Like I’ve always said, you can’t give Mark Sanchez too much time at the end of the game. Sanchez had less than a minute to get his New York Jets into field goal range but he did it, giving Nick Folk what amounted to a chip-shot from 32-yards as the New York Jets came from behind to beat the Indianapolis Colts 17-16.
Sanchez needed the drive after the Colts, behind Peyton Manning, of course, drove the Colts down the field during the final 2 minutes to take the lead on a 5-yard Adam Vinatieri field goal gave Indianapolis a 16-14 lead.
The final drive was set up by a 47-yard kick-off return for Antonio Cromartie, followed by a long completion by former Browns wide receiver Braylon Edwards that set up the Jets at the Colts’ 15-yard line.
The Colts led 7-0 at halftime and looked to be in control, but the Jets continually ran the ball down Indy’s throat in the second half, scoring two touchdowns on drives of 10 plays(5:12) and 17 plays(9:54) that kept the ball out of Manning’s hands.
Overall, the Jets ran for 169 yards while the Colts managed just 93 yards. Manning is now 9-10 in his career in the playoffs.
For their efforts, the Jets travel to New England to face the Patriots next Sunday. It should be a wild week of press for Jets’ Head Coach Rex Ryan. If beating Peyton Manning was ‘personal’ for Ryan, what is he going to call trying to beat Tom Brady, Bill Belichick and the Pats?