CINCINNATI — If the Jets are going to make a legitimate run at a Super Bowl title, they’re going to need Braylon Edwards to catch some big passes.
Edwards had yet another killer drop of a potential long scoring pass yesterday. It didn’t end up costing the Jets, who won 24-14.
Edwards dropped what should have been a 41-yard Mark Sanchez touchdown pass late in the first quarter. He had Bengals cornerback Leon Hall beaten by several yards as he went for the ball and it went right through his hands.
This is the second tailor-made long bomb that Edwards has dropped this season. In the Jets’ win over the Bills in Toronto, Edwards was wide open on a busted coverage and missed an over-the-shoulder catch.
Last week, Edwards mistimed a jump on a long Sanchez pass he should have caught for a TD.
“If Braylon catches that one pass in the end zone, there’s no telling how many yards Mark Sanchez throws for,” Rex Ryan said.
* LB David Harris, as expected, started despite the sprained right ankle he suffered against the Bengals last Sunday. Neither he nor the defense had a big impact on Bengals RB Cedric Benson, who gashed them for a Bengals playoff record 169 yards and a TD.
* S Jim Leonhard had a sack and forced fumble on Carson Palmer for the second consecutive week. The sack went for an 18-yard loss, but the ball was recovered by former Rutgers FB Brian Leonard. LB Bryan Thomas had a sack and a forced fumble. DE Shaun Ellis had a sack.
* It was an eventful first half for former Jets WR Laveranues Coles. He fumbled the ball away in Bengals territory. Then he caught a TD pass to give the Bengals a 7-0 lead. And finally, he was knocked out for awhile with a thumb injury after Jets CB Darrelle Revis shoved him to the ground after a catch. Coles finished with 6 catches for 48 yards.
* The Jets got called for two penalties that nullified two Jay Feely FGs. Feely kicked a 42-yard FG that was nullified by a Robert Turner holding penalty. Then he made a 52-yarder that was nullified by a Wayne Hunter false start.
The Bengals returned the favor with their K Shayne Graham, one of the NFL’s most accurate kickers, missing FGs from 35 and 28 yards.
* The win was Ryan’s first playoff victory as a head coach. His father, Buddy, never won one.
Looking ahead to the potential divisional round opponents, the Jets are 2-0 in the postseason against the Colts (41-0 on Jan. 4, 2003 and 16-7 in Super Bowl III). The Jets are 1-0 in the postseason against the Chargers (20-17 in OT on Jan. 8, 2005).
* The Jets who made their playoff debuts included LB Calvin Pace, in his seventh season, and Edwards in his fifth, as well as WR David Clowney, CB Marquice Cole, QB Kellen Clemens, LB Kenwin Cummings, DT Mike DeVito, LB Vernon Gholston, RB Shonn Greene, LB David Harris, OT Wayne Hunter, S James Ihedigbo, TE Dustin Keller, CB Dwight Lowery, TE Matthew Mulligan, DT Sione Pouha, CB Darrelle Revis, LB Jamaal Westerman and RB Danny Woodhead, Turner and Sanchez.
* The Bengals lost starting LB Rashad Jeanty for the game to a left knee and ankle injury on the opening kickoff. Jeanty had replaced started Rey Maualuga. Jeanty was replaced by Brandon Johnson.
For Jets fans who believe they’ve had it tough, consider the Bengals fans. The last Bengals playoff victory was in 1990.