AFC Championship Peek

This Sunday's AFC Championship game has been hashed and rehashed umpteen times by now on every sports show. We've been blitzed with all the matchups and who's injured and who's got to play above their head. I'm surprised we haven't found out the name of the people that are reponsible for keeping the Gatorade full.

Here's my 5 keys to the Jets/Colts AFC Championship game.

1. Peyton Manning v. the Jets 3-4 Defense.

We've observed Manning having a tad of difficulty with this particular scheme. For the second consecutive week, Manning will see a 3-4 that's basically the same. Rex Ryan's influence is weighs heavily (pardon the pun) in Baltimore. Sure, Rex will tweak it a bit, but the familiarity will assist Manning in presnap reads. Jets safety Kerry Rhodes said it best, "We can't give him the answers to the test."

2. Jets power running game v. Colts speedy defense.

Most experts have extolled the superlatives of the Jets offensive line. I've done the same. Four of the five were selected in the first round and center Nick Mangold, guard Alan Faneca and tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson are Pro-Bowl bound. How will this group contend with a Colts defense that's so quick off the ball? If you watched the week 16 game, you saw onat least a couple of occassions where Colts end Dwight Freeney had clean shots at he Jets backfield. If they concentrate too much on Freeney, there's Robert Mathis on the other side. If you worry too much about Freeney and Mathis, there's a group of linebackers that are even quicker, and underrated.


3. Colts tight end Dallas Clark.

I thought New York would have difficulties with Chargers tight end Antonio Gates. Gates was targeted 11 times last week. His line: 8 catches for 93 yards. Clark can damage a defense just as much as Gates. If the Jets shift their attention too much to the Colts receivers (and they are a very good bunch), Clark will tear up the middle of the field. If Clark commands too much attention, the Colts receivers, even with Darelle Revis (right) in the secondary, will see freer routes all across the filed. Clark will be the key in the Colts passing attack.

4. The Jets rookies. Sanchez and Greene.

Mark Sanchez and Shonn Greene have not performed like rookies in the Jets two playoff games. Both must continue to perform at that level. Sanchez has only committed one turnover (1 INT last week) and Greene has rushed for over 100 yards with a TD in both games.

5. The Colts red zone offense and running back Joseph Addai.

We've heard countless times the Indy is not a running team. Don't have to be with #18 under center, but it's different when the Colts get in the red zone. Did you know that Addai had 10 rusing TD during the regular season? It's a change in style when the Colts are inside the opponent's 20 yard line, and New York should be prepared for that change. Someway, somehow, the Colts undergo a transformation.

One last key: time of possession. Indy only averages 27:40. If they can eclipse that, they will win. That would keep the running attack of the Jets well in check.

Tomorrow, we'll peek at the NFC Championship tilt between the Minnesota Vikings and New Orleans Saints.