The New York Jets (8-7) pulled off something no other NFL team has been able to do in the 2009 NFL football season – they beat the Indianapolis Colts (14-1). The win gives the Jets control of their own destiny and can earn a wild-card berth with a win over the Cincinnati Bengals next week.

Before the day began, the Jets AFC playoff picture looked dim. The best case scenario was the Dolphins, Ravens and Jaguars each lose in in the early games and then take care of business in the late afternoon by beating the Colts. By evening, the best Jets playoff picture scenario happened. Maybe it was a late Christmas present from the football gods.

Others may think differently. They might attribute the Jets win to the fact that the Colts coaching staff sat QB Peyton Manning and most of the Indianapolis starters for most of the second half. Regardless, after the first quarter, the Jets stayed right with the Colts in the first half, then dominated the second.

The Jets actually got points from the offense, defense and special teams:

Jets Scoring

• Offense Thomas Jones RB 1 yard run in 3rd quarter
• Defense Marques Douglas DE 1 yard fumble return in 3rd quarter
• Special Teams Brad Smith WR 106 yard kickoff return
• Special Teams Jay Feeley (PK) 2 for 2 in field goal attempts

If you think the Jets don’t belong in the AFC playoff race consider this fact:
The Jets are the first team since the merger of the AFC and NFC (1970) to have the #1 defense and #1 rushing offense in the same season. Their win today reflects this stat . The Jets rushed for 202 yards and the Colts, 64.

Week 16 of the NFL season will clear up the AFC playoff picture.  If the Jets win, their appearance in the AFC playoffs is assured.

source: nfl.com

Detroit Lions new head coach, Jim Schwartz, has announced that rookie quarterback Matt Stafford will start Sunday’s game against the New Orleans Saints. Stafford and veteran Daunte Culpepper had been battling all pre-season for the job. Swartz stated that Stafford won the job outright and not a case of Culpepper losing it.

“I was very pleased with what (Stafford) did in the preseason, going back to rookie minicamp and straight through,” Schwartz said. “I think he’s proven every step along the way that he’s ready.”

When asked if he was committed to the bumpy road ahead with a starting rookie QB. Schwartz said “This isn’t an internship, this isn’t a trial basis”. “He’s our starting quarterback.”

The decision to start Stafford is a risky one, but coming off an 0-16 season, what is there to lose? In fact, the decision should help rejuvenate the football club and give the Motor City fans something to be excited about this 2009 NFL football season.

Stafford was taken with the first pick of the April NFL draft by the Lions. Stafford and the Lions reached a contract agreement and tied the knot when Stafford signed a six-year, $72 million contract with the Lions.

Stafford’s first NFL start will come against the much improved New Orleans Saints, in New Orleans, on Sunday, September 13 2009 at 1:00 pm EST.

The NFL football season runs for 20 consecutive weeks, 17 for the regular season and three postseason games. Then we all have to sit and wait two weeks for the Superbowl to be played.  This two week lag leads to a media gap and takes the momentum out of the biggest sports game in the world.

Is there a possible solution to the problem?  Why not have the college football championship game played on the weekend before Superbow Sunday?  This would actually add more hype and more interest than any other time two week period in all of sports.  Can you image the media attention, the hype and the buzz it would create!

I know what many of you are thinking! What is wrong with the way things are now?

First of all, the NFL is a great organization and it’s product is superb, but making this one change would benefit the NFL, college football and all football fans in general.

Secondly, the week before the Superbowl is probably the weaking week in all of sports. I mean, after 20 consecutive weeks of anticipation we have to put everything on hold and twittle our thumbs for an additional week before the big game. 

Another issue is that all of the NFL storylines are played out. Aren’t you tired of stories about players’ pets and other totally ridiculous stories?

But perhaps the bigger issue is the way college football determines it’s national championship.  Instead of head to head competition in an NFL playoff like setting, a statistical scoring system determines who plays in the “daddy of the them all” to determine the national champion. 

Some say that the system is flawed because it is suspect to bias and political pressures from college bowl committees.  In fact college bowls are big business.  Adn after 12 continuous weeks of college football, they go on vacation for a month before the bowl games are played.

These weeks of layout take the momentum away from the teams that were on a roll. In addition, it is a one game situation, where momentum is taken away.  At least with a college football playoff scenario, played over the first few weeks of January, climaximg in the national championship game, the weekend before the Superbowl would add vigor and life to both the NFL and college football.

What do you think?