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[size=18:0d4d3705a2][b:0d4d3705a2]There should be no surprises in AFC matchups[/b:0d4d3705a2][/size:0d4d3705a2]
By CARLTON THOMPSON
Copyright 2003 Houston Chronicle
The loneliest people at the coliseums in Nashville and Oakland this weekend could be the ones who sell game programs. There is such a sense of familiarity in both AFC divisional playoff games, fans won't need to waste their time or money trying to match names and numbers.
On Sunday, the New York Jets will play at Oakland for the fourth time in the last 12 months. The Jets beat Oakland in the final game of the regular season last year, earning the right to play at Oakland the following week in a wild-card playoff game, which Oakland won 38-24. The Jets also lost at Oakland earlier this season, and believe it or not, the Raiders are scheduled to host the Jets during the 2003 regular season.
"It's kind of laughable when you think about it," said Jets coach Herman Edwards. Of course, there is nothing laughable about the challenge that awaits the Jets, who have every right to consider themselves a hot team with victories in seven of their last nine games, including last week's 41-0 wild-card victory against Indianapolis.
The Raiders won seven of their last eight to finish as the top seed in the AFC, and they have the league's No. 1 passing offense. Furthermore, playing the Jets brings out the best in Raiders quarterback Rich Gannon, who has completed 70 percent of his passes with four touchdowns and no interceptions in his last three games against Edwards' team.
The Titans and Raiders are favored to win their games this weekend and meet in Oakland for the AFC Championship Game. But Raiders receiver Tim Brown said his team is feeling a bit like the underdog considering all the hype surrounding the Jets, who have outscored their opponents 113-34 in their last three games, all must-win situations.
"It's funny," Brown said. "We went 7-1 over the second half and they went 6-2, but nobody is giving us credit for what we did.
"But that's fine. We want to be the underdog."
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