Will the 4th Time Be the Charm for the Jets Out West

Brett Favre NY Jets Quarterback The Jets head west for a 4th time this season. The west coast has not been good for the Jets as they are 0-3 so far | NFL 2008 Week 16 Jets Seahawks Analysis, Preview & Prediction

The Jets head to the west coast for the 4th time this season to face the Seahawks in Mike Holmgren's last homegame as Seattle's head coach.

With the Dolphins and Patriots also sporting 9-5 records, the significance of this week's matchup and the Jets showdown with the Dolphins at home next week are paramount.

Two wins and the Jets are in.

After defeating the Bills last week, the Jets control their destiny in their bid for an AFC East title and the playoffs.

However, the Jets 3 previous west coast trips have been disappointing as the Jets have come back from trips to San Diego, Oakland and San Francisco without a win.

The Seahawks are a team decimated by injuries this season.

Injuries have plagued the Seahawks all season as 24 players have missed a total of 135 games through the first 14 weeks of the season.

The Seahawks offense has been hit the hardest, especially at the receiver position early in the season, to the quarterback position in the middle of the season, over to the defensive side of the ball and now to the offensive line.

In fact, the Seahawks could have five backup offensive linemen start vs. New York. Four of the starters have fallen on injured reserve and last week tackle Sean Locklear dislocated his toe on the final play of the game at St. Louis.

NFL's 3rd best home record over the past 5 years.

Since week 16 of the 2002 season, the Seahawks have used the home crowd to their advantage. During that span, Seattle is 35-13 at Qwest Field, tied for the third-best regular season home winning percentage during that span.

New York Jets (9-5) at Seattle Seahawks (3-11)

Jets - Seahawks Series

The Jets and Seahawks square off for the 17th time. The series between the Jets and Seahawks is currently tied at 8 games apiece. The Jets dropped the first seven games, including a schedule oddity that had the two teams meeting twice in 1981 when Seattle was a member of the AFC West.

The Jets first defeated Seattle in 1985 and have since won eight-of-nine meetings, including the last five consecutive games. The two teams have only met once since Seattle's move to the NFC in 2002, and that was their last meeting, a 37-14 win by the Jets in 2004 (12/19/2004). In that game, Jets QB Chad Pennington threw for 253 yards & 3 TDs, while RB Curtis Martin rushed for 134 yards & scored 2 TDs.

NFL 2008 Week 15: New York Jets 31, Buffalo Bills 27

The Bills appeared to have secured the win by taking a 27-24 lead with just over five minutes remaining in the game on an 11-yard touchdown run by RB Fred Jackson. The Bills defense forced the Jets into a three-and-out, and with two minutes remaining, the Bills appeared to have the win within their grasp.

However, with 2:06 remaining in the game and the Jets trailing Buffalo 27-24, Bills QB J.P. Losman took a snap from their own 27 yard line on 2nd-and-5 and rolled right.

Blitzing safety Abram Elam came from the back side, hit Losman to force a fumble at the Bills 16 yard-line. Defensive End Shaun Ellis scooped the ball on his second try at the 11-yard line and ran it in to the end zone for the go-ahead touchdown with 1:54 left. The Jets won, 31-27.

NFL 2008 Week 15: Seattle Seahawks 23, Saint Louis Rams 20

The Seahawks ended their longest losing streak in 14 years as Olindo Mare's 27-yard field goal split the uprights as time expired for a 23-20 win at Saint Louis.

Seattle struggled in the first half falling behind 17-7 at halftime.

Rams WR Torry Holt and QB Marc Bulger connected for a 31-yard touchdown on the opening drive. Seattle's defense tied the game when Darryl Tapp forced a fumble which Jordan Babineaux returned 24 yards for a score. The Rams controlled the rest of the half tacking on 10 more points behind a Steven Jackson 6-yard TD run and Josh Brown 36-yard field goal. In that half, Seattle was outgained 243 total yards to 76; 14 first downs to 3; and outrushed 117 to 31. Seneca Wallace, starting again for an injured Matt Hasselbeck, completed three of eight passes and was sacked three times.

Seneca Wallace was the spark for the Seahawks in the second half.

Wallace leading the Seahawks to two third-quarter Mare field goals to pull within 17-13. Brown added another field goal for the Rams to pull ahead 20-13.

In the final minutes of the game, Wallace connected with Bobby Engram for a 37-yard completion that set up a 1-yard touchdown run by T.J. Duckett tying the game 20-20. On the ensuing drive, the Seahawks defense forced the Rams to a three-and-out.

Taking over with 2:10 remaining, Wallace directed the six-play, 60-yard game-winning drive. On the drive, Wallace and Deion Branch hooked up on a 45-yard completion to the Rams' 9-yard line setting up the game winner.

Seattle's defense limited the Rams to just four first downs in the second half, 101 total yards. Jackson, who rushed for 81 yards on 17 carries in the first half for the Rams, was limited to 10 yards on seven carries in the second half.

NEW YORK JETS (9-5)

  • - Jets Lead AFC & NFL with 7 Players on Pro Bowl Squad
  • - In past 3 road games, QB BRETT FAVRE has completed 71 of 96 passes (74.0 pct.) for 619 yards with 4 TDs vs. 2 interceptions & 95.8 passer rating. Including postseason, Favre's teams are 97-8 (.924) when he posts 100+ rating
  • - Pro Bowl starter RB THOMAS JONES leads the AFC with 1,222 rush yards & is averaging 103.5 rush yards per game in past 6 (621 total). Jones' 15 TDs (13 rush, 2 receiving) & 13 rush TDs in 2008 set Jets single-season record. For career against the Seahawks, Jones averages 98.3 rush yards per game (295 total). RB LEON WASHINGTON is tied for 1st in NFL with 10 plays of 40+ yards
  • - WR LAVERANUES COLES (7,947) needs 53 receiving yards to reach 8,000
  • - WR JERRICHO COTCHERY (5) needs 2 TD receptions to surpass career-high (6 in 2006)
  • - LB CALVIN PACE has career-high 7 sacks in 2008
  • - Since '95, CB TY LAW ranks 1st among CBs with 52 interceptions
  • - Jets set franchise season record last week against the Bills with their 5th defensive touchdown

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (3-11)

  • - In past 2 starts, QB SENECA WALLACE has 110.4 passer rating, completing 35 of 53 (66.0 pct.) for 438 yards with 3 TDs vs. 0 interceptions. QB MATT HASSELBECK completed 22 of 30 (73.3 pct.) for 201 yards with 2 TDs vs. 1 interception for 99.4 passer rating in only start vs. the New York Jets. In starts with 10+ attempts, his teams are 36-12 (.750) when he has 90.0+ rating
  • - Seahawks are 11-1 (.917) when RB MAURICE MORRIS has 15+ attempts In 20 games with 22+ carries, RB JULIUS JONES has 2,172 rush yards (108.6 per game) & 16 TDs. RB T.J. DUCKETT had TD last week
  • - WR DEION BRANCH's teams are 6-0 in career vs. the New York Jets. Including playoffs, when he has TD catch, his teams are 19-5 (.792). TE JOHN CARLSON leads NFC rookie TEs with 51 receptions & 601 yards. Tops team in both categories & aims to join Hall of Famer STEVE LARGENT (1976) as only rookies in franchise history to lead in both
  • - LB JULIAN PETERSON has 26.5 sacks in 50 games with the Seahawks (including playoffs). S JORDAN BABINEAUX had 24-yard FR-TD last week
  • - K OLINDO MARE had 3 FGs, including game-winner last week.

PREDICTION: New York Jets 24, Seattle Seahawks 9

Losing to the Chargers (48-29, 9/22/2008), Raiders (16-13 OT, 10/19/2008) and the 49ers (12/07/2008) on the road does not bode well for the Jets this week. Maybe, it's something about playing in California for the Jets this season and not necessarily a West Coast stigma.

Playing against a Mike Holmgren coached team won't help the Jets either.

Holmgren is one of the NFL's best head coaches and if not for the Seahawks injuries this year, they would have competed, if not repeated, for the NFC West Division title.

More importantly, Holmgren has had success in molding quarterbacks such as Joe Montana, Steve Young, Matt Hasselbeck and, of course, Brett Favre.

Holmgren with Favre led the Packers to three division championships (1995, 1996, 1997), three NFC Championship Games (1995, 1996, 1997), two NFC Championships (1996 and 1997), and one Super Bowl championship (XXXI).

So if anyone is able to devise a plan to stop and counter a Favre-led offense it's Holmgren. Fortunately for the Jets, the Seahawks don't have the players this season to execute the plan.

Expect the Jets to start out well much like last week against the Bills and then capitalize on Seahawks mistakes. Don't be surprised if the outcome of the game is more due to the Seahawks losing the game, than the Jets winning. But, hey in the NFL a win is a win. For the Jets it's one step closer to the playoffs and an ironic twist of fate next Sunday in the season finale against the Dolphins and Chad Pennington for the AFC East Championship.

Will the 4th Time Be the Charm for the Jets Out West - NFL 2008 Week 16