Is Jags-Jets an elimination game?
November, 10, 2009
11/10/09
12:33
PM ET
By
Paul Kuharsky | ESPN.com
Posted by ESPN.com’s Paul Kuharsky
Six AFC teams who aren’t leading their divisions have four losses or fewer. The 4-4 Jaguars and Jets are two of them.
Elimination games are not played on Nov. 15. But it’s hard to imagine the loser of Sunday's Jacksonville-New York game staying in the mix for an AFC wild-card berth considering the teams ahead of them -- Pittsburgh (trailing Cincinnati based on the head-to-head loss), San Diego, Houston and, potentially, Baltimore.
“Anytime you get a chance to play a team that’s of the same mindset you are, we’re sitting here, we’re 4-4, we both need to get above .500, it ought to make for a real exciting afternoon of football,” Jack Del Rio said in his Monday news conference.
Another element of intrigue will come from the familiarity of the head coaches. Rex Ryan’s Jets are coming off a bye and have had extra time to study Del Rio’s Jaguars.
“Rex is a guy that I spent a lot of time with in Baltimore, have a lot of respect for Rex and spent a lot time working together to put together one of the best defenses that’s ever been on the field in that 2000 Ravens defense,” Del Rio said. “I look forward to this matchup. It’s going to be a lot of fun competing there in New York against a good football team.”
Six AFC teams who aren’t leading their divisions have four losses or fewer. The 4-4 Jaguars and Jets are two of them.
Elimination games are not played on Nov. 15. But it’s hard to imagine the loser of Sunday's Jacksonville-New York game staying in the mix for an AFC wild-card berth considering the teams ahead of them -- Pittsburgh (trailing Cincinnati based on the head-to-head loss), San Diego, Houston and, potentially, Baltimore.
“Anytime you get a chance to play a team that’s of the same mindset you are, we’re sitting here, we’re 4-4, we both need to get above .500, it ought to make for a real exciting afternoon of football,” Jack Del Rio said in his Monday news conference.
Another element of intrigue will come from the familiarity of the head coaches. Rex Ryan’s Jets are coming off a bye and have had extra time to study Del Rio’s Jaguars.
“Rex is a guy that I spent a lot of time with in Baltimore, have a lot of respect for Rex and spent a lot time working together to put together one of the best defenses that’s ever been on the field in that 2000 Ravens defense,” Del Rio said. “I look forward to this matchup. It’s going to be a lot of fun competing there in New York against a good football team.”
Paul Kuharsky | email
NFL- ESPN AFC South Blogger
- Covered Oilers/Titans for The Tennessean
- A New Jersey native and Columbia graduate who lives in Nashville with his wife and son
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Paul Kuharsky
Kuharsky joined ESPN.com in 2008 after 12 years covering the Oilers/Titans and the NFL for The (Nashville) Tennessean. The New Jersey native and Columbia graduate lives in Nashville with his wife and son.
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