on Dec. 27 in Indy when coach Jim Caldwell pulled Manning and many of the starters with 5:36 left in the third quarter. Manning was replaced by rookie Curtis Painter - he had yet to take his first professional snap - and he fumbled on the first play of his second series, with the Jets recovering for a touchdown. They went on to win, 29-15.

If the Colts had allowed Manning to keep playing, which he clearly wanted to do, and they won the game, they would have eliminated the Jets from the playoffs. Now they get them with the Super Bowl on the line.

"With us, it wasn't a given they were going to beat us. That's how I look at it," Ryan said. "You got to prove itthrough the course of 60 minutes. It's true they were ahead of us 15-10. Again, there was no guarantee they were going to beat us."

Instead, the Jets beat the equally uninspired Bengals in the final game of the regular season to earn a playoff spot. Three days later, Ryan proclaimed that the Jets should be the postseason favorites. "I mean in the whole tournament," he said.

Ryan is two victories from producing his promised visit to the White House. He's trying to do it in the first year of his administration and the second year of President Obama's.

Rex Ryan is a confident man to say the least. The Jets definetely play with a swagger thanks in large part due to this guy. Look at the difference with Ryan as