Jay Cutler

I don't know what it is about Jay Cutler that makes me hate him, but I can't help it.  Every time they show his face on TV, I want to throw a shoe at him.

During the NFC Championship game today, Cutler was playing like an amateur.  It was painful to watch him do absolutely NOTHING for his team.

And then came his "knee injury".

Yo, Cutler.  A word of advice:  You are in the effing NFC Championship game.  Suck it the eff up and play some football.  I've seen quarterbacks play through injuries worse than anything that could have happened to you today.  I think you could have lasted a few more series, had you wanted it bad enough.

I'm sure I wasn't the only one that thought his injury was a cop-out.  If he sat on the sidelines, he couldn't be held liable for the ass kicking that was happening on the field, right?  WRONG!  His noticeable absence brought even more attention to how he was letting his team down.

I do have to say, though, I was very proud of the way Caleb Hanie handled himself on the field.  For a third string quarterback, who had only played in a few games before, I think he held his own out there.  He proved that the Bears could count on him as a solid backup.  Or a potential starter next year... just throwin' it out there.

Sorry Bears.  As my step-mom and I said at the end of the game: After that terrible performance, Jay Cutler should never be seen or heard from again.  He is awful.

xoxo,
Blanche Sanche

A hard loss

Perhaps I was too confident going into this game.  Perhaps my father and I shouldn't have taken a pregame picture of us in our Jets jerseys (me in Nick Mangold's 74 and pops in Joe Namath's 12) standing on top of a Steelers jersey in fighting stances.  Perhaps we jinxed the team with our antics.

That's exactly what was running through my head the entire first half of the AFC playoff game tonight.  Seriously.  I even made my dad change his shirt because my superstitions were telling me that it was bad juju for him to wear green during a game.

The first half was wretched.  The Jets couldn't make anything work for them: no possession, no yardage, nothing.  It was heartbreaking to see a team with so much heart and so much swagger losing 3-24 at the half.  But I know my Jets and they don't go down without a fight.

The second half was awesome.  I don't know what Rex said in that locker room, but something lit a fire under those guys and they made a valiant effort.  A couple of sacks on Rapin' Roethlisberger, some interceptions, much more time for Marky Mark and his funky bunch to march down the field and score.

Okay, so the Jets lost.  But to bring it to a 19-24 game and not let the Steelers score at all in the second half was magic.  If only we could have had a few more minutes on the clock (or maybe had they not had some terrible clock management on that 4th and goal situation that eventually led to a safety), I believe they could have done it.  I KNOW they could have.

But there's no need to live in "what ifs" and "coulda beens".  I'm just thankful that the injuries sustained by Sanchez and Mangold weren't serious.  I'm also grateful to have become a fan of a team that loves their fans so dearly.  It's just Twitter, but I've received tweets from the official Jets Twitter account, Matt Higgins, Santonio Holmes and, of course, Nick Mangold, whereas I've never heard a peep from the Titans.  The Jets are so accessible and wonderful.  I will continue to be a loyal fan because I feel a personal connection to the whole team.

The Jets have grown leaps and bounds since they were in this position last year.  They have a solid team, a coach you can't help but love and respect, a QB who gets better every game and a fan base you can't hold down. 

We'll see you again next year!

xoxo,
Blanche Sanche

Playoffs

I love the playoffs.  And I hate them too.  I love them because they are the most intense games of the season, but I hate them because it means I'm going to have to find new ways to occupy my time for the next six months (say a big HELLO to school and a new running program).  This weekends playoffs were about as good as it gets, with the exception of the NFC games.  Seriously.  Could they have at least tried to play interesting football???

Let's start with the Steelers/Ravens game.  On principle, I had to root against the Ravens.  I can't find it in my heart to love the team where Steve McNair ended his career because I still feel like he will always be an Oiler/Titan.  Also, one of my dearest friends is a Steelers fan and she'd kill me if I rooted against them.  Oh, and Mike Tomlin is hot.  So there's that.

The game had me on the edge of my seat.  At first, it looked like the Ravens were going to take it.  They were definitely out to win, or so it seemed.  Then halftime came.  After the half, the Steelers came out with a renewed vengeance and took the game back.  We had an AFC team in the divisional playoffs, who were they going to play?

There was never any doubt in my mind that it would be the Jets.  Rexy and the rest of the team were talking a big game.  Cromartie called Brady an asshole, which is true so I'm still unsure why it caused so much commotion, then Bart Scott pretty much put out a hit on Wes Welker.  But when you get into a rivalry match with so much on the line, there are going to be some vicious words thrown around.  It's all part of the show and the Jets are quite the showmen.

The thing that got me the most was that NO ONE was giving the Jets credit.  The commentators made it seem as if the Jets had accidentally gotten into the playoff situation and the almighty Patriots were going to put them in their place.  Everyone had their money on a huge Patriots upset, and couldn't stop talking about the huge upset back in December.  However, no one was bringing up the fact that the Jets won the first contest between the rivals this season.  They stressed what a great team the Patriots were and pretty much already had them in the Super Bowl.

And how wrong they were.

We saw a Jets team that was strong and played hard on both sides of the ball.  Sanchez threw 3 touchdown passes.  David Harris intercepted the golden boy Brady for the first time in 339 passes.  Brady got sacked 5, yes 5, times while Sanchez didn't get sacked at all.  It was poetic.  I have never been more proud to be a fan of a team in my life.  And if you follow me on Twitter or are friends with me on Facebook, I apologize for the frequent, elated updates that happened today!

Now, it's on to the Steelers.  A team I KNOW we can beat.  It's Super Bowl or bust for the Jets and I'm thinking that ring is going to look perfect on Mark Sanchez' finger.

Play like a Jet,
Blanche Sanche