Sure "backing" into the playoffs isn't the way most fans envisioned the Jets clinching the playoffs at the beginning of the season, but none of that matters now, because once you’re in it doesn't matter how you got there. I also don’t consider having 10 wins heading into week 17, to be backing into the playoffs in the first place. By all means it would have been ideal for the Jets to have won the nail bitter in Chicago to seal their own fate, but it's not like they are only making the playoffs because of some other teams late season collapse. It can be expected that by all means had the Jaguars won against the Redskins that the Jets still would have made it into the playoffs without "backing in" by beating the Bills at home. All the Jaguars did was allow the Jets to rest their injured players and not have to hear another week of talk about them being the "Same Old Jets." It also stopped Jets fans from having to worry about the old mantra about what can happen “on any given Sunday." However regardless of all that, the Jets are in the playoffs and are going to be given the opportunity to do what they are built to do and do best. Win on the road in the playoffs!
As for the ongoing debate about whether or not Sanchez should play this week and if the Jets should go all out for the win I completely disagree with the majority of the mainstream media. I think it is a potentially huge mistake for Sanchez to sit out this week, whereas the majority of the "experts" are all arguing the opposite. Sanchez and the Rex Ryan Jets are historically awful when they are coming off a bye week or with extended period of time to prepare. Last year Sanchez failed to beat the Jaguars after their bye, in a game that he got the ball back with about 5 minutes to go down by two and failed to score. This year against the Packers the Jets had their most pathetic offensive game of the season failing to score a point in a 9-0 loss at home. Finally, after getting 11 days to prepare for the Patriots, well there’s no reason to remind anyone of what happened in that game. But the moral of the story is that the Jets and particularly Sanchez are just straight up not good with a long period of time between games. Sanchez is on a hot streak right now with his win against the Steelers and the great game he had in the loss to the Bears. I think it is a big mistake to risk him losing his edge in order to prevent him from getting injured. He doesn't necessarily have to play the whole game; by all means I’d love to see him come out of the game at half time up about 24 points. But in my eyes Rex is taking a much bigger risk by sitting the Sanchise than he is by playing him.
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