Time flies. Not a single human would argue otherwise, no matter how drastically different time feels to some individuals—as opposed to others.
Week — 2010 Divisional Final
Though New York Jets fans would agree, time is calculated differently in their world. To them, it’s felt like an eternity since their beloved Jets have played a meaningful football game during the coldest months of the year.
More specifically, this eternity equates to 14 years. That’s right, 14 long years since the Jets’ last NFL playoff victory—one that featured all the feels of a classic underdog conquest where motivation reigned supreme and red faces littered the professional football media landscape.
Perhaps Bart Scott summed it up best.
“Can’t wait,” Scott proclaimed on the field following his team’s 28-21 victory over the New England Patriots in Foxborough, MA, on Jan. 16, 2011.
Not even Tom Brady or Bill Belichick could save the Pats’ faithful on this night—no matter how anxious the diehard Jets collective remained late in the fourth quarter.
Finishing 11-5 in Rex Ryan‘s second season amazingly tagged the Jets with the No. 6 seed on the AFC side of the playoffs. New England won the AFC East, yet again, at 14-2, while the 12-4 Baltimore Ravens took the No. 5 seed as the other wild card.
After knocking off Peyton Manning in a thrilling wild-card matchup the week prior, the NFL’s divisional round was stacked on the AFC side. It pitted the four best teams in the conference: the top two in the AFC North (Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers) and the top two in the AFC East (Jets and Patriots) against one another.
The loss of Jim Leonhard loomed large for Ryan’s defense down the stretch. A healthy number of questions came to the forefront after a porous outing in New England that very same season.
To say the unit had a chip on its shoulder would be the greatest understatement of the century.
David Harris got the party started by taking advantage of a poor Brady throw, picking it off and nearly taking it to the house. Incredibly, New York missed the ensuing field goal after the drive stalled.
Quite honestly, it did not matter.
After New England took a 3-0 lead after the first quarter, Mark Sanchez‘s offense struck twice in the second quarter.
A 7-yard LaDainian Tomlinson touchdown reception at the 10:24 mark gave the Jets the lead, and a beastly 15-yard touchdown grab by Braylon Edwards with just 0:33 to go in the first half put Rex’s team up 14-3.
By no means did Brady and Belichick go softly into the night, as an Alge Crumpler touchdown and ensuing 2-point conversion cut the lead to just three after three quarters played (14-11).
Fortunately, 14 years ago, the Jets also refused to go quietly into that good night. The iconic Santonio Holmes corner-of-the-end zone grab early in the fourth quarter allowed everybody to take a deep breath, and the Darrelle Revis-designed defense continued hammering Brady.
The moment Shonn Greene broke loose late in the fourth quarter was the first time Jets fans could celebrate with the freedom they were seeking all night. Greene led the team with 76 yards on 17 carries.
Through the air, Sanchez finished with 196 yards and 3 touchdowns to 0 interceptions on an efficient 16 of 25 passing. Fan-favorite Jerricho Cotchery paced the Jets weapons with 96 yards on 5 receptions.
Where’s Santonio when you need him? His devilish scream after getting the knee down in the corner of the end zone is a perfect placeholder for how New York Jets fans feel these days.
Only these days, the scream is utilized to relieve 14 years of suffering.