Jets Vs. Colts: 2011 NFL Playoffs TV Time & Predictions

The 2011 NFL Wildcard playoff game between the New York Jets and Indianapolis Colts (host) is set for Saturday January 8 (8 PM EST) at Lucas Oil Stadium. NBC Sports will provide TV coverage for this game. New York was second in the AFC East, with a record of 11-5; Indianapolis won the AFC South, enjoying a 10-6 record. This article offers TV time and predictions for the 2011 Jets-Colts NFL playoff game.

1) Jets-Colts Head to Head

The second game of the 2011 NFL Playoffs features two determined competitors in the New York Jets and Indianapolis Colts. Since 2000, the two teams have met 7 times with the Colts enjoying a narrow 4-3 advantage. Most of their meetings have been tight contests, with the exception of a 41-0 victory by the Jets in 2003. New York and Indianapolis last met in 2006; the Colts narrowly won that game 31-28. One should expect another close contest this time around.

2) Mark Sanchez vs. Peyton Manning

The highly anticipated game pits up-and-comer Mark Sanchez against 4-time MVP Peyton Manning. Both quarterbacks have enjoyed a decent season. For the year, New York's Mark Sanchez has accumulated 3291 passing yards, 17 TDs, and a QB rating of 75. Indianapolis' Peyton Manning has been decisively better, topping most NFL passing statistics. The Colts' starter has amassed to date 4700 passing yards, 33 TDs, and a QB rating of 92. Statistically speaking, Manning is clearly the better quarterback. This is in addition to him being the heart and soul of Indianapolis' offense.

3) Rex Ryan vs. Jim Caldwell

Saturday's wildcard contest pits one of the league's top offensive teams against one of the NFL's stingiest defense. The New York Jets and Indianapolis Colts come into this game as the antithesis of each other. One team is great in defense, but is poor in offense. The other team has no problem putting points on the board, but is having trouble stopping its opponent from doing the same. Generally, this makes for a potential blowout. But will it?

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New York has one of the best defenses in the NFL. The Jets rank 6th overall in points allowed. This is in spite of several bad losses towards the end of the regular season, where the scorelines heavily favored NY's opponents. Rex Ryan's team has managed to achieve this by keeping both its opponents' passing and rushing in check. In fact, New York ranks 6th in passing defense and 3rd in opponent rushing yards. In contrast, the team's offense is far from impressive. Rex Ryan's crew is 22nd overall in points scored. The team's one bright spot offensively has been its running game, which ranks 4th in the league.

Indianapolis has been a victim of the injury bug all season long. This has forced Peyton Manning to shoulder an even heavier load than usual; the star quarterback has thus far exceeded all expectations. But despite the Colts' strong late-season run, the fact remains that the team may not have all the required pieces to do well in this year's NFL Playoffs. Although key players like Gary Brackett and Joseph Addai have recently returned to the lineup, they will still need time to fully recover and adjust to their respective positions. In the meantime, the Colts' playoff hope still leans exclusively on Manning's shoulder. How Peyton fares against a powerful Jets' passing defense will ultimately determine the outcome of this game.

My prediction for the 2011 NFL Playoffs game between the New York Jets and Indianapolis Colts: the Jets win 27-14. Kickoff time for the game is 8 PM EST. The game will be played at Lucas Oil Stadium, and will be broadcast by NBC Sports.

Reference:
ESPN.COM