You Reap What You Sow

So the New York Jets are coming to town next weekend, huh? Interesting. I'll admit that I was one of millions who assumed that the AFC Championship Game would be a shoot-out between the Indianapolis Colts and the San Diego Chargers. But the Jets pulled off an upset on the road today, knocking the #2-seed Chargers out of the playoffs, 17-14.

The Jets were so far left-for-dead after a Week 15 loss to Atlanta that their own coach stated in the post-game press conference that the Jets were out of the playoffs. But he was mistaken. The Jets needed a ridiculous number of teams to lose, AND they had to beat the undefeated Colts and the AFC North Champion Cincinnati Bengals in their last two games to sneak in as a wild card.

All of those teams lost, and the Colts and Bengals both rested their starters against New York, having nothing to play for. The Jets got two easy wins against two junior varsity squads. To the post-season they flew.

Well, I take that back about the Colts having nothing to play for. The Colts' decision to quit on their chance at an unbeaten season against the Jets--in front of the home crowd, no less--has been hotly debated ever since. Suffice it to say that I am one of the many fans who are (yes, present tense) absolutely livid about that decision. If the Colts do anything now but win the Super Bowl, this season will have been nothing more than an enormous slap to the fans' faces. And even if they do win the Super Bowl, the fans will still have a bad taste in their mouths over what could have been.

At any rate, the Bengals suffered immediate karmic payback for rolling over and allowing the Jets into the playoffs. In a rematch the very next week after Cincinnati played their back-ups, the Jets knocked the Bengals starters out, 24-14. The Bengals reaped what they sowed.

Now the Colts are facing the team that they allowed into the post-season while, at the same time, breaking their own fans' hearts by quitting on a perfect season. Do you think Colts fans will be satisfied with anything short of a 300-point win?

If the Jets beat the Colts on Sunday--and I'm certainly not doubting them anymore!--I can't even begin to imagine the level of outrage that will be felt by Colts Nation. Bill Polian and Jim Caldwell will be pariahs. When they leave Lucas Oil Stadium, they'll likely be greeted in the parking lot by a scene similar to this:



Don't lose this game, Colts. Or the one after it.