FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- So much might be different had the Indianapolis Colts not decided to withdraw their best players from their controversial Week 16 loss to the New York Jets in Lucas Oil Stadium.
For one, the Colts still might be shooting for perfection. For another, they probably wouldn't be playing the Jets again Sunday in the AFC Championship Game.
What a cruel twist it would be for Colts fans if they were to get done in by the team they ushered into the playoffs.
AccuScore pegged the Jets' chances of qualifying for the playoffs at 11.6 percent entering Week 16. Now, here they are, hoping to pull off their third consecutive road upset.
"We beat Cincinnati in consecutive weeks," Jets right tackle Damien Woody said at his locker stall Wednesday. "We went out to San Diego, where nobody thought we had a chance, and we beat them. We know in our hearts that we belong in this situation.
"We don't play the prettiest brand of football, but it's winning football. If they don't want to say we belong, that's fine. We'll do it all the way until we win the whole thing."
The Colts removed Manning while ahead by five points with almost six minutes left in the third quarter. The Jets briefly held a lead when Brad Smith returned the post-halftime kickoff 106 yards.
"We feel like we still could've won the game even if [Manning] was in there," Woody said. "It was a tight football game. It was only 15-10 when he came out of the game.
"The game was right there for us. We like gamed close to the vest anyways. Those are our type of games. This time around, we'll see if we're right about that."
For one, the Colts still might be shooting for perfection. For another, they probably wouldn't be playing the Jets again Sunday in the AFC Championship Game.
What a cruel twist it would be for Colts fans if they were to get done in by the team they ushered into the playoffs.
AccuScore pegged the Jets' chances of qualifying for the playoffs at 11.6 percent entering Week 16. Now, here they are, hoping to pull off their third consecutive road upset.
"We beat Cincinnati in consecutive weeks," Jets right tackle Damien Woody said at his locker stall Wednesday. "We went out to San Diego, where nobody thought we had a chance, and we beat them. We know in our hearts that we belong in this situation.
"We don't play the prettiest brand of football, but it's winning football. If they don't want to say we belong, that's fine. We'll do it all the way until we win the whole thing."
The Colts removed Manning while ahead by five points with almost six minutes left in the third quarter. The Jets briefly held a lead when Brad Smith returned the post-halftime kickoff 106 yards.
"We feel like we still could've won the game even if [Manning] was in there," Woody said. "It was a tight football game. It was only 15-10 when he came out of the game.
"The game was right there for us. We like gamed close to the vest anyways. Those are our type of games. This time around, we'll see if we're right about that."
ABOUT THIS BLOG
James Walker
Walker joined ESPN.com in 2008 after four seasons covering the NFL and NBA for the Columbus (Ohio) Dispatch. He's a Temple graduate and Hyattsville, Md. native who lives in Miami.
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