Florham Park, N.J. - It all stunningly comes down to this for the New York Jets: win and they're in.

How about that, Rex? A week after mistakenly thinking your team's playoff chances were over, the Jets somehow control their postseason destiny.

"I've been level the whole season," coach Rex Ryan said Monday with a big laugh. "There's no question. Yeah, from a guy that said, 'Well, it's unfortunate we're done,' we're right there. You know, alive and kicking."

They sure are, and a win over the Cincinnati Bengals in the football finale at Giants Stadium on Sunday night would secure the No. 5 seed in the AFC for the Jets (8-7).

"If we can get in, anything can happen in the playoffs," safety Jim Leonhard said. "We just need to take care of this game."

There's been a whole lot of luck involved for the Jets during the last few weeks. And, that's been an uncommon addition to a franchise that has dealt with its fair share of misfortune over the years.

New York caught a huge break when Indianapolis coach Jim Caldwell opted to rest Peyton Manning and several other starters early in the second half Sunday, granting Ryan's wish for Santa earlier in the week. The Jets took full advantage by rallying against Manning's backup, Curtis Painter, ruining the Colts' pursuit of perfection with a 29-15 victory and opening up Caldwell to scathing criticism.

"We won the game," Ryan said. "We ended up doing what we had to do, whoever was in the Colts' jerseys. I think that there's very little credit that our football team's given, and that's unfortunate."

Some members of the media blasted the Colts' decision, saying they handled things wrong.

"They don't have to apologize to anybody about anything," Ryan said, "and neither do we."