Rewarding Win for Gang Green

A championship team wins by showing grit and desire.

That's what the Jets demonstrated in a 17-14 victory against the Chargers on Sunday.

It's fitting that they did it with a conference championship game to play for; that's how a team gets there.

Both teams played great defensively all day long. They attacked the quarterback often, and they created interceptions along with fumbles.

Everyone expected that to come from the Jets, but they didn't think the Chargers could play the same game.

The AFC West champs played physical by hitting every member of the Jets when the opportunity presented itself. It forced the Jets to struggle to run the offense at times.

Mark Sanchez had a hard time throwing the ball to his receivers. It resulted in drop passes and an interception.

Despite the Jets' playing tough, the Chargers tried to keep it as close as possible with the hope that Phillip Rivers could make a play.

It didn't happen in the fourth quarter. Rivers fumbled in one stretch, and he lost his way, at times, when he operated the offense.

He got worse as the game went on.

The Jets' defense put Sanchez in a position to succeed by being close to the end zone. Sanchez threw the touchdown to Dustin Keller for the lead.

The Chargers defense worn out after that, and it resulted in Shonn Greene finding open space that helped him scored a touchdown.

Game, set, and match.

The Chargers scored a late touchdown, but it was over after that. There was no way the Jets' defense was going to blow it this time around.

It certainly wasn't pretty to watch, but football games at this time of the season are not meant to be that way.

A team earns a playoff victory most of the time. So far, there have been too many mismatches in this year's playoffs, with a superior team having its way with a team that is not good.

In this game, both teams matched each other well.

It came down to who wanted it more and who would find a way to score.

The Jets responded well on both counts. They did not wither when the Chargers kept the pressure on them, and they got better as the game went on.

The Chargers had every opportunity to take a big lead, but it didn't happen. Once they let the Jets hang around, they lost all the momentum, which says a lot about their lack of toughness.

This game should be a revelation for others who are still learning about the Jets. The Jets showed they can play with anyone and shut down a great offense.

It's something to keep in mind for next week. People will talk about the Colts' offense, but the Chargers offense is as good as the Colts offense, maybe even better, so the Jets have reasons to be confident heading to Indianapolis.

Keep in mind the Jets did a good job of containing Peyton Manning when he played in the first half when both teams met two weeks ago.

There's no reason to think it can't happen again.

They have what it takes not just to win the championship game but to win the Super Bowl.

They showed what a championship team is all about today.

It's enough to make Rex Ryan cry on the inside.