EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. ? After what they went through to make the playoffs, what a waste it would have been to exit early.

That was the message Herman Edwards gave his New York Jets. They heeded it superbly, routing the befuddled Indianapolis Colts 41-0 Saturday.

After barely getting into the postseason, the Jets emphatically showed they belong with their biggest playoff victory and their first postseason shutout. Chad Pennington, the sparkplug of their turnaround, threw for three touchdowns, LaMont Jordan ran for two and the defense had Peyton Manning and the Colts off-stride from the outset.

“I am so proud of my teammates to see in every one of them that they are not complacent,” Pennington said. “To me, it’s special when you’re able to step in the huddle and see the intensity and focus in the eyes of your teammates.”

New York (10-7) began the season 1-4, but won seven of its last nine to win the AFC East title on the season’s final day. The surge continued against the wild-card Colts (10-7).

The Jets will be at either Oakland or Tennessee next weekend. It was their first postseason victory since 1998, when they made it to the AFC championship game, and the score matched the last playoff game at the Meadowlands, when the Giants beat Minnesota for the 2000 NFC title.

On the Jets’ fifth offensive play, Pennington’s screen pass floated into Richie Anderson’s hands and he rambled down the left side for a 56-yard score. The touchdown was the longest of his 10-year career, the longest this season for the Jets and the longest scoring play from scrimmage in their playoff history.

The Peyton Manning-to-Marvin Harrison connection got the Colts moving — for just about the only time — immediately after the TD with three completions for 38 yards. But Mike Vanderjagt was short and wide with a 41-yard field goal into the wind.

Manning was a miserable 14-for-31 for 137 yards and two interceptions, and his team had the ball for just 19:42 — 7:44 in the second half.

He wasn’t helped by six drops and an offensive line that couldn’t keep pressure off him. Harrison, who smashed the NFL record with 143 receptions this season, had only four Saturday.