Sean B. Fitzgerald It doesn’t go something like this, it goes exactly like this.

Setting themselves up

I'm so disappointed. Couldn't they have just lost? Couldn't they have just ended my misery?

No. They want me to suffer. The gods of football have forced me to struggle through another agonizing week.

The season was supposed to have unofficially ended last week. The coach even admitted as much. The season was lost and it was time for we lowly Jets fans to worry about the draft.

I say the preceding statements like I actually hoped they lost yesterday. Truth be told, it's in the nature of a Jet fan to enjoy pain, so going through the minuscule chances the Jets have is an enjoyable past time.

Me (yesterday, prior to the 1:00pm starts): Let's see, we need the Patriots to beat the Jaguars, the Steelers to beat the Ravens, the Texans to beat the Dolphins, and for good measure, the Eagles to beat the Broncos. If that happens, the Jets control their own destiny. They just need to beat the Colts and the Bengals. That's it! That's all they need! It's possible!

This is coming from a man who actually went to the Jets/Falcons disaster the previous Sunday. With the way they performed for four quarters against Atlanta, they shouldn't even accept an invitation to the playoffs. Missed field goals, interceptions, dropped passes, and one long, final drive by the Falcons to win it. It could be argued that it was the worst game in Jets history and it was the only NFL game I've ever been to. Just my luck.

So what am I holding on to? Why do I care about the playoff picture? They've disappointed me in the past too many times. I've made this analogy before, but I'm like a battered wife who continues to keeps coming back and says to herself "He's changed." Ugh.

So in case you missed the games yesterday, in short, EVERYTHING went the Jets way.

Miami: Lost. Out of the playoffs.
Jacksonville: Lost. And even at 7-8, still have a chance to make the playoffs.
Baltimore: Lost. Clinch wild-card berth with win against the Raiders.
Denver: Lost. Do not control their own destiny.

And the break of all breaks. Jim Caldwell (the head coach of the Indianapolis Colts) decides to sit Peyton Manning and the rest of his starters in the second half, which essentially forfeited a perfect season. The Jets defense and special teams took advantage. Final score: Jets 29, Colts 14.

Now, the Jets have a chance to close out the Meadowlands for good with a win against the Bengals. that will send them into the playoffs.

It's all too perfect. The Jets just need to win and they're in. The Bengals clinched the AFC North yesterday and since the Chargers and Colts already locked up the first round byes, Cincinnati has absolutely nothing to play for.

Is there any doubt that they blow this? I've witnessed too many Jets collapses in my life to even consider another scenario. Most recently last season when New York was 8-3, then in the blink of an eye they were losing to the Dolphins in Week 17 and narrowly missing the playoffs.

So unlike my relationship with the Yankees, where I expect nothing, with the Jets, I expect less than nothing. At around 4pm next season, I expect to flick off the television, and rack my brain wondering how Rex Ryan could decide to onside kick when they up by two points with a minute left.