Here we go again

Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in again.  The season looked over several times this year, but this past Sunday the Jets caught break after break after break, now the question is when does it turn around and bite all Jet fans in the rear end.  Miami needed to lose, we got that as the Texans beat them 27-20.  The Jaguars needed to lose, our nemesis, the Patriots, took care of that.  The Steelers beat the Ravens, thus meaning that at kickoff  at 4:15 against the 14-0 Colts in Indianapolis, we controlled our own destiny. 

On to the game against the Colts.  The Colts were leading 15-10 and right around the 6 minute mark in the 3rd quarter after the Jets punted, Manning did not put on his helmet, instead rookie quarterback Curtis Painter, from Purdue, trotted on the field along with many other Colt backups who came in the game.  Colt fans are outraged, Jet fans felt elated.  I don't care how the Jets won it, the bottom line is they outscored the Colts 19-0 after Manning left the game and went on to a 29-15 victory over the previously unbeaten Colts. 

So what happens now?  We have a date on Sunday night in prime-time on NBC against the Bengals.  A team that probably won't have anything to gain, other then maybe a chance to move from the 4 seed to the 3 seed.  However, if the Patriots beat the Texans on Sunday afternoon the Bengals will be locked in to the 4 seed.  It is likely that the Bengals will not play their starters, if they do I expect a quarter or two at most.  Another reason the Bengals might not go all out is due to the fact that if the Jets do win, we will have a rematch between the Jets and Bengals on Wild Card weekend in Cincinnati.  This is a similar scenario for the Jets.  Back in the 2001 season they needed a victory in Oakland to clinch a wild card spot, they beat the Raiders in Oakland on a game winning field goal by John Hall which setup a re-match the following week in the first round of the playoffs against the same Raiders.  The outcome the following weekend wasn't as pretty as the Raiders beat the Jets 38-24.

As a Jet fan, I'm waiting for the heartbreak, the heartbreak wouldn't be a playoff loss.  The heartbreak would be losing to a Bengals team and all of their backups, and trust me, I can see it happening.  So how will this play out?  I do know this, this franchise once again has me all pumped up for a big game, and I wouldn't be shocked if that hope came crumbling down next Sunday night.