Pick it up! The Jets defeat the Patriots!

The whole league doubted if the Jets could do it. The whole league except for the coach and the team who never doubted themselves. Today was another clinic in defense for the Jets in beating New England 16-9. The team will open eyes everywhere now as they have not allowed a touchdown to an opposing offense in 8 quarters of football to start the season. There was no sack on Tom Brady today, but you will see in the film that they were hurrying and putting pressure on him all game and it proved to be too much. You can argue that the Pats were shord handed with no Wes Welker, but the pressure on Brady made it difficult all game to get into a rhythm no matter who the receivers. The Jets were swarming to the ball carriers and making solid open field tackles. The team offense never really had time to get any rhythm together in the first half with a sack/fumble on Sanchez and then a fumble by Washington on the first two possesions. On the fumble by Washington. a third replay later in the game showed that his knees where clearly down before the ball came out. Either way, in both situations, the defense stepped up and responded by picking up the team with strong solid play to not give up touchdowns. Darrell Revis made an acrobatic leap to rob the ball from Moss and pick off Brady at one point and you could feel the momentum just shift. Even though the Patriots held the ball for two thirds of the game in the first half, the defense of the Jets was clearly dominating even though being somewhat exhausted. This is not a vanilla Mangini type team this year. I just knew Ryan was going to get his troops ready at the half. The score was 9-3 and that is a game that is very winnable after all the opportunities that the Pats had in the first half. A score and a stop and the whole game can really change. That is exactly what the team got in the second half, as Leon Washington came out and ran a kickoff back to get better field position for his team. Then they let Sanchez do his work and the team marched right down and scored on a beautiful ball from Sanchez to Dustin Keller in the back of the end zone. There was another defensive stop and then the team took over on offense again. With the lead and a long drive for a touchdown, the sense was that they could make a huge statement. It looked like just that happened and there was a call for an apparent touchdown throw. It was challenged and overturned, although a closer replay may show a divot of grass coming up on the second foot, but either way the team scored a field goal. As an old school Jet fan, you kind of got that "here we go again" feeling with all of the timing of the flags and challenge decisions. There is not that same spirit in the team team. Every time it crept up, the players make plays that show the difference in winning football. There was the pick by Revis and also the decisions Sanchez made such as taking a sack late in the game rather than throwing a jumpball. Every play and every inch is contested on defense and special teams. Every inch if fought for on offense. When one area of the three fall short, the others pick it up. They are making smart plays and will do what is needed to win. This is a team that is exciting to watch, will compete and be in every game and give you everything they have got on every play. Rex Ryan told us no lies at his initial hiring press conference.