NFL Week 17: 12 Pack Of Predictions

Our last 12 pack of the regular season…a bittersweet time to look back on a year filled disappointment and many wrong predictions about our New York Jets. Regardless, we are going at it one last time, not just on the Jets and Dolphins but on the rest of the league and the playoff picture –

1. My original pick for this game was going to be Miami over the Jets in a tight one. However, today’s announcement that Reggie Bush won’t play has swung me the other way. Bush was going to kill the Jets on the edges and as a receiver out of the backfield. Miami will be more one-dimensional and predictable on offense now, and the Jets prevail in an ugly, low scoring 16-14 game.

2. Since I have swung my pick to the Jets and reflected that the fact of the matter is that before the year I picked the Jets to make the playoffs and I don’t want to switch on it now. I will say that Baltimore will beat Cincinnati, Houston will beat Tennessee (with every report being that they will play all their starters), Oakland will beat San Diego, and it will be Kyle Orton and the Kansas City Chiefs knocking off the Jesus Quarterback himself to get the Jets in as the number six seed.

3. In the NFC, Detroit will beat Green Bay (it is now being reported that Aaron Rodgers won’t play) and Atlanta will beat Tampa Bay, meaning the Falcons will be in New Orleans in round one, where they will get smoked. Detroit will be heading to MetLife Stadium to play the Giants, who will beat the Cowboys Sunday night.

4. Pittsburgh will beat Cleveland and settle into the number five seed. New England will beat Buffalo and clinch the number one seed.

5. Your AFC wild-card match-ups will then settle as being Pittsburgh at Oakland and Jets at Houston.

6. The Indianapolis Colts will lose and clinch the top overall draft pick.

7. Back to Jets/Fins – Shonn Greene will run for 85 yards, finishing with 1084 yards on the season, a fairly disappointing number.

8. LaDainian Tomlinson will score a touchdown in what could be his final NFL game.

9. Aaron Maybin will have a sack and end the season as the team leader with 7.

10. Darrelle Revis will have an interception.

11. Jason Taylor will have two sacks of Mark Sanchez in his final NFL game. Sanchez will finish with less than 225 yards passing.

12. I will not enjoy going down in a blaze of hopeless optimism, as I will wake up hungover from New Year’s Eve with this crazy hope of the Jets still making the playoffs.

Jets vs. Giants: 12 Pack Of Predictions

1. Shonn Greene will be the leading rusher in the game, finishing with over 100 yards.

2. Jason Pierre-Paul will sack Mark Sanchez twice.

3. Eli Manning will throw for over 300 yards and a pair of touchdowns but will also have a pair of turnovers.

4. Mark Sanchez will throw for a little over 200 yards, a pair of touchdowns and will have one turnover.

5. Plaxico Burress will get into the end-zone.

6. Santonio Holmes will have his first 100 yard receiving game of the season and also get into the end-zone.

7. Dustin Keller will finish with 65 yards receiving and make a handful of big third down receptions.

8. Victor Cruz or Hakeem Nicks will beat Antonio Cromartie for a long touchdown.

9. Darrelle Revis will have an interception and completely lock down Nicks or Cruz, when matched up on them.

10. Antonio Cromartie will return a kick for a touchdown.

11. This will be a one possession game from start to finish.

12. You thought I was going to pick the Giants? C’mon man. Jets squeak one out 27-24, by making a surprising late stand on defense.

Jets vs. Eagles: 12 Pack Of Predictions

Can the New York Jets take home their fourth victory in a row? Is another late season playoff run on deck? The 12 pack has a few ideas…

1. LeSean McCoy is going to rip one huge run off but beyond that will be bottled up. Ultimately, he will end up with a little under 100 yards and a touchdown.

2. Shonn Greene will have his second straight 100 yard game, wearing the Eagles defense down in the second half. He will also score another touchdown.

3. Mike Vick is going to turn the football over twice, one of which will come on a strip sack from Aaron Maybin.

4. Plaxico Burress will continue his Eagle killing ways, scoring two touchdowns in the red-zone.

5. Mark Sanchez will have an ugly first half turnover.

6. Jason Babin will have two sacks working against Wayne Hunter.

7. Darrelle Revis will keep DeSean Jackson under 50 yards receiving and without a touchdown.

8. Jeremy Maclin will burn Antonio Cromartie for a big play, but Cromartie will come up with an interception later in the game.

9. Brent Celek will have at least 4 receptions, so will Dustin Keller.

10. Jeremy Kerley won’t muff any punts.

11. Mike DeVito and Joe McKnight will both play on Sunday.

12. The Jets will be trailing throughout the entire game and head into the fourth quarter down by 7-10 points. However, they will stage a late rally and the Eagles will have yet another fourth quarter collapse. The Jets escape with a 27-24 win that will leave all of us with stomach pain.

Jets vs. Chiefs: 12 Pack Of Predictions

This is the week that could very well make or break the Jets playoff hopes. Will they hold up their end of the bargain? Let’s see what the 12 pack thinks…

1. Mark Sanchez is going to throw for 225 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He will be sacked at least once and have one turnover.

2. Tyler Palko won’t throw for more than 150 yards against the Jets defense. They will also force him into at least two turnovers.

3. Thomas Jones will have a touchdown in his return to New York.

4. Shonn Greene will have his second 100 yard rushing game of the season.

5. Aaron Maybin will have another sack.

6. Antonio Cromartie will have one big kick return, replacing Joe McKnight.

7. Bilal Powell will be active but won’t see any offensive snaps. Brandon Moore will start. Mike DeVito won’t play. Joe McKnight won’t play.

8. Dwayne Bowe will have less than 40 yards receiving.

9. Plaxico Burress will score his 8th touchdown of the season and finish with over 65 yards receiving.

10. LaDainian Tomlinson will get back in the end-zone with a receiving touchdown.

11. This will be a one possession game into the fourth quarter.

12. Ultimately, the Jets will win another sloppy game, 20-10. This won’t require the last second heroics but it won’t be pretty either.

Jets vs. Redskins: 12 Pack Of Predictions

The 12 pack is marching towards the playoffs (hopefully)…here are 12 predictions for the Jets do or die game in Washington:

1. Roy Helu is going to run for more yards than Shonn Greene.

2. LaDainain Tomlinson will have a big impact in his return to the Jets line-up, with four receptions and 60 total yards of offense. He will also get back in the end-zone.

3. Aaron Maybin will record his sixth sack of the season and force another fumble.

4. Brian Orakpo and Ryan Kerrigan will lead a pass rush that will sack Mark Sanchez at least twice.

5. Darrelle Revis will have an interception. Rex Grossman will be sacked at least twice and turn the ball over at least twice.

6. Plaxico Burress will score yet another touchdown.

7. The Jets will NOT turn the ball over on special teams…finally.

8. Fred Davis will have a big game for Washington and score a touchdown.

9. Jeremy Kerley will be active in his return to the line-up, with a big punt return and three receptions.

10. Mark Sanchez will have at least one turnover and throw less than 30 passes.

11. Santonio Holmes will lead the Jets in receiving yards, finishing with over 70.

12. The Jets will win, an ugly, sloppy low-scoring game, 17-14. This one will come down to a late Nick Folk field goal.

Jets vs. Bills: 12 Pack Of Predictions

The 12 Pack needs a few wins as bad as the New York Jets do…

1. C.J. Spiller is going to put together his best game as a professional, finishing with over 100 yards of total offense and a touchdown. He will turn at least one screen pass into a big play.

2. LaDainian Tomlinson will be inactive. Joe McKnight will see extended work for the second week in a row and have an offensive touchdown.

3. Plaxico Burress will have at least 60 yards receiving and another touchdown.

4. The Jets are going to have a conservative game plan. Shonn Greene will get at least 18 carries and Joe McKnight will have 8-12.

5. Brad Smith will make one big play for the Bills, either on offense or special teams.

6. This will be a close game at halftime and will remain somewhat tight into the early fourth quarter.

7. Mark Sanchez will throw for less than 250 yards.

8. Ryan Fitzpatrick will throw a pair of interceptions and will be sacked once or twice.

9. Joe McKnight will have a huge kick return either for a touchdown or one that directly sets up points.

10. Josh Baker will see extended reps in place of Matthew Mulligan (wishful thinking).

11. Dustin Keller will go yet another game without scoring a touchdown.

12. It isn’t going to be pretty (think the Monday night Miami game earlier in the year) but ultimately the Jets will escape with a 24-13 win.

Jets vs. Broncos: 12 Pack Of Predictions

Rough week for the 12 pack last Sunday, but we are back on the short week…we will keep it short and sweet in honor of that.

1. Over/under on Tebow completions? 10. And I am taking the under.

2. Joe McKnight will get at least 10 offensive touches. Bilal Powell will chip in 5.

3. Shonn Greene will have over 100 yards rushing.

4. Mark Sanchez won’t have any turnovers.

5. Tim Tebow won’t throw any interceptions and but will fumble at least once and be sacked 3-5 times.

6. David Harris will have at least 10 tackles…he better.

7. This will be a one possession game after three quarters.

8. Nick Folk won’t miss any field goals.

9. Eron Riley will record his first reception as a member of the New York Jets.

10. Santonio Holmes will have at least 70 yards receiving.

11. Willis McGahee will end up playing and have at least 12 carries.

12. The Jets will pull away in the fourth quarter, in not the prettiest game of the year, but a game that will ultimately be a win, 24-9.

6 Pack Of Suggestions For The New York Jets

An emergency 6 pack of suggestions for improving the New York Jets who remain in the thick of the AFC wild-card race.

1. No More Mulligan – Matthew Mulligan should not be playing 20 snaps a game in a NFL offense. He shouldn’t be playing 5 snaps a game in a NFL offense. If you decide your number two tight end is going to be such a big part of your offense, you have to make a better investment at the position. How about giving recently signed Shawn Nelson a chance?

2. More and More Pool – When he gets back to being healthy, it is time to take large chunks of playing time away from Eric Smith and give it to Brodney Pool, than in the off-season the Jets must draft or sign an athletic safety with some height. Time to react to New England having two monsters at tight end.

3. Pick A Punt Returner – First you had Jeremy Kerley deep, then you had Jim Leonhard, then you switched to Joe McKnight back deep who proceeded to muff a punt. I love McKnight as a kick returner but he has looked shaky returning punts. It is a completely different skill set. Stick with Kerley and use Leonhard and his sure hands as the primary backup.

4. More McKnight & Kerley On Offense – The Jets are limited in the number of players they have who could create big plays. Shonn Greene and LaDainian Tomlinson aren’t ripping off big runs or turning screens into huge plays, McKnight needs more touches period, particularly in space. Jeremy Kerley is similar in this regard and deserves a bigger role on offense, especially stretching the seam.

5. Throw The Damn Football Down The Field – The Jets must add more of a vertical element to their passing game. You need to throw the football deep to loosen up a defense. It is the only way to create big plays, whether it is connecting on the pass or drawing an interference penalty. This offense makes it too hard on themselves by having to put together such long drives. They desperately need big plays. Mark Sanchez throws a good deep ball…let him air it out a few times a game. Whether you want to admit it or not the Jets are missing Braylon Edwards in this aspect of their offense but Santonio Holmes has the ability to get open deep.

6. Be Yourself – Don’t lose the confidence and swagger because of one loss. This team plays better when they have an attitude and are running their mouths a little bit.

Jets vs. Patriots: 12 Pack Of Predictions

What else can I say? 12 Pack. Jets vs. Pats. It doesn’t get any better.

1. Tom Brady is getting sacked at least three times and will turn the football over at least once. He also won’t crack 300 yards through the air.

2. The other quarterback? Mark Sanchez will put together a performance very similar to the one he had in the playoffs last year.

3. Shonn Greene will be the leading rusher in this game. He will also score another touchdown.

4. Rob Gronkowski will have a big game against the Jets secondary after not doing in much in their first meeting.

5. Santonio Holmes and Plaxico Burress will combine for 150 yards receiving and a pair of touchdowns.

6. Joe McKnight is going to outplay Danny Woodhead.

7. Chad Ochocinco…will have at least 1 reception. How is that for a bold prediction?

8. Wes Welker will have 75 yards receiving and a touchdown.

9. Dustin Keller will have less receiving yards than both Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez.

10. Calvin Pace and Bart Scott will both record sacks. Scott will see a substantial bump in playing time after not playing much in the week 5 meeting.

11. Jeremy Kerley will have at least 40 yards receiving.

12. If you haven’t been able to tell, I am pretty confident in the Jets this week. Actually as confident as I have ever been for a Jets/Pats game. The Jets will win 31-21 and began their march to a AFC East title.

Jets vs. Bills: 12 Pack Of Predictions

What is better than fall in NYC? Here is a November 12 Pack to, as we gear up for a monster weekend of NFL Football -

1. Shonn Greene is going to run for over 110 yards and his third touchdown of the season. Joe McKnight will also receive his most offensive touches so far this year.

2. Ryan Fitzpatrick is going to struggle against the Jets defense, being sacked multiple times and having at least one turnover. Stevie Johnson will have a minimal impact in this game.

3. Fred Jackson will have over 120 yards of total offense and score at least once. The Jets are going to miss Mike DeVito if he doesn’t end up playing this Sunday.

4. Brad Smith will make at least one big play in this game. However, Joe McKnight will break off one big kick return that directly sets up points for the Jets offense.

5. Aaron Maybin is going to have not one, but two sacks in his most extensive action of the season.

6. Mark Sanchez is going to throw for about 200 yards and one touchdown. He will be in the game manager role for most of Sunday, until late in the game.

7. Santonio Holmes will have at least 65 yards receiving.

8. Dustin Keller will get back in the end-zone for the first time since week 2.

9. Antonio Cromartie will be called for at least two penalties.

10. Brian Schottenheimer is going to call one of his best games of the past few years. How’s that for a crazy prediction?

11. Buffalo will gain their yards but the Jets will frequently hold them to field goals and keep them out of the end-zone.

12. This will be a tight game in the final minutes of the 4th quarter, but it will be Mark Sanchez not Ryan Fitzpatrick who leads the big scoring drive late as the Jets will win 23-19.