WTF happened in Philly Sunday? I have to be honest and if you’re a Jets fan you felt this too, I had a very uneasy feeling about this one as early as September. Something about playing in Philly late in the season felt like the deck was stacked from the gate no matter where Philly was in the standings. The Eagles are the only team the Jets have never beaten and the Eagles are a team that is out to end this season on a strong note after much disappointment. So add all that up and <poof> 45-19 was the final. Let me tell you what bothers most about this game. It wasn’t Sanchez’s overwhelmed look that he so often seems to get in these regular season road games, or the defense not showing up AGAIN! It was a specific moment in the 2nd quarter, when Santonio Holmes caught the Jets first TD to make the score 28-10. Holmes had a rough first half with a fumble and a Sanchez pick that was soley his fault, Santonio was basically responsible for the 28-3 hole the Jets were in. So late in the 2nd quarter he had a decent drive with a few catches (one of those for a TD), but it was his celebration after the TD that got to me. Now as you’ve seen in the past, I am a huge fan of over-the-top celebrations. I take the position that pro sports is as much a TV show as it is a physical competition, so guys having fun and celebrating scores are par for the course in my eyes, but what Santonio did on Sunday was ridiculous and really pissed me off as a Jets fan. See, I believe a celebration should come at the appropriate time; when it’s a game winner, when you’re in the lead, or when it brings you close to a comeback. This one came after the Jets scored to bring them within 18 points, (18 POINTS!) and they were showing a faint heartbeat. Not only a celebration though, but it was a taunt; he flapped his wings like an Eagle instead of the Jet he normally does. It got him flagged for 15 yards and set-up a potential Eagles scoring drive.
This is not the first time Holmes has done this, but luckily for Jets fans it’s nearly paid off in the past. Last year during the AFC Championship Game, while down 24-3 in Pittsburgh Holmes did his first down point early in the 2nd half on what looked like a meaningless play at the time. It turned out that it pumped the Jets offense to the point where they nearly came back from 24-3 down, but fell just short. Looking back now, I guess it served its purpose but at the time the taunt frustrated me. This one just makes him and the Jets look foolish and played. I fear that what many analysts have been saying for the past season or so is that the Jets swagger is more of an act these days and there is no sizzle to that steak so to speak. The Jets have a very tough road ahead with an angry Giants squad also playing for it’s playoff lives next week and then a Miami team that is not only much better than when they first met this season (a Jets 24-6 beating in Week 6) but is a hated rival that will want to end the Jets season again on the last week of the season (the ‘phins beat the Favre led Jets in the final game of the regular season in ’08 to knock them out of the playoffs).
Jets fans, I want to hear the pain that I'm feeling from you. If we don't have each other, who do we have? Hold me......or just email me thesportsriot@yahoo.com or follow the pain on Twitter @TheSportsRiot.
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