’re the only team to go back-to-back in the final four. That’s not a fluke. That means we’re a heck of a football team. It means we’re a consistent football team. The great thing is, I think we’re on the uphill climb, not the downhill. Everything that talks about winning, we’ve won 13 games this year. The fact that we beat Indy at Indy, the fact we beat New England at New England, there are a lot of positives to take from this season and things that I would be encouraged about. Are we guaranteed we’re going to go to the Super Bowl? Maybe not. Maybe when I said that, “Soon to be champs,” I just don’t know when that (will be), but I believe it. In my heart, I believe we’ll be champs.</p>
https://newyork.sbnation.com/2011/1/24/1953935/jets-rex-ryan-in-my-heart-i-believe-well-be-champsEd Valentine2011-01-24T15:05:57-05:002011-01-24T15:05:57-05:00Rex Ryan Calls His Post-Game Rant 'Ridiculous'
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<p>New York Jets coach Rex Ryan is certainly never dull, including today -- the day after his team lost its second straight AFC championship game. With a night to think about, Ryan <a target="_blank" href="http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/01/24/rex-ryan-calls-his-own-post-game-remarks-ridiculous/">was critical today of his own post-game remarks</a>, in which he said people "have no right" to be critical of his team.</p>
<p>"That was a ridiculous statement" said Ryan.</p>
<p>Here is what Ryan <a target="_blank" href="http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/01/23/rex-ryan-says-those-who-criticize-the-jets-really-got-no-right/">had said Sunday night</a>.</p>
<p>“Our goal for next year, I got news for you,” Ryan said. “It won’t change. And it’ll never change. We’re gonna chase that Super Bowl. We’re gonna chase it until we get it, and then we’ll chase it after that again. But that’s it. People wanna criticize us, then you go ahead, but you really got no right.”</p>
<p>Good to see that Ryan, as brash as he is, recognized how silly that sounded. Ryan also still seemed shocked by how badly his team played in falling behind 24-0.</p>
<p>“I’m at a loss for words for why we played that poorly,” Ryan said. “We were missing tackles all over the place. Our tackling was so poor it’s hard to imagine.”</p>
<p>Well, he now has a nice, long offseason to think about it.</p>
https://newyork.sbnation.com/2011/1/24/1953577/jets-rex-ryan-calls-his-post-game-rant-ridiculous-afc-championship-gameEd Valentine2011-01-24T09:40:04-05:002011-01-24T09:40:04-05:00New York Jets' Post-Mortem: Reaction To Another AFC Title Game Defeat
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<p>Here is some of the reaction from around the Inter-Google to the New York Jets' 24-19 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers Sunday in the AFC Championship Game.</p>
<p><a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/new-york/nfl/columns/story?columnist=oconnor_ian&id=6052993&campaign=rss&source=NEWYORKHeadlines">Rex Ryan did not get the New York Jets ready to play against the Pittsburgh Steelers, and it cost his team its season - ESPN New York</a><br>After pushing all the right human buttons in Rounds 1 and 2, inspiring his Jets to knock out Peyton Manning and Tom Brady, Ryan suddenly lost the pulse of his team. The stunning disconnect between coach and player allowed the Pittsburgh Steelers to score the first 24 points of the game, and ultimately guaranteed that a second-half rally would save face, but not the season.</p>
<p>"We played a good half," an emotional Ryan said. "We just never played a good game."</p>
<p>Rex has to take the fall for that. His chief responsibility as head coach is to have his team ready to play, and yet the Jets were a lifeless mess in the first half, finding inspiration in absolutely nothing. ...</p>
<p>"To come out as flat as we did against such a great franchise and such a great team," Mark Sanchez said, "a tough team, one of the toughest -- if not the toughest -- we played all year, it just doesn't work."</p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessweek.com/news/2011-01-24/new-york-jets-suffer-black-and-gold-blitzkrieg-scott-soshnick.html">New York Jets Suffer Black-and-Gold Blitzkrieg: Scott Soshnick - Businessweek</a><br>Lay this loss, New York’s second straight AFC title game disappointment, on the ballyhooed defense, the brain trust of the coach who likes to tell the world just how good his guys are. Winning works, too. <br><br> "We played a good half. We just didn’t play a good game," was the verbal autopsy from Ryan, who, insert yawn here, began boasting of better things to come next season. "If you plan on beating them, you better put four quarters together. We didn’t do that." <br><br> The Steelers accumulated 135 rushing yards in the first half against a defense that prides itself on bullying. Well, the bully got popped in the mouth.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/2011/01/24/2011-01-24_rex_ryans_defense_cant_stop_steelers_when_jets_coach_trusts_them_on_coin_toss_ga.html?r=sports">Rex Ryan's defense can't stop Steelers when Jets coach trusts unit on coin toss, game's final drive</a><br>Remember how the Jets kept telling everybody all week that they were ready, screaming how they can't wait for their championship moment? Somehow, the Jets' defense required the entire first half before an alarm rang. By then it was simply too late. <br><br> "It goes back to basics, and basics is tackling," said nose tackle Sione Pouha. "I didn't do my job. We didn't get it done, and the most heartbreaking thing now is knowing this locker room is never going to be the same."</p>
<p><a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/2011/01/24/2011-01-24_brian_schottenheimer_lacks_sense_of_urgency_as_playcalling_dooms_jets_on_steeler.html?page=1">Brian Schottenheimer lacks sense of urgency as play-calling dooms Jets on Steelers' goal-line stand</a><br>So many times this season Schottenheimer's play-calling had been perplexing. In the biggest spot of the season, he forgot what the Jets do best. "Well, we tried to score," Ryan said. "That team right there is pretty tough. But, obviously they made some good plays on us. You don't design any play to fail."</p>
<p><a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/new-york/nfl/columns/story?columnist=cimini_rich&id=6053007">NFL Playoffs: New York Jets' inability to score TD from 2 yards out was unacceptable - ESPN New York</a><br>The New York Jets couldn't make two yards in four plays, and they ended up six feet under.</p>
<p>You could almost hear the angry mob, screaming for Brian Schottenheimer's head. The second-guessers will be screaming long into the offseason because of what transpired at the Pittsburgh Steelers' goal line with under eight minutes to play Sunday night in the AFC Championship Game at Heinz Field.</p>
<p>Schottenheimer's play calling over the four-play sequence was questionable, and it loomed large in the Jets' crushing 24-19 loss to the Steelers.</p>
<p>After Shonn Greene rushed for 1 yard, Schottenheimer called two straight pass plays from the 1-yard line -- a rollout to Dustin Keller and a quick slant to Santonio Holmes that hit linebacker LaMarr Woodley in the chest. On fourth down, Schottenheimer sent LaDainian Tomlinson into the line for no gain.</p>
<p>It was a brutal sequence. Instead of getting cute with a rollout to Keller, Schottenheimer should've sent the 230-pound Greene into the line again. Moments earlier, he ran for 16 yards against a Pittsburgh run defense that was sucking wind.</p>
<p>Schottenheimer isn't going to get fired, which may disappoint a lot of Jets fans. Just the other day, Ryan was raving about Schottenheimer, calling him a future head-coaching star. Schottenheimer staged a late-season rally, as the Jets averaged 29 points over the previous five games. He doesn't deserve to get fired, but the goal-line sequence was inexcusable.</p>
<p>"It was really deflating," left guard <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?playerId=12728">Matt Slauson</a> said. "It's really tough to take as an offensive line because we pride ourselves on that."</p>
<p>Except Schottenheimer took it out of the line's hands for those two pass plays.</p>
<p><a href="http://fifthdown.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/01/24/has-rex-ryan-set-the-bar-too-high/">Has Rex Ryan Set the Bar Too High? - NYTimes.com</a><br>If the Jets enter next season declaring that the only acceptable result is a trip to the Super Bowl, what happens if — goodness gracious! — they go back to the A.F.C. championship game again? And lose again? <br><br> Coaches have been fired for being persistently almost good enough. Marty Schottenheimer made a career out of it. <br><br> Ryan should get full credit for raising the expectations of his players, his staff and Jets fans. But he should also take note of what the Jets owner Woody Johnson said after Sunday’s loss. <br><br> “We had a great season,” Johnson said. “We got down to the final four. But it’s not good enough.”</p>
https://newyork.sbnation.com/2011/1/24/1952893/new-york-jets-post-mortem-reaction-to-another-afc-title-game-defeat-steeler-super-bowl-2011Ed Valentine2011-01-23T21:54:00-05:002011-01-23T21:54:00-05:00AFC Championship Game Final Score: Steelers 24, Jets 19
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<p>Behind running back <span>Rashard Mendenhall</span>, who rushed for a game-best 121 rushing yards on 27 carries and added a touchdown, the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/">Pittsburgh Steelers</a> beat the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.ganggreennation.com/">New York Jets</a>, 24-18, Sunday in the AFC championship game. The Steelers (14-4) will play in Super Bowl XLV, Feb. 6, against NFC champion <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.acmepackingcompany.com/">Green Bay Packers</a> (13-6) in Dallas. For the second straight season, the Jets (13-6) lost in the AFC Title game -- last season, New York lost to the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.stampedeblue.com/">Indianapolis Colts</a>, 30-17.</p>
<p>The Jets, who trailed 24-10 after three quarters, scored their only points of the fourth quarter on a safety and a four-yard TD pass from quarterback <span>Mark Sanchez</span> to wide receiver <span>Jerricho Cotchery</span>. The TD came at the end of a 10-play, 58-yard drive that ended with 3:06 to go in the game and trimmed New York's deficit to 24-19. However, after the Jets' final TD, Pittsburgh got the ball, collected two first downs and ran out the remaining time.</p>
<p>Sanchez went 20 of 33 for 233 yards and two second-half touchdowns. Running back <span>Shonn Greene</span> rushed for 52 yards on nine carries while teammate and running back <span>LaDainian Tomlinson</span> had 16 yards on nine carries. Tight end <span>Dustin Keller</span> caught eight balls for a team-best 64 receiving yards. Wide receiver <span>Santonio Holmes</span> had just two catches for 61 yards.</p>
<p>Roethlisberger finished with just 133 passing yards and two interceptions.</p>
<p>The Jets' safety was set up when Roethlisberger and backup center Doug Legursky couldn't connect on a snap, which caused a fumble that Roethlisberger recovered but in the end zone for a 2-point safety. The safety cut the Steelers' lead to 24-12 with 7:38 remaining.</p>
<p>On the Jets previous possession, which started the fourth quarter with the ball on their own 42-yard line, New York marched 89 yards on 16 plays but their drive stalled when the Steelers defense stuffed Tomlinson on a Fourth and Goal attempt from the one-yard line.</p>
https://newyork.sbnation.com/2011/1/23/1952337/afc-championship-game-final-score-steelers-24-jets-19Jared Smith2011-01-23T21:11:35-05:002011-01-23T21:11:35-05:00AFC Championship Game Third-Quarter Score: Steelers 24, Jets 10
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<p>Quarterback <span>Mark Sanchez</span> has helped the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.ganggreennation.com/">New York Jets</a> shrink their deficit to the host <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/">Pittsburgh Steelers</a>, who lead 24-10 at the end of three quarters in the AFC Championship game. The winner advances to play in Super Bowl XLV, Feb. 1, against the NFC Champion <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.acmepackingcompany.com/">Green Bay Packers</a> in Dallas, TX. On the Jets' first possession of the first half, Sanchez connected with wide receiver <span>Santonio Holmes</span> on a 45-yard touchdown pass, which cut the 24-3 hafltime deficit to 14 points.</p>
<p>The Jets,<b> </b>which will start the fourth quarter with the ball on it's own 42-yard line<b>,</b> scored on the fifth play of the second half. However, New York couldn't do much more on offense as they still trail by 14 points with just 15 minutes to go in the game. So far, Jets wide receiver <span>Braylon Edwards</span> has one catch for 18 yards; Holmes has caught two balls for 61 yards; tight end <span>Dustin Keller</span> has three catches for 21 yards. Running back <span>Shonn Greene</span> has 30 rushing yards on four carries while teammate running back <span>LaDainian Tomlinson</span> has just seven yards on four carries.</p>
<p>The Steelers had two possessions in the third quarter but did not score. Quarterback <span>Ben Roethlisberger</span> ended Pittsburgh's first drive of the third quarter with an interception to Jets defensive back Brodney Pool, who ran the ball to the Jets' 14-yard line. The next Pittsburgh possession ended in nine plays and resulted in a punt.</p>
https://newyork.sbnation.com/2011/1/23/1952285/afc-championship-game-third-quarter-score-steelers-24-jets-10Jared Smith