Three star QBs and upstart Jets go for Super Bowl

(AP) — The New York Jets can expect to see Peyton Manning for four quarters this time.

With a 17-14 upset of the San Diego Chargers on Sunday, brash coach Rex Ryan and his hard-hitting Jets earned a surprise spot in the AFC title game at top-seeded Indianapolis.

The Week 16 rematch is one of two conference championship games Sunday featuring some of the NFL’s top quarterbacks, all within one win of the Super Bowl.

First, Manning gets another shot at the Jets, who handed Indianapolis its first loss of the season — rallying after the four-time MVP and other Colts starters were pulled early in the second half to rest.

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

Then, 40-year-old Brett Favre and the Minnesota Vikings visit Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints for the NFC title.

“I know we’re not done yet,” Favre said after throwing four touchdown passes Sunday in a 34-3 rout of Dallas. “The New Orleans Saints, they’re explosive.”

The Jets were the only road team to win in the divisional round, stunning the second-seeded Chargers to fill out the last spot in the league’s final four.

New York goes back to Indianapolis, where the top-seeded Colts showed no signs of rust in beating Baltimore 20-3 on Saturday.

“I told them we wanted to end the regular season fresh, ready and well prepared,” Indianapolis rookie coach Jim Caldwell said. “I believe we did. It doesn’t give you any guarantees. It’s what you believe in and your convictions and playing well when it comes time.”

The Jets beat the Colts 29-15 on Dec. 27. Of course, Indianapolis had already clinched home-field advantage by then, and Caldwell put Manning and other key players on the sideline with a 15-10 lead in the third quarter.

New York came back to win, ending the Colts’ league-record 23-game regular-season winning streak and grabbing control of its playoff destiny.

“I don’t know if Santa Claus will be that good to me again,” Ryan said Sunday.

Against the Chargers, rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez threw a go-ahead, 2-yard touchdown pass to tight end Dustin Keller three plays into the fourth quarter, then Shonn Greene gave the Jets breathing room with a 53-yard scoring run on their next possession.

San Diego (13-4) not only saw its 11-game winning streak end, but endured yet another playoff meltdown after winning the AFC West.

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