The winner of Sunday’s Raiders-Jets game will represent the AFC in the Super Bowl. Yes, I know there is still am AFC Championship game to be played. But get serious, the Steelers are not going anywhere with Tommy Maddox at the helm.

The Jets are coming off a 41-0 thumping of the Indianapolis Colts, while the Raiders are widely considered heavy favorites to win the Super Bowl.

The key to this game lies in the running game. It is a given that both quarterbacks — Rich Gannon and Chad Pennington — will throw for 250-plus yards. In their week 13 match-up, a 26-20 Raider victory in Oakland, Gannon threw for 342 yards while Pennington threw for 265.

Whether or not Curtis Martin will be able to provide New York with a balanced attack is the big question. The perennial 1,000-yard back rushed for only 26 yards in week 13. He will need at least 75 yards on Sunday for the Jets to have a chance.

Meanwhile, the Raiders running game is a three-headed monster, consisting of Charlie Garner, Tyrone Wheatley and Zack Crockett. Oakland uses their running game to keep the defense honest. With a passing game that relies mainly on short passes, a solid running game draws in the linebackers to the line-of-scrimmage, therefore giving Jerry Rice, Tim Brown and Jerry Porter room to roam over the middle.

Another thing to look for on Sunday will be the health of Raiders’ cornerbacks Charles Woodson and Tory James, who are both coming off injuries. The Raiders’ secondary will need to be near full strength in order to stop the Jets’ passing game. Woodson should be well tested with a rod in his leg, and if the New York receivers can consistently get past him, the Raiders will be forced into a game of comeback.

The key for the Jets’ defense is getting to Gannon, the NFL’s MVP. It might take former Raven defensive tackle Tony Siragusa coming out of retirement, but the Jets need to hit Gannon. If Gannon is knocked out of the game, the game is over. If they give him the kind of time he got against the Chiefs in week 17, the Raiders could put up 40-plus points.

If Sunday’s affair turns into a close game, the Raiders are at a huge advantage. With the Black Hole cheering them on, the Raiders are extremely tough at home. And one of the reasons they are Super Bowl favorites, is the fact that they don’t have to leave California to win it.

Another reason they are favorites is that it’s do-or-die time for many of these players. With a veteran team that has bowed out in the playoffs the past two seasons, this might be the Raiders’ last chance. Tim Brown and Rich Gannon’s legacy is on the line. They have the experience, while the Jets are a mere up-and-coming team.

Prediction: Raiders 31, Jets 17.