1 of 3 | New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham (13) drops a pass as New York Jets cornerback Darrin Walls (26) and New York Jets strong safety Calvin Pryor (25) defend in the 2nd quarter at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey on December 6, 2015. Photo by Rich Kane/UPI |
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FLORHAM PARK, N.J. - Head coach Todd Bowles said Monday that the New York Jets control their own playoff destiny. But that is not technically true, even though the Jets are in sixth place - i.e. the second wild card - in the AFC following Sunday's 23-20 overtime win over the Giants.
The Jets are one of three 7-5 teams but are currently the second wild card by virtue of a better conference record than the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Jets are 5-4 while the Steelers are 4-4 in AFC play. The Kansas City Chiefs are currently the first wild card by virtue of their 6-2 AFC record.
However, winning out wouldn't guarantee the Jets a playoff spot. If the Chiefs and Steelers won out -the Steelers doing so would ensure they ended up tied with the Jets with an 8-4 record in conference play - and then the Jets would end up on the outside looking in of the 11-5 troika because they'd have a worse AFC record than the Chiefs and a worse record in common games than the Steelers. The Jets would be 3-2 against the New England Patriots, Cleveland Browns, Indianapolis Colts and Oakland Raiders while the Steelers would be 4-1 in those games.
--Being owner of an NFL team means you get the game ball after big wins.
Jets head coach Todd Bowles presented owner Woody Johnson with the game ball following Sunday's emotional 23-20 overtime victory over the Giants. Upon receiving the ball, Johnson tried to "dab," a la Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton, in footage posted on the Jets' website.
It was the Jets' first win over the Giants since 1993, eight years before Johnson purchased the team.
"That's why I gave him the game ball - he hadn't beaten the Giants since he's been the owner here," Bowles said. "It was just a great victory. It was a great team victory. Something that brought everybody together and hopefully closer."
NOTES: Defensive end Mike Catapano's homecoming may have ended Sunday, when he suffered a foot injury during the Jets' 23-20 overtime win over the Giants. Catapano, who grew up on Long Island and played collegiately at Princeton, was injured in the first half. Head coach Todd Bowles said Monday that Catapano was being evaluated for a Lisfranc injury and that he should miss at least two weeks. ... Cornerback Darrelle Revis (concussion) missed his second straight game Sunday, though he watched the Jets' 23-20 overtime win over the Giants from the sidelines. Bowles said Monday that Revis is "feeling a lot better" but didn't know if he would return to practice this week. Revis has yet to practice and has only engaged in light physical activity since getting hurt in the second half of a 24-17 loss to the Houston Texans on Nov. 22. ... Defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson was benched for the first quarter of the Jets' 23-20 overtime win over the Giants on Sunday. Bowles said it was a "coach's decision" and neither he nor Wilkerson provided any further details. However, CBS Sports reported during its broadcast that Wilkerson was benched for being late to a meeting earlier in the week. ESPNNewYork.com had a similar story later Sunday. Upon playing Sunday, Wilkerson recorded his team-high ninth sack of the season.
