NFL Playoff Rankings: New York Jets Defeat Cincinnati Bengals in Wild Card Playoff Game

Most sports analyst and New York Jets fans knew deep down inside that the Jets had a chance to defeat the Cincinnati Bengals. The most ironic thing about this win, it would not have happened for the New York Jets if the Indianapolis Colts sat their star players in a game that meant nothing to a team that secured home field advantage of their incoming opponents. What does this win mean for New York Jets QB Mark Sanchez, it definitely gives him a boost of confidence to compete in the next round of the NFL playoffs. The New York Jets regular season record of 9-7 was impressive for a team with a rookie quarterback who fought through the ordinary adversities. Indeed Mark Sanchez has taken his lumps in the regular season, but the truth will be told when he faces his next opponent, the Indianapolis Colts or the San Diego Chargers.

This may not be the year where Mark Sanchez will lead his team to a Super Bowl; all in all this will be a year where this rookie QB established himself in an important playoff game. Like most rookie quarterbacks his stats were not impressive as he threw for 2,444 yards, 12 touchdowns, 20 interceptions and a 63.0 QB rating, but this is the learning curve all NFL quarterbacks go through.

New York Jets Coach Rex Ryan gave praise to Mark Sanchez playing ability in a crucial Wild Card game. "He had the eye of the tiger today and he was ready to get out there and throw it around," Coach Rex Ryan said. "I see him getting better and better each day on the practice field. What a job he's done. I think he's tired of hearing he's the weak link on this football team." Even Coach Ryan knows that they have been blessed with winning games they should not have won. But on any given Sunday a team can rise from oblivion to capture the attention of a nation.

The Cincinnatti Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer did not have a good game, his passer completion was 18/36, 146 yards passing, 1 TD, 1 INT. The passing attack for Ochocinco never had a chance to materialize into something that would give their team a winning advantage. Pro Bowl Darrell Revis shut down Ochocinco in a game that would have taken the Cincinnatti Bengals out of the no win playoff scenario. Coach Rex Ryan knows that it is a team game that wins crucial games, the end result will depend on how Mark Sanshez will respond under the pressure of a team that bears no mercy.