Are you amazed that the New York Jets have made it all the way to the AFC Championship game? Do you think the Jets have no chance at all at beating Peyton Manning and the Colts? Consider this…

Jets disbelievers said that the Colts and Bengals “rested” against the Jets in the final two weeks of the NFL regular season - MAYBE.

They said the Jets would get booted in the AFC wild card game against the Bengals - WRONG!

They said there was absolutely no chance that the Jets could beat the 13-3 Chargers - WRONG!

And now they’re saying the Jets have no chance whatsoever to beat the Colts - WRONG AGAIN!

I have just one thing to say to the disbelievers - remember the 2007 New York Giants? The Giants limped into the playoffs with a 10-6 regular season record. They defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC wild card game, the Dallas Cowboys in the NFC Divisional Championship game and the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Championship Game - all on the road.

And the icing on the cake? The Giants were 12.5 point underdog to the undefeated Belichick-Brady Patriots (16-0) in Super Bowl XLII. No body game the Giants any chance of winning. We all know the outcome of that game - the Giants became Super Bowl XLII Champions - remember?

You can draw a lot of parallels between the 2009 Jets and the 2007 Giants.

Here are 10 reasons why the Jets will beat the Colts in the AFC Championship game:

1. Jets have the best overall defense in the NFL
2. Jets have the best against the pass in the NFL
3. Jets have the best rushing offense in the NFL
4. Jets beat a team (the Chargers) that had won 11 games in a row in a game. A game the “experts” said the Jets had no chance to winning
5. The Jets believe in their coach Rex Ryan and themselves
6. The Colts are last in the NFL when rushing the ball
7. The Colts only beat the Ravens last week because of the Ravens mistakes: Two lost fumbles, two interceptions and seven penalties for 65 yards.
8. The Colts offense only scored 20 points against the Ravens in the AFC Divisional Championship even though the Ravens turned the ball over 4 times.
9. Jets have nothing to lose and there is no pressure on them
10. Jets are on a roll and cannot be stopped. The Jets have the momentum.

The AFC Championship Game prediction by the odds makers hve the Colts favored by 7.5 points with the under/over set at 40.5 points.

Thenlfthisweek.com AFC Championship Game prediction:

Jets 24 Colts 21

The New York Jets take on the San Diego Chargers in the 2010 AFC Divisional Playoffs on Sunday in San Diego. The Jets advanced to the AFC Divisional Playoff game after beating the Cincinnati Bengals in the AFC Wildcard game last week 24 -14. The Chargers are the AFC West Champions, are the 2nd seed in the AFC and enjoyed a bye on AFC Wild Card weekend.

The Jets come into this Divisional playoff game as a heavy underdog (Jets +7 under/over 42 points). That’s a huge spread for a playoff game - but spreads are made to be broken. And Thenflthisweek.com predicts that not only will the Jets beat the spread, they will win the game outright. Here’s why:

As everyone now knows, the Jets are #1 in team defense and 1st against the pass; they also have the #1 rushing offense. The Jets QB Mark Sanchez threw 20 interceptions in the regular season but hasn’t thrown one in the last 3 games. The Jets starting running back, Thomas Jones has a banged-up knee and was limited to 15 carries and 34 yards against the Bengals last week. However, rookie RB Shonn Green picked up the slack and rushed for 135 yards. Sanchez has two good receivers in Jericho Cotchery and Braylon Edwards.

The Chargers are the hottest team in the NFL and the winners of 11 straight. They have captured their 4th straight AFC West championship and will be rested from the bye last week.

Chargers QB Phillips Rivers is ranked 3rd in the NFL in QB passing rating with a 104.4. He completed over 65% of his passes for over 4200 yards and 28 TDs. Rivers has a exceptional retrieving corps in Vincent Jackson, Malcolm Floyd and Antonio Gates. And don’t forget they have running back LaDainian Tomlinson.

Many NFL analysts and armchair quarterbacks believe that the Chargers will win the game. Others believe that for the Jets to pull an upset, its up to the Jets defense to stop the powerful Chargers offense. We disagree!

The key to a Jets win is their #1 rated rushing attack. The Jets offense must be able to keep drives alive by running the ball and taking time off the clock. They must keep Rivers and the Chargers offense off the field. If the Jets rushing attack is successful it opens up the chances of Sanchez taking advantage of the play action pass for some big plays.

To a lesser extent, the Jets Defense must stop the Chargers running threat, LaDainian Tomlinson. If they can do that, the Jets could take advantage of their #1 ranked defense against the pass. This will allow them to play man-to-man and put heavy pressure on Rivers and force turnovers.

The Jets have something else going for them, it’s the Chargers bad karma in the playoffs. In 2006 they won 10 straight going into the playoffs then were cut down by New England Patriots in the AFC Divisional Playoffs. In 2007 they won 8 in a row before losing to the Patriots again in the AFC Conference Title game. And last year, they upset the Colts in the Wild Card matchup and lost to the Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers.

And finally, the Jets have the momentum, confidence and belief they can go all the way to the Super Bowl.

Thenflthisweek.com Prediction:

Jets 35 Chargers 31

Why does Jets’ Darrelle Revis deserve to be the NFL Defensive Player of the Year? He is the major reason the Jets are ranked #1 in passing defense against and #1 in total defense. His ability to take on opposing teams’ best wide receivers, man-to-man, week after week, allows the Jets defense to play 8-up-front to stop the run. His ability to cover wide receivers while the Jets blitz makes them dominant, confident and successful.

And if that isn’t enough … Jets coach Rex Ryan insists CB Darrelle Revis has made a bigger impact this season than Ray Lewis ever did in Ryan’s time with the Ravens. Ryan pointed to Revis’ ability to change the way the whole defense plays by erasing No. 1 receivers. “I was going to be subtle about this, but if he’s not the NFL defensive player of the year, something is wrong with the system,” Ryan said.

His 2009 regular season stats include 47 tackles, 7 assists, 6 interceptions with 1 returned for a TD. In post-season play he had 1 interception wihile shutting down the Bengals star WR Chad Ochocinco (or is it Johnson).

Darrelle’s durability is also one of his best assets. He has played in every Jets game over the last three NFL seasons - that’s 48 regular season games and 1 NFL playoff game.

In the NFL 2009 season, Revis has completely outplayed opposing wide receivers like Andre Johnson, Marques Colston, Randy Moss (twice), Terrell Owens (twice), Steve Smith, Roddy White and Chad Ochocinco (twice). In each of these matchups he has not given up more than 5 receptions or more than 35 yards. The opposition has only scored once against him.

Here is Darrelle Revis’s one-on-one matchup statistics:

Week	Wide Receiver	Team	Catches	Yards	TDs
1	Andre Johnson	Texans	4	35	0
2	Randy Moss	Patriots	4	29	0
4	Marques Colston	Saints	2	33	0
6	Terrell Owens	Bills	3	13	0
11	Randy Moss	Patriots	5	34	1
12	Steve Smith	Panthers	1	4	0
13	Terrell Owens	Bills	3	31	0
15	Roddy White	Falcons	4	33	0
16	Reggie Wayne	Colts	3	33	0
17	Chad Ochocinco	Bengals	0	0	0
WC	Chad Ochocinco	Bengals	2	28	0

And if his statistics don’t impress, his character will …

When asked his reaction to coach Rex’s praise, Darrelle responded, “That’s crazy for him to say that,” “I just look at it as simple: I’m just trying to do my job. He believes in my talent, I believe in my talent and I just go and play, man.”

Defensive backs coach Dennis Thurman, a former Pro Bowl cornerback, remembers joining Ryan’s coaching staff and meeting Revis for the first time.

“One of the first things he said to me was, ‘Coach me,”‘ Thurman said. “He wants to be recognized as the best corner, not one of the best. He’s still learning how to study the game and he’s willing to work at it, and that’s refreshing.”

Combine Revis’ athletic ability, impressive statistics, modesty, respect and outstanding work ethic and you have a player the NFL, and the New York Jets family, can be proud, and deserving of the NFL Defensive Player of the Year!

sources: nfl.com, yahoo sports, espn.com