Gang Green Nation: Memory Jolt About Week 16

The Week 16 battle between the Jets and the Colts has assumed a prominent place in the narrative about this weekend’s AFC Championship. The Colts passed on a perfect season, raising the ire of fans and media alike, while simultaneously ratcheting up the pressure to go all the way and hoist the Lombardi. On the Jets side of things, some have credited that game with getting Mark Sanchez out of his mid-season funk and finally figuring out his role in the Jets offense.

What’s often lost in all this is the game itself. The Colts didn’t pull their starters until midway through the 3rd quarter. So what happened when everybody was playing for both teams? A competitive game, reports Gang Green Nation:

The score was 15-10 when starters exited for Indianapolis. Let’s think that through. The difference was less than a touchdown. Also think about how the Jets’ defense hung with Indy’s offense. The Colts only scored 15 points in two and a half quarters. That’s pretty good against the best quarterback in football.

Consider something else. 6 of those 15 points were scored on a drive where the Jets made a fourth down stop. Bart Scott got a personal foul called on him to extend it. Take away that error, and the Jets held the Colts to 9 points in those three and a half quarters.