Rex Ryan, Mark Sanchez and the New York Jets: Skilled or Just Plain Lucky?

The New York Jets, as I predicted, went into Indianapolis and beat the Colts in the opening round of the playoffs as they attempt to accomplish their goal of a Super Bowl victory.

The Jets did a fine job against a Colts team playing better as of late, but really, they should not have won this game.

First and foremost, the defense did its job against Peyton Manning’s offense.

Even Antonio Cromartie helped the team after he gave up a touchdown to Pierre Garcon. Cromartie had a huge 47-yard kickoff return, which helped set up the Jets to take the lead.

LaDainian Tomlinson finally regained his early season form. He rushed for 82 yards and two touchdowns.

Yes, the Jets showed promise.

But promise won’t beat the relentless New England Patriots, led by Bill Belichick and Tom Brady.

The Pats are a completely different, untamed beas.

The Jets had a few awful offensive playcalls late in the game.

With 3:47 left in the contest, the Jets inexplicably sent Santonio Holmes up the field when they just needed five yards to get a first down.

As one would expect, the pass was incomplete and not even close to Holmes as Sanchez overthrew him.

Why on Earth the Jets would call this play is beyond me. You need five yards with the game potentially on the line while you’re down, and you want to send Holmes on a fly route?

That makes no sense whatsoever.

Really, the Jets deserved to lose after that play alone.

Then, the Jets get the ball back because of—as you would guess—luck.

The Colts were called for running into the punter, which gave the Jets the ball back. And again, the Jets could not convert on third down. They needed to throw short, but they refused to.

The Jets defense played well against Peyton Manning’s offense to close out the game, although they did give up the lead.

When push came to shove with the game on the line though, Mark Sanchez was clutch again, just like he was midseason.

He put the ball right on the money on the final drive.

He made a great throw to Santonio Holmes towards the sideline.

He then came back and threw a high pass to Braylon Edwards, who went up and snagged the ball. Like a ballerina, he was able to keep two feet in bounds, which set up the game-winning field goal by Nick Folk.

So which team do you think will show up in Foxboro? The team that gets the job done by skill or by luck?

They cannot afford to hope for luck against the New England Patriots. They need to focus and call a respectable, intelligent game.

Does luck play a role sometimes? Yes. But skill ultimately wins out in the end. The Jets have it, but they will shoot themselves in the foot more than just about any other team in the league.

That will not take them to an AFC championship.