Thursday , March 28 2024
The Jets proved their legitimacy as playoff bound and now sit in first place with a 3-1 record.

As Gang Green Turns: Jets Trounce the Bills 38-14

If the soap opera stuff of the preseason on and off the field antics and the TV show Hard Knocks was getting kind of boring for the average Jets’ fan, now he or she must be delighted to see that the Gang known as Green have what it takes. In pounding the Buffalo Bills (0-4) in what was a romp to be sure, the Jets proved their legitimacy as playoff bound and now sit in first place with a 3-1 record.

Head coach Rex Ryan must have been delighted to see his offense running on all cylinders, with Shonn Greene and LaDainian Tomilson both rushing for over 100 yards, and Braylon Edwards and Dustin Keller easily scoring touchdowns. In total the Jets had 273 yards rushing and won their third straight game against their division for the first time in ten years.

Of course, QB Mark Sanchez continued his impressive steering of the offensive ship. He was 14 for 24 for a total of 161 yards and two touchdown passes. Sanchez had me worried during the preseason when he looked sometimes lost and confused on the field, but whatever has happened to shake him from that malaise is working great. Sanchez seems confident and in charge now, and the team is reaping the rewards of his growth as an on the field leader.

One has to be happy to see LT returning to form for the Jets. He rushed for 133 yards on nineteen carries with two touchdowns. In doing so he passed the great Tony Dorsett to reach seventh place on the list for all-time career yards rushing. It was the first time LT has rushed for more than one hundred yards in more than two years, but the way he is going now it makes me think he is going to have quite a few more one hundred yard games this year.

With little drama and lots of fanfare, the Jets cruised to this victory, and this should quiet some of the yackers here in New York who were shooting the breeze on talk radio this past week. Many of them thought that the Jets would ease up against lowly Buffalo, get shocked by some unexpected plays, and lose the game. How very wrong they were.

A championship team takes all games seriously, even those against teams that are 0-3. The Jets came out today and had the look of a team that is playoff bound. They left all the drama in the clubhouse, and on the field they went to work and it was a pleasure to watch.

This sets the Jets up nicely in first place in the AFC East for their big game next Monday night against the Vikings. Having won three straight, Gang Green is playing the game in their hard-hitting fashion and are taking no prisoners. It looks like they are more than ready for that challenge next week.  

 

About Victor Lana

Victor Lana's stories, articles, and poems have been published in literary magazines and online. His new novel, 'Unicorn: A Love Story,' is available as an e-book and in print.

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