"The Jets knew they needed to face three of the N.F.L.'s best quarterbacks if they were to reach the Super Bowl. But they will not spend the off-season bemoaning their performances against Peyton Manning, Tom Brady and Ben Roethlisberger.

Instead, it was Pittsburgh running back Rashard Mendenhall who ran over, around and through the Jets on Sunday, leading the Steelers to a 24-19 victory in the A.F.C. championship game. Pittsburgh will face Green Bay in the Super Bowl on Feb. 6 at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Tex.

Last weekend, after the defeat of division rival New England, Jets linebacker Bart Scott brashly proclaimed that the Patriots' defense "can't stop a nosebleed" in his rant heard round the Internet. He might as well have been describing the Jets' defense against the Steelers."