Rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez and the visiting New York Jets upset the San Diego Chargers 17-14 Sunday afternoon in the AFC Divisional Playoff game in front of a crowd of 69,458 at Qualcomm Stadium.San Diego (13-4) started the day's scoring with a 13-yard touchdown strike from Philip Rivers to Kris Wilson early in the second quarter.
A defensive struggle ensued, with the teams trading possessions and heading into the locker room with the Chargers up 7-0.
New York (10-7) drove 31 yards on their first possession of the second half but were held to a field goal as Jay Feely nailed a 46-yarder to bring the deficit to four.
The rest of the third quarter was nothing short of a pick fest. Mark Sanchez was intercepted by San Diego's Quentin Jammer before Rivers threw it right back to the Jets' Darrelle Revis.
Following a Jets punt that pinned the Chargers at their own two yard line, Rivers again threw an interception.
This one proved costly, as Dustin Keller eventually reeled in a two yard pass from Sanchez as the fourth quarter started to put the Jets on top 10-7.
After a San Diego punt, Jets tailback Shonn Greene blasted the Chargers for a 53-yard touchdown run to extend the New York lead to 17-7.
The Chargers would drive to the Jets' 22-yard line before Nate Kaeding missed his third field goal of the day.
Prior to the game, Kaeding had made 20 straight field goals and 67 straight from inside the 40.
San Diego would finally manage a touchdown with 2:20 remaining, as Philip Rivers scampered in for one yard to bring the Chargers back to within three.
But the onside kick attempt failed, and the Jets made history. The win marks the first time the Jets have won two postseason games since 1982.
New York will travel to Indianapolis next week to take on the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC Championship.
Indianapolis (15-2) advanced to the AFC Championship with a decisive 20-3 win over the Ravens on Saturday.
The two teams collided earlier this season, with the Jets taking a 29-15 victory over the Colts in a controversial game in which Colts head coach Jim Caldwell sat most of his starters to rest them for the playoffs.
The difference in that game and next weekend's?
The winner of this one goes to the Super Bowl.
Young Sanchez will face the task of leading his hot squadron of Jets into Indy's Lucas Oil Stadium—one of the National Football League's toughest venues for visiting opponents.
The AFC Championship kicks off Sunday, Jan. 24 at 3:00 PM ET and will be televised nationally by CBS.
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/327941-sanchez-jets-bolt-past-chargers-nyj-to-face-indy-for-afc-title
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