There are two types of people who are going to be following from the first tip-off between Florida and Brigham Young:

1) “The Employee” – This is someone with a job who is going to be sitting in front of their computer or on their phone constantly refreshing to get the latest score updates.  As soon as they see Old Dominion with a three-point lead over Notre Dame, they’ll be scanning the room to make sure it’s safe to look at their bracket.  “Did I pick O.D.,” they’ll ask themselves.

2) “The Bartender” – No, these folks won’t be standing behind a bar serving up drinks all day long – actually, some may.  Instead, they will be mainstays in front of it, downing drink after drink while devouring hot wings and jalapeno poppers.  These individuals will live or die by each game, because others around them will be cheering either with them or against.  No high fives for picking a number-one seed to go through in the first round though.

I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not too great at picking these games.  Most of it is luck anyways, so maybe that just means I’ve had a bit of misfortune.  That doesn’t stop me from trying my hand with the rest of the country.

You see, I’ll be both “The Employee” and “The Bartender” over the next few days, and I can’t wait.

View Scott Stanchak’s 2010 NCAA Tournament Bracket

I’m going to update this page regularly to keep everyone abreast of the action from the Giants and Jets during this period.  Check back regularly for both insight and opinions.  (For those looking for baseball coverage, my 2010 MLB preview will be posted the last week in March.  Also stay tuned for my NCAA Tournament selections.)

Tuesday, March 16 (6:26 p.m.): The same day the Jets introduced LaDainian Tomlinson to their fans, the team also announced the re-signing of fullback Tony Richardson, who enters the 16th season of his NFL career.   The 38-year-old was  a valuable contributor to the Jets’ top-ranked rushing attack last season, leading most of Thomas Jones’/Leon Washington’s/Shonn Greene’s runs with a knack for picking up the right attackers.  Tomlinson ran behind a second-year fullback (Jacob Hester) in San Diego last season — it was the worst performing campaign of his career — so this could mean a boost in production for the future Hall of Famer.  This will be Richarson’s third season with the Jets.

Sunday, March 14 (7:06 p.m.): It looks as if LaDainian Tomlinson will be in the Jets’ backfield next season.  The running back agreed to a two-year deal, according to ESPN.com.  I wrote about this signing Thursday so I won’t go into too much.  All I’ll add now is that this signing fits into the new trend of running back tandems in the NFL.  Most teams are going with two featured backs instead of just one.  Tomlinson is going to be sharing carries with Shonn Greene, who perhaps will get a bulk of the load.  Regardless, Greene will now have a chance to learn from one of the best in NFL history at their position.  That in itself is worth whatever they’re depositing into Tomlinson’s bank account.

Friday, March 12 (7:12 a.m.): Safety Brodney Pool is the Jets’ latest acquisition.  The team signed the former Cleveland Brown to a deal on Thursday.  It was only a matter of time for one of Eric Mangini’s players to come to New York.  Pool, a second round pick out of Oklahoma in 2005, was the Browns starting safety for the last three seasons; however, during that span, he’s only made it through a full campaign in one of them.  If the season started today, the Jets would run Jim Leonhard and Eric Smith as their starting safeties with James Ihedigbo and Pool as their reserves.

Thursday, March 11 (7:30 p.m.): Rumblings have future Hall of Fame running back LaDainian Tomlinson visiting Florham Park this week.  I’m not quite sure why though.  The Jets weren’t willing to give Thomas Jones a fair-value deal so what makes Tomlinson think he’ll get one?  Jones put together a great season last year, while Tomlinson had the worst of his career.  His 730 rushing yards was the only time in his nine years as a professional that he’s ever run for under a thousand.  Now, Tomlinson, who I came away very impressed with after speaking with him last year, was not the primary back in San Diego in 2009-10, which contributed to his down numbers.  Here’s the thing though: the Jets weren’t willing to pay Jones $5 million for next season, or $5 million over the next two seasons.  That means, despite Tomlinson having a better career than Jones, last season’s performance puts him in the $2.5-$3 million range based on their past dealings.  I doubt being one year younger — Jones is 31, while Tomlinson is 30 — will help his argument either.  A couple million is definitely not enough to get Tomlinson to ask for a pen so he can sign on the thin black line.

Thursday, March 11 (6:50 p.m.):Earlier today, the Jets got a visit from linebacker Jon Alston, according to the Star-Ledger.  Alston was released by the Oakland Raiders after four seasons in silver and black.  The 26-year-old finished last season on Injured Reserve due to two concussions, so this move, if made, could be a risky one.  Head coach Rex Ryan loves hard hitters, but you don’t want Alston to hit so hard he knocks himself out yet again, this next time possibly ending his career.  Of note, in 2008, Alston got into some offensive action against the Jets, taking a direct snap 22 yards on a fake punt play.  Alston is viewed as a special teamer and backup linebacker should he reach a deal with New York.

Tuesday, March 9 (8:24 p.m.): Thomas Jones ran for a career-high 1,402 yards and 14 touchdowns last season, and all he got was his walking papers.  The Jets cut the valuable running back last week to avoid a $2.8 million roster bonus.  Now, he’ll be making more than that in Kansas City.  The ink has dried on a contract with the Chiefs that will reportedly pay him $3 million in 2010 and $2 million in 2011.  There is also an additional $500k of incentives available in the deal.  The Chiefs have Jamaal Charles as their featured back, so Jones will provide a nice touch in those tough yardage situations.  New York was hoping to re-sign Jones, but I can’t blame him for looking for, and finding, greener pastures.  At a time when the Over 30 Running Backs Club is packed with members, Jones, who is 31, is one of the few, and perhaps the only, who has shown no signs of slowing down.

Tuesday, March 9 (7:21 p.m.): The always gracious Pat Hanlon, V.P. of Communication for the Giants, reported on his Twitter page that the team has signed Jim Sorgi to compete with Rhett Bomar to become Eli Manning’s number two.  Sorgi doesn’t have the name that Mark Brunell or Jeff Garcia would have brought to town, but he’s still a good fit for the role.  Sorgi also probably came at a cheaper rate than the two former starters.  Eli will now have someone to relate to when it comes to being in Peyton’s shadow.

Monday, March 8 (6:33 p.m.): It was a smart move by the Jets to re-sign tight end Ben Hartsock.  The 29-year-old, along with position-mate Dustin Keller, were valuable contributors on offense last season.  The difference between the two is Keller is primarily a pass catcher, while Hartsock is a blocker.  Hartsock probably also got a look from the Chicago Bears, who are running a blocking set at tight end under new offensive coordinator, Mike Martz.

I’m not surprised to see Fred Robbins land in St. Louis after six seasons in New York.  Robbins played very well under former defensive coordinater Steve Spagnuolo, who is now the Rams head coach.  In fact, he was a Giants defensive captain in 2008, Spagnuolo’s last season in New York.  There was no chance Robbins was coming back this season, which makes this move quite easy to swallow for Giants fans.

At least it’s easier to comprehend than watching Jake choose Vienna on “The Bachelor.”  I watched that show this season no more than five times — four more times than I should ever admit — but am a firm believer that the producers knew Ali wasn’t going to get picked, created a dramatic storyline where she would choose work over love and assured her the spot as the next “Bachelorette.”  I suppose that backstory is slightly more intriguing than the one about a former NFL football player looking for love, ala Jesse Palmer.

Sunday, March 7 (8:16 p.m.): I just returned from a weekend in Vermont so pardon me being a little behind from Saturday’s happenings.  I’ll cover them quickly below.

1. The Giants signed safety Antrel Rolle.  I offered my opinion on this move on Thursday, when it was only a possibility.  The Giants defense got better against the pass by adding Rolle, and it seems he feels that pairing himself with Kenny Phillips makes them the best safety combo in the league.  I’m not quite ready to proclaim that just yet, but both are young and have several years to grow together.  What the Giants should have done, however, is thrown more of Rolle’s cash — the most a safety has ever received — towards his former teammate in Arizona, linebacker Karlos Dansby, who chose to sign with the Miami Dolphins instead.

2. Jim Sorgi to work out for the Giants.  Sorgi could backup Eli Manning after the last couple of years working behind older brother Peyton Manning in Indianapolis.  He fits into the mold as the perfect backup should Eli Manning go down, something he hasn’t done since taking the reigns in 2004.  If Sorgi, who battled a hamstring injury last season, was good enough to backup Peyton Manning for six years, he’s good enough for the Giants.  The Colts were very good during Sorgi’s tenure there and to have trust in him should their star get injured speaks volumes.

3. The Jets trade Kerry Rhodes to the Arizona Cardinals.  This was a move the Jets had to make.  Rhodes, who I still feel is very talented, had fallen out of favor with several coaches in New York and probably wasn’t going to regain his starting spot next year.  It was a trade the Cardinals also had to pull after losing Rolle to the Giants.  In return, the Jets got fourth (this season) and seventh round (2011) picks.  Perhaps they can find a replacement in this year’s draft for Rhodes, who was a fourth-rounder in 2005, to put across the field from Jim Leonhard.

Friday, March 5 (8:33 a.m.): I love the Jets’ move of trading for cornerback Antonio Cromartie.  I don’t care how many people say Cromartie comes with baggage, this guy has major potential.  Once regarded as a premiere defensive back in the league, the fourth-year veteran has fallen off since his 10-interception season in 2007.  Pairing him with Darrelle Reevis, arguably the best corner in the league, may motivate Cromartie to reach his potential once again, something he’ll certainly have to do to be effective as the Jets run a man-to-man defense rather than the zone the Chargers do.  Working in Cromartie’s favor, however, is that he’ll rarely have to face opposing teams’ top wide receivers, instead he’ll go against their No. 2 guys.  While quarterbacks rarely throw in Reevis’ direction, Cromartie will be tested quite a bit.

Also, there was some talk that the Jets would draft a cornerback with their first-round pick.  The team has bigger concerns than that position, even without Cromartie on their roster.  Instead, New York gave up a third-rounder, possibly a second, for the former All Pro.  The 25-year-old is an upgrade over Lito Sheppard and the move was one the Jets and head coach Rex Ryan had to make and did.

Friday, March 5 (7:34 a.m.): I’ve been asked to give my take regarding David Carr possibly leaving the Giants for either San Francisco or Arizona.  Carr spent the last two years backing up Eli Manning after several years behind center in Houston.  When Carr first joined the Giants, his passion for the game was at an all-time low.  Two years later, it’s back to where it was when he was the top pick in the 2002 draft.  Carr didn’t get much playing time in New York; much of it came during preseason games.  Carr did get to throw 14 passes in the Giants’ October 14 game against the Oakland Raiders.  In that contest, he was 9-for-14 with a rushing touchdown.  Afterward, I spoke with Carr, who couldn’t have been happier with his playing time that afternoon.  Seeing that he wants to start again brings me back to that moment.  Carr has the potential to be a starter; he was thrust into action in 2002, but finally got to sit back and learn for a few seasons.  He deserves another shot, no question.  For the Giants, however, this could be a major loss should Manning go down.  I don’t know how confident they’ll be should Rhett Bomar have to take snaps in a live game.  There are a number of options on the market that would be a well-received replacement, though, including Mark Brunell and Jeff Garcia.

Thursday, March 4 (10:03 p.m.): The Giants certainly will put feelers out there for safety Antrel Rolle and linebacker Karlos Dansby, both of the Cardinals last season.  Don’t expect either to be wearing gray and blue, though.  These are two of the most coveted players on the open market and there are teams with a lot more cash to spend, or overspend, however you want to look at it.  Improving their defense is a must after last season’s disaster and, in my opinion, the linebacker spot is absolutely more important to fill than their void at safety.  The linebacker directs the defense and handing that job over to just anybody isn’t smart — they won’t do that.  The Giants also learned last season that experimenting with fillers  is not the wisest move — they might do that.  That said, Dansby would be a great addition after the release of Antonio Pierce, who for years was one of the best in the league at that position.  I see him landing in Miami though.

Thursday, March 4 (9:43 p.m.): I understand the Jets are very high on Shonn Greene, but to let both Leon Washington and Thomas Jones walk away could be a major mistake.  The Jets had the best rushing attack in the league last season, and it’s mostly Jones who is to thank for that.  I understand being 31 is over the hill for running backs, but he’s the perfect guy to train Greene to become a better runner — they’re both physically the same type backs.  I’m hearing the Jets will make a strong attempt to re-sign Jones at a discount, but I could see him heading to a team such as New England who would utilize him in a similar role as the Jets did — featured, but surrounded by a supporting cast.  Plus, we know how much Bill Belichick would love to have the former Jet on his roster.  As for Washington, he missed much of last season with a fibula injury, but it wasn’t that long before when he was considered one of the most exciting utility players in the league.  Unless the Jets feel like he will never be the same after being sidelined, there’s no reason to rid themselves of him, too.  I predict Washington isn’t going anywhere.

1. Watching Apolo Anton Onho race is an absolute thrill.  The way he lingers behind the pack for most of the race is like a preying lion lurking behind a gazelle.  In the men’s 1500 meter short track, Onho was at his best.  With two laps to go, he went from 12th to second in a matter of seconds.  It was one of the most exciting moments I’ve ever seen watching the Winter Olympics.  I literally got chills.

2. I feel for France’s Marion Rolland, who fell just a few feet from the starting gate in the women’s downhill.  You practice for years to get to this moment and instead of going down making a hard turn, you drop flat on your face a few pushes into your run.  This just goes to show how unpredictable the Olympics can be.

3. The U.S. Men’s hockey team is in a great position to make the Gold Finals.  Here’s what they did by beating Canada on Feb. 21: the win put them on the left side of the elimination bracket against Switzerland.  Canada’s loss put them on the right, pitting them in a first-round matchup against Russia.  Having those two powerhouses battle it out early meant only one would survive — good for all six other teams in the tournament.  Canada won easily, 7-3.

In Team USA’s case, they squared off Wednesday against a Swiss team they beat 1-3 earlier in the Games.  Switzerland put up a strong fight for two periods, but the momentum shifted immediately in the States’ favor on Zach Parise’s punch-in goal.  Next up, they’ll face a Finish team that is 3-1.  Although two of Finland’s wins came against weak teams in Belarus and Germany, they did knock off a good Czech Republic squad.

4. The one sport I’d love to participate in is bobsledding.  Too bad I’m too light.  I actually checked out the requirements for becoming a bobsledder, and men must be between 5′10″-6′3″ (I’m 5′10″) and weigh 180-240 pounds (I’m 155).  I did learn, however, that I could compete in the skeleton (Height: 5′6″-6′0″, Weight: 150-180 pounds)

Perhaps I’d rather compete in the luge, though.  I’d rather steer my sled at 100 mph laying down on my back than head first.  And, just in case you’re wonder where you can learn these track sports, try Lake Placid, N.Y. or Salt Lake City, Utah.

5. The weather at the start of these Games was miserable and led to the postponement of many outdoor events, namely the downhill skiing.  This couldn’t have worked out in anyone’s favor more than U.S. skier Lindsay Vonn.  The 25-year-old’s ankle was hurt so bad coming into the Games, she said she might not be able to compete.  But after a few days of delays, Vonn was back on the slopes, grabbing a gold in the woman’s downhill and a bronze in the woman’s super-G.  If those delays never happened, those medals might be hanging around someone else’s neck.

6. I was in Canada last weekend and it was a lot of fun to watch the Games from inside the country they were taking place.  Aside from hockey, the sport most up there get excited about is curling.  It’s also the one sport I may actually have a chance at competing in one day.

7. It’s sad that it took a death in the luge for the Olympic Committee at the Whistler Sliding Center to make changes to protect the track.  If you’ve seen the video, you’ll immediately wonder why those metal posts were left open like that coming off such a sharp turn.

8. Talk about guts, Canadian figure skater Joannie Rochette laced up her skates and took the ice only two days after her mother’s sudden death from a heart attack.  The emotion was written all over her face before, throughout and after her performance.  You’d be heartless not to feel for the young girl, who’s performance put her in third place heading into the Finals.

9. There’s way too much talk going on about the outfits figure skaters are wearing, especially on the men’s side.  If you have to jump and twist like that, wearing next to nothing is the absolutely the logical choice.

10. Shaun White is an extraordinary snowborder, perhaps the best in the world.  His midair acrobatics look easy on television, not because they are, but because he is near flawless in his performance.  White lives for events like this and the Olympics will continue to draw a younger crowd with an event like this.  It’s the only way they can compete with the Winter X Games.

11. Bode Miller is as intense an athlete as any.  It was great to see him grab his first gold this year in the men’s super combined.  It was not great to watch him be disqualified in the men’s giant slalom for missing a gate.  Some have asked why an athlete as well trained as Miller could do something like that.  The answer is simple: Miller goes harder and flies faster than anybody down those hills.  It’s all or nothing for the 32-year-old, and when he misses, he misses bad.  When he is on point though, he’s pretty much guaranteed a spot at the podium.

The Saints came into Giants Stadium on Christmas Eve in the thick of the playoff hunt.  They were 9-5 and the Carolina Panthers were still fighting them for the NFC South title.  New York, meanwhile, wasn’t exactly the toast of the NFC East just yet.  Their 7-7 record left them closer to the bottom of the division than the top and they had just lost five of their last six.  It wasn’t shaping up to be a title fight, and it didn’t end up being one.

New Orleans had its way with the Giants defense all afternoon, including a big day from then-rookie phenom Reggie Bush.  The former USC running back took 20 handoffs for 126 yards and a touchdown.  He also had a second score called back on a penalty.  Thanks in part to Bush’s career day, the Saints routed the Giants, 30-7.

Later that night, the Associated Press had this to say about Bush:  “The only thing (Bush) did wrong was bolt out of the locker room after the game without talking to the media.”

Not so.

After speaking with Saints head coach Sean Payton, I made my way into their locker room looking for Bush.  He was the biggest name to come into the NFL that season and to score an interview with him would be huge for my radio show at the time.  I didn’t spot him initially so I went and gathered quotes from wide receiver Marques Colston and running back Deuce McAllister instead.  Just as I finished with McAllister, I saw Bush walking out the locker room doors with his bags.

Typically, guys of his caliber make a right out of the locker room to give a press conference.  Instead, Bush went left and was clearly heading towards the team bus.  I went after the reigning Heisman Trophy winner — I believe there may have been one other reporter with me, but no more than that.  Despite a small crowd of kids trying to get an autograph, I was able to speak with Bush about his earlier performance, namely his scoring drive.  (Listen to the short interview here)

“It was one of those drives that coach was feeding me the ball,” Bush said. “He felt like I had the hot hand and gave me the opportunity to make plays and I did it.”

After a follow-up question, I wished him a happy holiday, to which he told me the same.

Needless to say, I was ecstatic to get a near-exclusive interview with Bush.  Back inside the locker room, I overheard several other reporters asking where Bush was.  When a Saints P.R. representative told them he had left, there was definitely some anger.  After all, NFL players are required to speak to the media following games.

What they didn’t know was he technically did.  It just wasn’t in typical fashion.

After a conversation with quarterback Drew Brees, I headed back upstairs to the press box, where I packed up my things.  It was time to head home for Christmas.

On a personal level, I started off very strong, but then my picks began to go downhill, especially regarding the playoff teams.  I can’t remember if I went with my gut on those outlooks, but if I did, I’ve since lost some faith in myself.  Nevertheless, it was a fun way to gear up for the long season ahead.  Now that it’s all over, here are the results:

View the complete 2009-10 NFL Preview

MVP Picks:
1) Tom Brady, New England; 2) Adrian Peterson, Minnesota; 3) Peyton Manning, Indianapolis

Result: Thankfully, at least one of my three picks won the MVP award this season.  Manning picked up his fourth while leading the Colts to the Super Bowl for a second time in four years.  His 4,500 yards passing was second only to the Texans’ Matt Schaub (47,000) and his 33 touchdowns trailed only New Orleans’ Drew Brees (34), who he’ll be squaring off in the big game.  Not to mention, Indianapolis finished the year 14-2 with a perfect record up until Week 15.

As for my other two selections, Brady guided his team to a 10-6 record, first in the AFC East, but faltered in the first round of the playoffs.  His numbers (4,398 yards, 28 touchdowns) during the regular season were decent enough to win him Comeback Player of the Year honors.  Peterson, meanwhile, was a big reason why the Vikings made it one win shy of the Super Bowl.  His 18 touchdowns led the NFL despite running for a career-low 1,341 yards.

Rookies to Watch:
1) Percy Harvin, Minnesota; 2) Mark Sanchez, New York; 3) Aaron Curry, Seattle

Result: Peterson isn’t the only “big reason” why the Vikings were so successful this season.  Harvin went from the University of Florida to becoming one of the most versatile young receivers/kick returners in a matter of months last year.  Thanks to the arm of Brett Farve, Harvin scored six touchdowns off 790 yards receiving.  He also scored twice via kick returns.  This rookie race wasn’t even close on offense.

Sanchez, too, brought his team to the AFC Championship Game.  The product of USC had his ups and downs throughout the year as the starting quarterback for the Jets, but head coach Rex Ryan never gave up on him.  Sanchez needs to cut down on the interceptions (20 compared to 12 touchdowns) and he’ll be fine.

As for Curry, you didn’t hear much about him because he plays in Seattle, but he managed to rack up 61 tackles and two sacks in 14 games, 12 of them starts.

Comeback Player: Michael Vick, Philadelphia

Result: Vick really wasn’t a bad choice, but Brady, who won the actual award, should have been the logical one.  The Eagles took a shot on Vick this season with a two-year deal and he did provide a spark, on occasion, in wildcat situations.  Vick’s two biggest performances in ‘09-’10: Two touchdowns in Atlanta during Week 13 and throwing a 38-yard ball to Jeremy Maclin for a touchdown in the Eagles’ playoff game against Dallas.  Philadelphia is probably going to release Vick, who should compete for a starting job next season, possibly in St. Louis.

Coach of the Year: Ken Whisenhunt, Arizona

Result: The AP is the one who hands out most of the awards after all is said and done.  Whisenhunt received just one single vote for Coach of the Year, and, no, I don’t have a selection.  Instead, the honor went to the Bengals’ Marvin Lewis.  The seventh-year Cincinnati head coach led his team to a 10-6 record, which was enough to capture the AFC North crown.  In a tragedy-filled season for the Bengals, Lewis was able to rally his troops and is well deserved of this nod.

Defensive Player of the Year: Mario Williams, Houston

Result: Williams or Reggie Bush?  Bush or Williams?  The debate goes back and forth and probably will never have a definitive answer so let’s move on.  When I made this selection last year, Williams was coming off a 12-sack season for a Texans club that has, at least in recent seasons, looked good, but never great, nor never bad.  I thought this could be his breakout campaign.  I wasn’t totally wrong because Williams picked up nine sacks in 16 games for Houston.  Packers cornerback Charles Woodson, however, took home the award after 12 seasons in the league.  The six-time Pro Bowl selection grabbed a career-high nine interceptions this season, returning three for touchdowns.  In 2008-09, Woodson had seven interceptions, two for touchdowns.  Are perhaps his best years still in front of him?

Team on the Rise: San Francisco 49ers

Result: I based this purely on my infatuation with Shaun Hill.  I had complete faith that the 30-year-old quarterback could return the 49ers to the playoffs after a seven-year absence.  Instead, he was benched during the Oct. 25 game against Houston in favor of former first-overall selection Alex Smith.  Looking at the situation now, I believe head coach Mike Singletary made the right move, but Hill also didn’t benefit from having holdout Michael Crabtree, who came aboard in Week 7 to finish the season with two touchdowns off 625 yards receiving.  Throw in Frank Gore’s 1,120 yards and Vernon Davis’ 13 touchdowns at the tight end spot and this offense isn’t looking too shabby.  The Niners also had the 15th best, or worst, defense in the NFL.  Let’s end on a positive note: San Francisco’s 8-8 record was their best since 2002 when they lost in the divisional round to the Buccaneers.  Overall, I’ll call this a winning pick in my book.

Team on the Decline: Denver Broncos

Result: Boy was I wrong, until Week 8 — that’s when they made me look good.  The Broncos were 6-0 at that point and looked well on their way to securing a playoff bid.  Then, they went on a 2-8 downward spiral, including losses to the Washington Redskins and Oakland Raiders.  Through all of this, they still were postseason contenders.  On the field, Kyle Orton played better than expected, although not great, and Brandon Marshall was a star until the final week of the season.  In reality, there were very few positives aside from Elvis Dumervil’s league-leading 17 sacks.

Team Close To Becoming Elite: Baltimore Ravens

Result: I take pride in this selection because to this day I still believe the Ravens are an up-and-coming team.  Their defense, once again, finished among the best in the NFL (third overall) and that’s reason enough why they’ll always be in contention.  Also this season, second-year quarterback Joe Flacco showed much improvement behind center.  He increased his total touchdowns (14-to-21) and yards (2,971-to-3,613) while keeping his interceptions to just 12.  This season, which ended after a divisional-round loss to the Colts, also saw the emergence of running back Ray Rice, who will be among the Top 5 picks in all fantasy drafts next season.  Get Flacco some wide receivers and they’re not that far off from becoming “elite.”

Playoff Picture:
NFC: Green Bay (North), Carolina (South), New York (East), Arizona (West), Philadelphia (Wild Card), Atlanta (Wild Card)

Result: Carolina, New York and Atlanta all missed the playoffs.  Instead, Dallas, New Orleans and Minnesota were in.

AFC: Pittsburgh (North), Indianapolis (South), New England (East), San Diego (West), Buffalo (Wild Card), Baltimore (Wild Card)

Result: Pittsburgh and Buffalo didn’t get into the postseason, while the Jets and Cincinnati did.

NFC Championship: Green Bay over Arizona
AFC Championship: San Diego over Pittsburgh

Super Bowl: San Diego over Green Bay

Result: I was completely wrong as Pittsburgh did not even make the playoffs.  Green Bay, meanwhile, lost in the first round, while San Diego and Arizona couldn’t advance past the divisional round.

It’s hard not to take anything but positives from the New York Jets’ 2009-10 season.  You would be cynical not to.  It was a club that started off 3-0, fell to 4-6, battled back to 7-7 and then won their final two games over playoff-bound Indianapolis and Cincinnati to grab the final Wild Card spot.  After at least two games this season, players told me “we can’t lose anymore.”  These comments came after depressing defeats.  The Jets were near down and out, but in no way would they surrender.  They never raised that white flag, even when the outlook looked bleak.  When you talk about up-and-down seasons, this is the one you’d cite.

Just hours ago, this year’s campaign wrapped up, 14 points away from a trip to Miami for the Super Bowl.  The Jets got there after pulling off an upset at Cincinnati in Round 1 and knocking off San Diego in an even bigger stunner last week.  Heading into the locker room in Indianapolis Sunday afternoon, New York was up on the scoreboard and keeping pace with the Colts, arguably the NFL’s top team this season.  The Colts were 14-0 when they last played the Jets on Dec. 27.  They were 14-1 afterwards.  But this was a different Colts team.  The starters were in for the entire 60 minutes and there was actually something on the line for both teams.

In the third quarter, Peyton Manning started to pick apart New York’s top-ranked defense.  He made a stellar Jets secondary struggle.  Manning knew he was going to have trouble getting the ball into the hands of Reggie Wayne, who was being shadowed by Darrelle Reevis, so he went to Pierre Garcon.  The second-year wideout collected 11 catches for 151 yards, including two touchdowns. The final: 17-30.

Perseverance will be how this Jets squad rebounds next season.  Playing in the AFC Championship game and losing is like getting a New York strip steak because they ran out of filet mignon.  You’re definitely satisfied, but know you were so close to getting something even better.  A loss is a loss, but to make it this far was a blessing.  It is experience for the resumes of these young Jets players, and rest assured, when they do return to the playoffs, they’ll be better because of these last three weeks.

If you’re a Jets fan, be proud.  Don’t let this loss get you down.  Instead, think about what’s in store for the future.  I’ve only covered the Jets for two seasons now, but I strongly believe there is a very bright road ahead.

When you think about the future, you think about Mark Sanchez.  The USC product had to learn Rex Ryan’s system in a matter of months as he was converted from star college quarterback to just another NFL arm.  There’s no denying that he struggled this season.  If we’re going to be completely honest, the less he threw, the better the Jets were.  This was a different Sanchez we saw on Sunday, however.  In the biggest game of his short career, he pulled off one of his best performances — 17-for-30, 257 yards, two touchdowns and one interception, which was not his fault.  This was perhaps the most encouraging thing to witness out of today’s loss.

If Sanchez can improve on his stats next year and the Jets can keep their number-one rushing attack and defense intact, there’s a foundation as strong as a graphene.   Shonn Greene, Leon Washington, Brad Smith, Dustin Keller, Jerricho Cotchery and Braylon Edwards are the future on offense.  Mix them with the veterans — Thomas Jones, Tony Richardson — and it’s the perfect balance.

Defensively, New York has the potential to be good for a very long time, or for at least as long as Ryan is in charge.  This unit is what kept them playing while 26 other teams had their players off on tropical vacations.  Reevis, Jim Leonhard, David Harris, Kerry Rhodes, Bryan Thomas, Calvin Pace, Dwight Lowery, Bart Scott, Shaun Ellis, the list goes on.  If you played one down of defense for the Jets this season, you deserve acknowledgment.

Let’s face it: Ryan hyped his team more than any other head coach in the NFL this season, or probably even in recent memory.  It wasn’t done to be cocky, but because he believed.  While the ultimate goal wasn’t accomplished, his players backed up his mouth.  They didn’t do it to make Ryan look good, but because they were good.

This season may have been a long race, but it is actually a short piece to the long, positive future ahead.

Before we get to your playoff bound New York Jets, let’s touch on the New York Giants.  After all, finishing on a positive note only seems right to start the New Year.

The Giants are a prime example of a team with high hopes that just couldn’t capitalize on them.  Their failure in the NFC East wasn’t just hard to watch, it was agonizing.  The Giants started off the season 5-0, rendering comparisons to their championship team of two years ago.  Then, New York traveled to New Orleans, were mauled 48-27 and sent on a downward spiral that they couldn’t play themselves out of.

The Giants’ defense is, without a doubt, why their season finished in early January.  For the last three years, defense is what the Giants were known for.  This season, however, the unit was porous and anything but intimidating.  Defensive coordinator Bill Sheridan, is to blame and was, as the Giants fired him on Monday.  I’d like to think that Sheridan had the talent; then again, maybe not if they gave up more than 40 points a game over the last four matchups of the season.  Sure, cornerback Aaron Ross missed a chunk of the season, as did defensive leader Antonio Pierce, but you can’t tell me those two pieces being absent equaled eight losses.  Head coach Tom Coughlin even tried benching Osi Umenyiora a game or two, but that tough love did absolutely nothing.

A lot of the offensive problems had to do with the running game.  The last two seasons, the Giants had the thunder and lightening the team had hoped for with Tiki Barber and Ron Dayne.  Brandon Jacobs, the thunder, was a bruising back with size and speed, a rare combination in the game today.  Ahmad Bradshaw, the lightening, had tackle-breaking abilities.  Jacobs, fresh off a new contract, was just average – 835 yards and five touchdowns isn’t exactly superstar material — while Bradshaw (778 yards, seven touchdowns) was above average considering he played almost the entire year with injuries to both of his legs.

I’m not going to throw Eli Manning under the bus.  He threw for over 4,000 yards and 27 touchdowns this season, numbers that would please any fantasy owner.  He’s a Top 15 quarterback with the ability to crack the Top 10.  His interceptions (14 in 2009) are no longer a major issue and his decision making continues to improve year after year.

Before this season, if you told me that Manning would throw for 4,021 yards, I would have taken the under, but his receivers stepped up huge.  Steve Smith, Domenik Hixon, Mario Manningham, Hakeem Nicks and a few others who you probably never heard of prior to this year got the job done.  Smith especially made a name for himself, wrapping up the year eighth in receiving yards with 1,220.

The Giants must go back to the drawing board this off season and dissect most of the talent on their roster.  General manager Jerry Reese is one of the best in the league at evaluating players and 2010 will be his chance again to show just how good he is.

The Jets Are Playoff Bound

Standing at his locker after a loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, Jets defensive end Shaun Ellis said his team needs to stop worrying about making the playoffs and instead work towards getting a win.  That was when New York was 4-5 and all but written off from making the playoffs.

Seven weeks later, the wins came in bunches.  Five of them to be exact, the perfect number needed to push them into the post season as a Wild Card entrant.  It was through the league’s number-one ranked defense and running game that this was all made possible.

The Jets too struggled at points this season, although not nearly as much as their co-Giants Stadium tenants. With a top-ranked defense and running game, any faults must be placed squarely on the shoulders of rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez. The USC product was fabulous in his first game as a pro, but has since been either the losing factor or close to it in many of their defeats.  Look how head coach Rex Ryan used him in Sunday’s sudden-death game against the Cincinnati Bengals.  Sanchez threw just 16 passes in that contest, his second lowest total of the season, and most of his passes were either slants or short passes to the outside.  In other words, Ryan just didn’t want Sanchez to mess things up.  Interestingly, in the five games this season that Sanchez threw less than 20 passes, the Jets won all of them.

New York already had many of the pieces in place for a strong defense; they just needed a stronger leader. In comes Ryan, who for years coached the Baltimore Ravens defense to the top of the NFL. From the Ravens, Ryan also brought safety Jim Leonhard and lineman Bart Scott, two key components to their success this year. The strong play from emerging star Darrelle Reevis also helped prevent big plays by several top receivers, including Terrell Owens, Randy Moss and Andre Johnson.  Mix that trio with Calvin Pace and David Harris and that’s one heavy unit.

Seven games into the season, the Jets took a huge hit when they lost versatile running back Leon Washington for the remainder of the year with a broken right leg. The kick returner/running back fits into the same category of Devin Hester and Josh Cribbs – he may even be better than both, in fact.  Losing Washington’s play-making abilities created more opportunities for Thomas Jones and rookie Shonn Greene.  Jones, who in my opinion is one of the most underrated backs in the NFL, broke several Jets rushing records this season after picking up 1,402 yards and 14 touchdowns.  Greene, meanwhile, was impressive (540 yards, two touchdowns) enough to now fit himself into the Jets’ plans for 2010.

The Jets may surprise some folks during the playoffs.  Ryan found his winning formula down the stretch and needs to stick with it as his team fights to stay alive through the rest of the month.  Regardless of how New York finishes, a trip to the post season can be considered a successful campaign, now it’s up to Ryan and his staff to build on what’s been accomplished.  After all, making the playoffs one year is a great feat, but being bounced early a second year is often looked at as a failure.

On Sunday at the Meadowlands, Ryan found tight end Tony Gonzalez on 4th-and-goal to pull ahead of the New York Jets, 10-7, with just 1:42 left to play.  The 6-foot-5 Gonzalez said the Jets (7-7) playing zone coverage in that situation allowed him to easily get open.

“They were doing a pretty good job of taking me out of that drive and then that last play I was like ‘Oh my god, I think they’re going zone here and I might have a shot to get open,” Gonzalez, whom the Falcons acquired from the Kansas City Chiefs for a second-round draft pick last off-season, said. “I just turned out and Matt put the ball right on the money.”

“There’s no better runner of that route in this league than Tony Gonzalez,” Ryan said. “He ran a perfect route and was in the right spot.”

That final drive started on the Falcons’ own 27 yard line after Jay Feely missed his third field goal of the afternoon.  Nearly three minutes and 73 yards later, Atlanta (7-7) found the end zone for the first time of the day.

“We just kept scratching and like I said, we found some things we thought could work,” Falcons head coach Mike Smith said.

Ryan said he’s had a lot of fun this season throwing to Gonzalez, who holds a number of NFL records at the tight end spot, including career touchdowns (82) and receptions (994).

“He’s made a big difference for us the entire year in the red zone,” he said. “He’s a great player, there’s no getting around it.  My only complaint is that he’s not 10 years younger so we could play 10-15 years together.”

Aside from that drive, the Falcons didn’t have much luck on offense.  Ryan (16-for-34, 152 yds, 1 TD) saw great coverage all afternoon by the Jets, including on his top target, Roddy White.  The wideout was able to get open only on a few occasions, most of them coming when cornerback Darrelle Reevis passed White off to one of the other defensive backs.

“It’s kind of hard to chase somebody all across the field and cover them so it’s kind of what they do, they switch you off and pass you on to the next guy,” said White, who finished with four catches for 33 yards. “Defensive coordinators, they watch film, they know what you do best and they’re just not going to leave somebody man on man all day; you’re going to get beat.”

Atlanta put the first points on the scoreboard with a 24 yard field goal by Matt Bryant half way through the first quarter.  That scoring drive was set up after Falcons’ tackle Thomas Johnson picked off Mark Sanchez in Jets territory.

Four minutes later, Sanchez found wide receiver Braylon Edwards on a 65-yard pass play for the score.  It was Sanchez’ longest throw and touchdown of his young career.

New York tried twice to add to their lead in the second quarter with field goals, but a botched snap by holder Kellen Clemens and a bad kick by Feely left them empty.

Sanchez finished the day 18-for-32 for 226 yards, a touchdown and three interceptions, two to Falcons cornerback Brent Grimes.  Edwards led all Jets receivers with five catches for 105 yards.  The Falcons did a nice job of preventing New York’s top-ranked rushing attack from producing and held the Jets to just 99 yards on the ground.

With a game next week against the undefeated Indianapolis Colts, the Jets know they have to get past this loss quickly.

“As tough and as hard as this loss is we have to move forward.  Trust me, Indianapolis is not going to feel sorry for us,” Jets right tackle Damien Woody said. “We have to come back Monday and make the corrections and go to work on Indianapolis.”

The Jets still have a shot at the playoffs, albeit a slim one.  Match-ups against Indianapolis and Cincinnati during the last two weeks of the season, however, do not work in their favor.  Atlanta, meanwhile, learned they have no shot of the playoffs after the Dallas Cowboys defeated the New Orleans Saints on Saturday night.

Despite news that there would be no Super Bowl rings this year, the Falcons went out and proved that there’s still something to play for when you’re playing for nothing.

The following blog was being updated from the Press Box at Giants Stadium during the Jets/Falcons game on Sunday,  Dec. 20.

In The Locker Room: I was able to get interviews with Matt Ryan, Mike Smith, Tony Gonzalez, Roddy White and Damien Woody following the game.  Interviews with be posted later on ScottStanchak.com, while the game feature will be up on Monday.

Fourth Quarter: A missed Feely field goal gave the Falcons the ball on the their own 27 yard line with 4:27 left in the game.  Atlanta drove 73 yards down the field and converted on 4th-and-6 with a touchdown pass from Ryan to Gonzalez for the game-winning score.  The Jets had about 1:30 to follow up the score, but Sanchez threw his third pick on the afternoon to seal it for the Falcons.  The final: Falcons 10, Jets 7.  Feely wasn’t the only one to miss a field goal this quarter.  His counterpart, Bryant, failed to convert on a 48 yarder that would have brought the game within one.  Needless to say, I can’t imagine Jets head coach Rex Ryan will be too happy about his special teams today after three missed kicks.

Third Quarter: The Jets were moving the ball nicely down the field on their first possession of the second half, but an unnecessary roughness penalty on Thomas Jones pushed them back 15 yards, taking them out of field goal range.  The penalty came after the Jets converted on 4th-and-1.  They’d be forced to punt a few downs later.  All in all a very quiet quarter as both teams weren’t able to put points up on the scoreboard.  Atlanta’s offense is still struggling bad.

Second Quarter: Credit Darrelle Reevis, who Jets head coach Rex Ryan believes should be the defensive player of the year, with great coverage on Falcons wide receiver Roddy White.  White has just one catch for five yards.  Tight end Tony Gonzalez leads their receivers with two catches for 26 yards.  Sanchez tossed another pick, his second of the game.  This time the ball was thrown right into the arms of cornerback Brent Grimes.  New York’s 7-3 should be at least up to 13-3, but there were two botched field goals.  The first, holder Kellen Clemens botched the snap, while the second was simply a bad kick by Jay Feely.

First Quarter: Mark Sanchez hit Braylon Edwards with a beautiful 65-yard pass at 2:48 to give the Jets the 7-3 lead.  Edwards got in front of Falcons cornerback Christopher Owens and Sanchez was able to hit him in stride for the score.  The pass was Sanchez’ longest completion and touchdown of his career.  Fans celebrated by “making it rain” with snow they found under their seats.  Sanchez also played a part in the Falcons first points of the game.  The rookie quarterback was picked off earlier in the quarter, but the Falcons were unable to add six despite getting the ball to the 1 yard line.  Atlanta kicker Matt Bryant’s 24 yarder is what they’d settle for.

Pre-Game: The New York Jets are fighting for their playoff lives this afternoon at home against the Atlanta Falcons.  A foot of snow fell in the area on Saturday into the overnight and, as of an hour before kickoff, crews are still working to get it cleaned off the field.  The frigid temps could work in the Jets’ favor against the Falcons, who play inside the comfy confines of a dome.

New York (7-6) is right behind the Miami Dolphins for the final Wild Card spot in the AFC.  The Dolphins, however, hold the advantage having won four of six games in the division.  New York, meanwhile, have won just two.  A Patriots (8-5) loss could change the picture as well and propel the Jets into a tie for the division lead.  There’s a few other scenarios for the Jets to make it, but none will matter unless they win their last three games.

The Jets will see the return of their rookie quarterback, Mark Sanchez, this afternoon.  Sanchez missed last week’s game after injuring his PCL while rushing the ball in a Thursday night game against the Buffalo Bills two weeks back.

Atlanta (6-7) also gets back key pieces of their lineup, as quarterback Matt Ryan and Michael Turner are expected to start.  Ryan has been out the past couple of weeks with turf toe, while Turner has missed three of the Falcons’ last four with an ankle injury.  Having those two players on the field give the Falcons their best chance of winning.

The New York Giants are one of those aforementioned teams.  They knew Sunday’s game at home against the Dallas Cowboys was a must-win.  A loss would pretty much shut the door on their divisional title hopes and leave them in a tough spot to contend for a Wild Card spot.

New York (7-5) responded to the task at hand, knocking off the Cowboys 31-24.  It was the Giants’ second win this season over the Cowboys (8-4), who are tied with the Philadelphia Eagles for the NFC East lead, one game ahead of the Giants.

“We have a heated rivalry and they knew, it was said, if they didn’t win this one it would be tough for them to try and make a playoff run,” Cowboys linebacker Bradie James said. “Those guys rallied around and they made enough plays to win the game.  They played well.”

The final nail in the coffin for the Cowboys came late in the fourth quarter when Giants kick returner Domenik Hixon took punter Matt McBriar’s kick 79 yards for a touchdown.  It was the third-year player’s first career score on a return.

Hixon, who is also among the Giants’ talented young receiving corps, isn’t sure whether plays like that affect his opportunities on offense.

“We got a lot of talented wide receivers and everyone has their role,” he said. “Regardless of what your role is, you accept and take it on.  You never know when you’re going to be called upon to run down and cover a punt or catch 10 balls a game.  Whatever my role is I’m satisfied with it and I’ll keep on working hard with it.”

Dallas put together a 10-0 lead in the second quarter with back-to-back scoring drives.  The first came on a 34-yard field goal by Nick Folk.  Five minutes later, Dallas quarterback Tony Romo found Roy Williams in one-on-one coverage for his first touchdown pass of the evening.  The two would connect again in the third quarter on a five-yard score.

“They gave us a certain look and we took advantage of it,” Romo said of the coverage on Williams. “It’s about execution.  We did some good things today, but we need to look to do things better as a team going forward.”

New York countered Dallas’ two scoring drives with a pair of their own.  The first came on a 21-yard pass from Eli Manning to Hakeem Nicks for the rookie’s fifth touchdown catch of the year.  Dallas’ ensuing drive ended after just two plays when running back Marion Barber fumbled, giving the ball back to New York on the Cowboys’ 44-yard line.  Brandon Jacobs took the ball in from one yard out to make Dallas pay for the mistake.

With the score 17-14 late in the third quarter, Manning (11-for-25, two touchdowns, one interception) got the ball out to his left to Jacobs, who rumbled 74 yards in the end zone.  Jacobs, who also had 39 yards rushing, would later call the play the biggest of his career.  The Giants never trailed the rest of the way.

“To be honest with you, we were expecting to put a game like this together a couple of weeks ago, it just hadn’t happened,” said Giants defensive end Mathias Kiwanuka, who forced Barber’s fumble earlier in the game. “We felt like we were ready, we just needed to get it done.”

Hixon added: “We knew coming in the Cowboys are a great team and they were coming into our stadium.  A lot of things were on the line this week.”

Romo did just about all he could to help his team win.  The Dallas quarterback completed 41-of-55 pass attempts for 392 yards and three touchdowns, the last one coming on a 22-yard pass to Miles Austin with the clock ticking down.

“I felt like we could throw the ball on them and I thought we did a good job on that,” Dallas head coach Wade Phillips said. “It wasn’t enough because of different reasons defensively and on special teams.”

Phillips was correct about his defense and special teams.  Aside from Hixon’s punt return touchdown, the defense allowed 100 yards on the ground and another 227 through the air.

When asked how tough it was to lose two games in one season to a division rival, Romo said his team can’t look backwards.

“It’s always hard.  I think we’re still in a position that allows us to control our destiny and we have to take advantage of that.  We’ll be very committed this week to preparing for the fullest for the Chargers next week.”

The Giants have a tough road ahead, starting when Philadelphia comes to town on Sunday night.  A win next week and a Dallas loss would present a three-way tie for the NFC East lead with three games remaining.

This means every week is an urgent must-win from here on out.