Sanchez, Greene lead Jets to shocker over Chargers

Published 8:28 am Monday, January 18, 2010

Still don’t believe Rex Ryan’s postseason proclamations?

You might want to start after the way his New York Jets took down the San Diego Chargers.

Rookies Mark Sanchez and Shonn Greene led New York to a stunning 17-14 upset of San Diego in the divisional playoffs Sunday, each providing a touchdown in the fourth quarter that marked another Chargers postseason pratfall.

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Ryan, the rookie coach who declared his team Super Bowl favorites after he figured out they were still in the playoffs, is just a game away from being hailed for his psychic powers.

The jovial, rotund Ryan isn’t afraid to say what’s on his mind, and his players are taking his lead as they head into the AFC championship game against Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday.

“A matchup that probably nobody wanted, but too bad,” Ryan said. “Here we come!”

He means: “Here we come again.”

It was the then-unbeaten Colts who pulled Manning and other starters in the second half of their Week 16 game against the Jets, who rallied for a victory that put them in control of their playoff destiny.

Before that game, Ryan said his holiday wish was for the Colts to rest Manning & Co.

“I don’t know if Santa Claus will be that good to me again,” Ryan said. “But I will say that I’d like to see Peyton Manning not play this week.”

After the Jets finally did clinch a playoff spot by routing Cincinnati the following week, Ryan created a postseason itinerary for his players that included the Super Bowl in Miami followed by a parade two days later.

He might be onto something.

“We believed the whole time, the whole year, when it probably wasn’t the popular choice,” Ryan said. “We don’t have to apologize to anyone.”

The upstart Jets (11-7), who have won seven of their last eight, advanced to the AFC championship game for the first time since 1999.