The San Diego Chargers started the 2009 NFL season 2-3 and were going no where fast. Then they ran off 11 straight wins to finish the season at 13-3. They had a first round bye and home field throughout the AFC playoffs. Then yesterday happened. Rex Ryan and his New York Jets came to town.
The Jets have been the surprise team in the 2009 NFL playoffs so far. With a rookie quarterback in Mark Sanchez, and a rookie coach in Rex Ryan, They went into Cincinatti and dominated the Bengals in the first round of the playoffs and earned a trip to San Diego to play the heavily favored Chargers.
The game was a yawner at first as the Jets defense held Philip Rivers and the potent San Diego Chargers offense to just 7 points. The Chargers actually lead the game 7-3 for most of the day. But the Jets rookie QB Mark Sanchez threw a 2-yard touchdown pass to tight end Dustin Keller to give the Jets a 10-7 lead.Then on the New York Jets next possession, running back Shonn Greene scored on a 53-yard touchdown run to give the Jets a 17-7 advantage.
San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers scored on a 1-yard run to cut the Jets' lead to 17-14 with only 2:14 left in the fourth quarter. On the next Jets possession, they were facing a fourth-and-one situation. Jets quarterback Rex Ryan decided to go for it to try to end the game. Sanchez handed the ball to running back Thomas Jones, who picked up the first down. The Jets then ran out the clock on the San Diego Chargers season.Chargers pro bowl kicker Nate Kaeding had a day he would like to forget about as he missed two crucial field goals. One was from 57 yards, and the other miss was from 40 yards. The last field goal miss was a killer for the Chargers because it would have made the score 17-10 with plenty of time for Philip Rivers to try and tie up the ball game. But it wasn't be for the Chargers. They end up losing by, oddly enough, 3 points.
Again, the San Diego Chargers end what was a very good 2009 season with a "Thud". And if you're a Chargers' fan, you have to be really disappointed the way it ended for your team.But you have to give Rex Ryan and his New York Jets defense credit. They are lead by Darrelle Revis, who had a spectacular interception in this game, and they absolutely shut down Rivers and the Chargers offense.
Now the New York Jets are moving on and will play in the AFC Championship game. And it won't be an easy road for the Jets because they have to go Indianapolis and try to beat NFL MVP Peyton Manning and his Colts. But, you never know. I mean who thought the Jets would get this far? Not too many football fans, that's for sure.
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More photos from the San Diego Chargers-New York Jets AFC Divisional Playoff game below.
