I can't believe I'm about to say this. It makes me feel dirty just thinking about it. But it's what has to be done.
Go Jets.
Ugh! I'm gonna need a shower.
As much as I despise New York and their teams (the Yankees once again came through with more than $400 million reasons to hate them more this off-season), for once, I want the Jets to win.
I know I'm not the sole Patriots fan in the Jets' corner for one Sunday afternoon game. But in order for New England to win the AFC East and secure a playoff spot, two things must happen, including a Jets win.
It really sucks to be dependent on the results of other teams, but that's how it is this year.
Winning the division isn't the only way to get in. The Pats could sneak in as a Wild Card, but I highly doubt Baltimore will lose to Jacksonville.
Besides, getting the playoff spot at the expense of divisional rivals will make it so much sweeter.
First things first, New England must handle their business. They have a 1 PM game against the Bills that is a must-win. Call me over-confident, but I fully believe the hobbled Patriots still will win in Buffalo. Don't ask why because the first meeting was just a 20-10 win by N.E. Most divisional games are close because of the familiarity between the teams.
Maybe I'm taking comfort in the 38-7 and 56-10 wins last year. The offense is averaging 40 points in the last three games and the defense dominated the high scoring Arizona team this past Sunday.
Or is it the Jets winning eight of the last 10 regular season games against Miami? The Dolphins last defeated New York in 2005, 24-20. That's reason to feel good about Sunday, right?
While it looks good for the Pats and Jets, it's never automatic. Brett Favre says he has a sore shoulder, possibly contributing to his one touchdown and six interceptions in his last four games. Also, the Jets are slumping, losing three of their last four games while Miami is surging with a four-game winning streak.
Granted, that doesn't say much for the Dolphins. The four wins were over St. Louis, Buffalo, San Francisco, and Kansas City. The average margin of victory was about one touchdown against teams whose combined record is 17-43. Miami only beat one team with a winning record this season besides the Pats, and I don't consider beating Denver a quality win.
The hardest part about this Sunday is after the Patriots-Bills game, if New England wins, they must wait for the result of the Dolphins-Jets game and/or the Jaguars-Ravens game to find out if the season continues or comes to an end.
I won't see much after the Patriots play. I will be taking my post-Pats nap after eight hours of work. But I will be thinking "Go Jets" as I go to bed, even dreaming about a Jets win. It will be a good dream and a nightmare at the same time.
On a side note, I was working on an entry on Monday, but it became much more than blog post. I call it An AFC East Family Affair. It's worth the read.
