NYC Magazine » Shonn Greene

Colts End Jets’ Miracle Run

Igor Derysh — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 00:30:58 +0000

After ten games of the NFL season, the New York Jets were 4-6 and out of playoff contention. Not quite. The Jets hit a hot streak and their top defense and top rushing attack won them 7 out of 8 games until the team’s Cinderella run finally came to an end today as they were topped by the Colts in the AFC Championship game.

While Jets fans were disappointed by the team’s loss, especially after the Jets were up 17-6 in the second quarter, the season was far from a disappointment.

With a lot of uncertainty surrounding the team that would start its season with a rookie head coach and a rookie quarterback, the Jets did much better than anyone, including the team itself, expected them to.

They did so on the shoulders of a truly terrific defense. Although they weren’t as successful as the defenses that took the Ravens and the Buccaneers to Super Bowl wins over the past decade, a good mix of old and new players stepped up huge and allowed less than 15 points a game. Led by shut down cornerback Darrelle Revis and middle linebacker David Harris, the Jets defense has a lot of pluses and nary any minuses and is expected to be just as good next season.

The Jets rushing attack was equally impressive, especially after running back Leon Washington was hurt early in the season. After leading the AFC in rushing yards in 2008, Thomas Jones put up another excellent year excellent year, as did rookie running back Shonn Greene who will be challenging for the starting job next season.

Mark Sanchez had an up-and-down year that ended on a high note. While the Jets were unable to stop the awesomeness that is Peyton Manning, Sanchez outdueled the MVP for the entire first half as he threw more confidently than we had ever seen him.

Tough break for the Jets but I cannot wait to see what they do next year. Congrats!

Rookies Lead Jets Past Chargers

Igor Derysh — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 01:00:29 +0000

Jets QB Mark Sanchez

With no one hotter than the Jets among the remaining playoff teams, the New York Jets had no problem shutting down the Chargers’ potent offense and advancing to the AFC Championship game on the shoulders of rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez and rookie running back Shonn Greene.

In the unlikeliest of playoff scenarios, the New York Jets (who were just 4-6 after the first 10 games of the season) are now en route to Indianapolis to take on the 13-3 Colts with the winner advancing to the SuperBowl.

Although the Jets were definitely the underdogs coming into a game against a team that hadn’t lost since the middle of October, the Jets simply continued to do what they do best: patiently run the ball down the defense’s throats and let your defense shut down your opponent.

Although San Diego had scored more than 20 points in 22 straight games, the Jets top ranked defense held the Philip Rivers led offensive unit to just two touchdowns. Meanwhile, after scoring just three points in the first half, Mark Sanchez and Shonn Greene put up two scores of their own which was enough to edge the second-seeded Chargers.

Although Sanchez did not put up “great numbers,” the rookie has looked as comfortable as he has all season and although he completed 12 passes for just 100 yards and a touchdown, it was only the second time since week 12 that the coaching staff had enough confidence in him to let him attempt more than 20 passes.

Meanwhile, Shonn Greene has all but officially overtaken Thomas Jones’ spot as the Jets’ top running back and put up a 23 carry, 128 yard game with a touchdown.

Up next for the Jets are the Indianapolis Colts, a team that the Jets have already beaten (sort of) in the AFC Championship game this Sunday at 3 p.m.

Rookies Lead Jets To Victory, Next Round of Playoffs

Igor Derysh — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 19:00:00 +0000

Darrelle Revis

It was not so long ago that the New York Jets were an average team with a rookie quarterback who couldn’t pass to his own teammates. No one thought the team could accomplish anything this season. And then they won five of their last six games. And then they beat the AFC North division champion Cincinnati Bengals.

On a brutally cold evening in Ohio, the Jets played about as good a game as they have all year and beat the Bengals for the second consecutive week, this time with their playoff lives on the line.

Although the team is built around veteran talent like the Jets’ offensive line, their very experienced defensive unit, and a veteran running back, it was the rookies and young guys that powered the Jets to a victory.

Mark Sanchez played a near flawless game as he completed 12 of 15 passes for 182 yards and a touchdown. It was the fourth time in five games that the rookie did not throw a single interception.

Similarly, while Thomas Jones, the second leading rusher in the AFC, did not bring his best stuff with him (15 carries for 34 yards and a touchdown), rookie running back Shonn Greene put up a career game as he ran 21 times for 135 yards and a touchdown against the second-best rushing defense in the NFL.

Darrelle Revis continued his amazing year as he shut down the Bengals’ top receiver, Chad Ochocinco, for the second straight game as he intercepted a pass, deflected a pass, and was all over his coverage, allowing Ochocinco to catch just two passes for 28 yards.

The Jets sent a clear message to the NFL this Saturday. They are not going to be a stepping stone for anyone in the playoffs, they are going to come and play hard.

Up next, the Jets take on the San Diego Chargers who won their last eleven straight games.

Jets Beat Undefeated Colts, Control Own Playoff Destiny

Igor Derysh — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 02:13:16 +0000

Manning Did Jets a Favor By Sitting

Talk about getting a break at every step. From every one of the teams competing with the Jets for a playoff spot losing to the Colts sitting their starters for most of the second half and leading to a Jets win, Sunday was the best day that Gang Green has seen in years.

After a heartbreaking loss to the Falcons last week that left Jets fans and players in dismay, the Jets answered back with a surprise win against the previously undefeated Colts. It wasn’t as if they didn’t have any help, the Colts sat Peyton Manning and most of their starters for most of the second half.

Still, the Jets held Peyton Manning to 15 points over two and a half quarters while bringing it on offense.

Rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez, coming off a rough game against Atlanta, completed 12 of 19 passes for 106 yards and NO interceptions. The Jets running game did most of the damage on offense as Thomas Jones rushed 23 times for 105 yards and a touchdown while rookie Shonn Greene added his own 16 carries for 95 yards.

The other Jets points came on a Brad Smith 106-yard kickoff return touchdown (a new Jets record), a Marques Douglas fumble return touchdown, and two Jay Feely field goals.

The undefeated Colts, on the other hand, were not in their best form and ultimately chose to take most of their starters out of the game after the team went up 15-10 in the third quarter.

Rather than toughing out the remainder of the game, replacement quarterback Curtis Painter completed just four of eleven passes, lost a fumble that was returned for a touchdown, and was intercepted on the Colts’ final drive of the game.

Meanwhile, the Dolphins, the Ravens, and the Jaguars all lost meaning that the Jets have control of their own destiny in the playoff picture. Win and get a shot at the SuperBowl. Lose and go home.

Standing in the Jets way are the Cincinnati Bengals who clinched the AFC North title and a playoff spot meaning that they may rest their players as well.