New Jets approach to rivalry with Pats : ' Why can't we be the big dogs ? ' ? ? ?

[TuscanyTile2]

Wouldn't a change in approach be to kiss the rings?

[Larz]

because joe's deal with the devil was for life

[jetrider]

What would you have him say?

"Yeah, they are the big dogs, and we're the lil bitches?"  He didn't say anything crazy, he just said, "Why can't we be the big dogs?"

Exactly. Nothing wrong with "the future is now" mentality.

If not now, when?

[TuscanyTile2]

because joe's deal with the devil was for life

McKnight or Prokop?

[Larz]

McKnight or Prokop?

ummmm

really ?

[Jet Nut]

well..... If you had to put your nuts in a vice and pick the winner, you would pick who? ?

What is more likely to happen is not the same as they can't win.  The point was the Jets can win, don't have to think they can't or won't win.  

Better question, if your nuts were in a vice, they get crushed if the Jets win, do you feel totally at ease knowing that they won't get crushed with a Jet win? 

[Charlie Brown]

What would you have him say?

"Yeah, they are the big dogs, and we're the lil bitches?"  He didn't say anything crazy, he just said, "Why can't we be the big dogs?"

Thank you

Some of us are scared of our own shadows...

[Ken Schroy]

Well Mr. Henderson.  Lets see:

The Pats have won how many division titles?

BB and Brady have how many SB's?

The Jets last won the division, when?

3rd and 17.

The Pats are 12-2 with a first round bye.

So yeah, why arent the Jets who arent even making the postseason the big dogs? ///rollseyes

That is writing us off. At least it is in my mind. But whatever, no biggie.

[jgb]

If thats what you take from me recognizing that one team has dominated the division for 15 years (and still are) so that's why the Jets arent the big dogs. Cool.

lmfao - bunch of weirdos around here.

 

I get that they've dominated.  Has to change eventually, right?  Lol, this can't be all there is.

 

 

Huh?  I never said that.

Of course it has to change eventually but acting like we are on the same level as the Pats who just locked up home field advantage is just silly.

 

Right now yes.  But they shouldn't feel they're unbeatable.  

 

well..... If you had to put your nuts in a vice and pick the winner, you would pick who? ?

 

Thank you

Some of us are scared of our own shadows...

what do some of you guys want? A guaranteed win before the game because you can't handle the anxiety of anticipation?

the uncertainty is what makes being a fan great! Embrace it!

[nyjunc]

I remember when the tide was turning when we "stole" Mangini from them, I remember when the tide was turning when we beat them on the road in the div rd in the biggest game btw the 2 teams.  I like the attitude but unfortunately until #12 retires this is NE's division.

[kelly]

-- Ten things to know about the New England Patriots (12-2), who visit MetLife Stadium on Sunday to face the New York Jets (9-5) :

1. Another year, another 12 wins. The Patriots reached the dozen mark for the sixth consecutive year, the second-longest streak since the 1970 merger. Love them or hate them, you have to respect their success. The defending Super Bowl champions already have clinched a first-round bye, but they need another win to lock up the No. 1 seed. That will be their motivation to beat the Jets -- that, and their utter disdain for them.

2. Injuries will be a major theme throughout the week, as the Patriots lost two key players last week to knee injuries -- wide receiver Danny Amendola and linebacker Dont'a Hightower. No doubt, the always-transparent Bill Belichick will provide updates. They're also banged up at running back. They plucked the once-great Steven Jackson, 32, off the scrap heap to replace power back LeGarrette Blount, who joined Dion Lewis on injured reserve. No matter; Tom Brady can throw it every down if he has to. In the first meeting against the Jets, he passed on 57 of 66 plays.

3. Brady is one of the leading candidates for league MVP. So what else is new? He leads the NFL in passing yards (4,405) and touchdown passes (35), and he's fourth in passer rating (103.8). He was at his best in the fourth quarter of the Week 7 victory over the Jets -- 14-for-17, 150 yards and two touchdowns. Jets linebacker Calvin Pace refers to Brady as the "G.O.A.T."

4. Tight end Rob Gronkowski returned to an every-down role in New England's Week 15 victory over the Tennessee Titans, which means he's over his knee injury -- bad news for the Jets. In the previous meeting, he ravaged them for 11 catches, 108 yards and a touchdown; you might recall the Jets forgetting to cover him on the winning score. One negative on Gronk: He has committed a team-high 10 penalties (plus two declined), including six offensive pass-interference calls.

5. Without the injured Julian Edelman, the Patriots have a pedestrian receiving corps, particularly if Amendola is out, too. The main WR targets in Week 15 were Keshawn Martin and Brandon LaFell, who has five drops in only 69 targets. The recently acquired Leonard Hankerson was pressed into action. New England keep signing guys off the street and plugging them in. In fact, the Patriots have used 70 players on their roster, a league high.

6. Remember in the offseason, when people were ripping Belichick for letting his two starting corners, Darrelle Revis and Brandon Browner, walk out the door? Belichick is no dummy; he knew what he was doing. As great as Revis is, the Patriots are managing without him. With Super Bowl hero Malcolm Butler and Logan Ryan at corner, they're ranked eighth in pass defense, five spots higher than the Jets, who have Revis.

7. The Patriots have developed a nice, three-man rotation at defensive end, with Chandler Jones, Rob Ninkovich and Jabaal Sheard. Jones recorded two sacks last week, giving him a career-high 12.5. You might recall the Jets passed on Jones to pick Quinton Coples in the 2012 first round, which didn't work out too well. The Patriots have recorded a sack in a league-high 26 consecutive games, setting up a terrific matchup against the Jets' offensive line. The Jets have allowed only 20 sacks, second-lowest in the league.

8. What's this, a problem area for the Patriots? Much like the Jets, they've experienced a few hiccups on special teams. Theirs comes in the form of the yips; they've muffed a punt in four straight games.

9. Is there a "kryptonite" that can dismantle the Patriots? Maybe. They've blown two leads of at least 14 points. Only one other team has done that in the past 10 years -- the '09 Patriots.

10. If you're not scoring at home, the Patriots have won eight of the past nine meetings, dating to 2011.

>      http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/57289/here-come-the-patriots-looking-to-crush-the-jets-playoff-dreams

[shawn306]

There is no reason why the Jets can't win this game. This team has come together very nicely since the first meeting. 

In the first game NE wanted to take away Marshall. Who do they try this week ? Marshall again ? Well if they do the Jets offense can now go to Decker, Enunwa, and Powell out of the backfield. You have a healthy Ivory, you have a QB who is having a career season. Defensively the Jets are probably as healthy as they have been all season.

The game is at home, the crowd, I hope will be out of their minds supporting the Jets. I really like their chances this weekend.

It is gonna be fun

[PatsFanTX]

I mean, we need to win the division before we can be "the big dog." That's pretty much the definition of being the "big dog" in a division, isn't it? Being the team that wins it every year?

Division Titles:

Pats- 17

Jets- 4

[nyjunc]

 

Division Titles:

 

Pats- 17

Jets- 4

 

 

sooner than later Brady will be gone and you guys will be back to normal.

[kelly]

. -- The New York Jets took a 4-1 record into their last encounter with the New England Patriots, feeling pretty good about themselves. But not nearly as good as they feel now, according to safety Calvin Pryor."We're playing at a very high level and with a purpose," Pryor said Tuesday. "When we played them the first time, we felt like we could play with them, but we didn't feel like we could dominate and win that game. I'm thinking it's a different mindset now that we have."

A four-game winning streak will do wonders for a team's state of mind. The Jets (9-5) haven't won this many in a row since 2010, their last playoff season, so they have every reason to be confident. Pryor's words speak volumes.There's no doubt the Jets are a better team than they were on Oct. 25, when they lost a heartbeaker at Gillette Stadium, 30-23. The passing attack is better, as Ryan Fitzpatrick has grown comfortable with his main targets, Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker. Since then, Bilal Powell and Quincy Enunwa have emerged as secondary options in the passing game. Defensively, there's more cohesiveness, resulting in fewer big plays.

"I think we’ve improved," Fitzpatrick said. "I think, offensively, we’ve all got a little bit better understanding of who we are and how to get things accomplished, got a better feel for each other. With that being said, we’ve got to go out there and do it. We have to go out there and make sure that the chemistry that we’ve built up is shown on Sunday."

On the downside, the running game has regressed and the special teams still is making too many mistakes.

To a man, the Jets believe they've improved over the past two months. They certainly have shown more poise in the fourth quarter, which could be a big factor against the Patriots (12-2), known for years as an outstanding crunch-time team."I don't know if we're different or we're better. We've grown," coach Todd Bowles said. "We're playing together and they trust each other a little more. We have better chemistry. That comes with the season going forward."

>       http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/57320/calvin-pryor-this-time-jets-feel-like-they-can-beat-and-dominate-patriots

[#27TheDominator]

"They certainly have shown more poise in the fourth quarter" = needed every second to beat two sh*tty teams.

[kelly]

-- New England Patriots second-year cornerback Malcolm Butler is enjoying a solid season, as he's used his Super Bowl interception as the springboard to become the team's No. 1 player at the position.

In the eyes of one NFL head coach, he has also placed himself in the discussion as the No. 1 corner in the NFL.

"Malcolm is probably one of the best in the league," Jets coach Todd Bowles said Tuesday on a conference call with Patriots reporters. "He shows up and takes the best guy."Bowles' remarks come as his Jets team prepares to host the Patriots on Sunday at MetLife Stadium (1 p.m. ET), and perhaps there is some level of pumping up the opposition from Bowles, which is something Bill Belichick is known to do at times.

But Bowles, a defensive coach at heart, sounded quite genuine when asked what he sees from Butler.

"He studies the game. He's not just a man corner, he's a zone corner too. He's feisty. He has very good technique, which is rare," Bowles said. "He has great hand-eye coordination, he reads the ball, and he accepts all challenges and works at it. I enjoy watching him play.As for Butler's story of going from undrafted free agent to top-flight corner, Bowles pointed out how many good players go undrafted, or are picked late. He pointed to Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman -- a fifth-round pick in 2011 -- as one example.

"He's a great player as well," he said. "Some of the guys go through the system unnoticed and then they show some promise in camp, give them something to work with, and then they blossom. He's really blossomed. That was a great pick for them."

>     http://espn.go.com/blog/new-england-patriots/post/_/id/4788982/jets-coach-todd-bowles-says-pats-malcolm-butler-one-of-nfls-best-corners

[RutgersJetFan]

I remember reading the quote a few days ago, and thinking to myself the discussion that people are going to have on the board about this is going to be ridiculous. Some schmo will get on his high horse and explain why, Erin, the Jets are not big dogs, likely phrasing it as if he's talking directly to him. Then a bunch of people will analyze if, in fact, the Jets could be big dogs. TX will probably troll and explain why the Jets can never be big dogs, someone may even bring up Rex along the line. How can he say this? Might we be big dogs in the future? Does Bowles look like a big dog kind of guy? And this would probably go on for about 4-5 pages or so until the topic just fizzles out.

I spend way too much time online.

[kelly]

You should forgive the Jets DBs if they're riding high as we head toward these final two fateful games of the regular season. After all, they had one of their best outings of the year on Saturday night in Big D."I feel like it was one of our better games, definitely," CB Buster Skrine said after today's first practice of the week for New England on Sunday. "It just shows we're improving as the year's going on. Like Coach  Bowles says, we want to play our best ball this month, so that's what we've been doing."

Any number of measures tell how the Green & White secondary fared against the Cowboys  :

■ Four interceptions were the Jets' most since getting four at home vs. Jacksonville in 2011 and most on the road since another four-pack, at the Patriots in 2000. They gave the Jets 28 takeaways, third-most in the NFL, and raised their turnover margin to plus-8, their best after 15 weeks since the 2004 edition's sterling plus-17.

■ The pickers were Darrelle Revis (fourth of the season, first since Game 5 vs. Washington), Marcus Gilchrist (third, also his first since Game 5), Calvin Pryor (second, first since Game 2 at Indy) and Marcus Williams (team-leading sixth, most since Revis' six in '09).

■ Gilchrist's was the Jets' league-leading 12th takeaway on third down. Pryor's was their seventh red zone takeaway, one off the team RZ record. Williams' was his third this year coming on the opponent's final play, joining his thefts in the wins over Jacksonville and Miami in London.

■ The Cowboys' 176 net passing yards enabled the Jets to lower their average to 240 yards allowed/game, which raises their pass defense ranking to an eighth-place tie, their highest this late in the season since 2010.

Missing from the names above is Skrine's, yet in many ways he got the Green & White pass defense rolling as Matt Cassel was chased from the game early in the second quarter.It began with Skrine's third-down pass defense on Terrance Williams at the goal line on Dallas' opening drive. The Cowboys stat crew didn't give Skrine a PD but super-slow-mo replay shows his gloved hand got the tiniest deflection on the ball, causing it to rattle through to Williams' facemask and then to the turf.

"I think I did touch it. It was bang-bang. I think I nicked it," Skrine said. "It threw him off a little bit."

No doubt so did Skrine stepping on Williams' cleat and unshoeing him before the pass arrived..Next came a screen pass from Cassel to Darren McFadden that gained 30 yards — except that Skrine was in position to stop the play for a 5-yard gain until getting pushed from behind by guard Zach Martin. Bring it back.On the next play, Skrine's read of a Cassel-to-Cole Beasley left screen caused Cassel to "pull the pass back," stumble, throw wildly to his right under heavy pressure from Leonard Williams, and intentionally ground the ball — except that the grounding was wiped out by Revis' interception."When Beasley got in the stack, I knew what they wanted to do. With the quarterback they had in, they always like shorter throws at first just to get him warmed up. So as soon as he got into that stack, I just broke on it," Skrine explained. "It's just film study."

The study of the Patriots shows the same old passing attack featuring Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski, No. 2 in the NFL, but also a unit that has absorbed WR hits to Julian Edelman and Danny Amendola. Skrine expects them to be dangerous as always, and the Jets pass defense to be up to the task."It's great that we're at our peak and we've won four in a row," he said. "We know New England is a tough team. They've been a tough challenge for everybody. ... No extra pressure. We just know it's an important game. We're just going to do what we've been doing."

>    http://www.newyorkjets.com/news/article-randylangefb/Secondarys-Peaking-for-Brady-Patriots/babbe6b8-702d-4307-8774-76cac96c3ad1

[kelly]

Jets Want to Continue on Their Merry Ride, Old Nemesis Stands in the Way

EA: The Jets have to play their most complete game of the year this Sunday. Tom Brady can’t hurt you when he is on the bench, but scoring trumps everything. The Pats average 31.1 points per contest and the Jets have to finish in the red zone this week. The Patriots field a complete team and their defense can get after the QB as they are T1 in sacks with 47. On this week’s installment of The Chad Pennington Podcast, CP said he believes Chan Gailey might have to pass in order to set up the run. You know Bill Belichick is going to want to take away Brandon Marshall and Chris Ivory , so the Jets have to counter. Ryan Fitzpatrick needs a solid outing from his offensive line and if he has time – the Jets could dictate by spreading the field out. It will be interesting to see if the Pats again stick Malcolm Butler on Eric Decker . Defensively the Jets have to tackle well in space, make Brady feel pressure and limit TE Rob Gronkowski. People often forget that the Jets’ mid-season slump coincided with Calvin Pryor ’s ankle sprain, an injury that occurred against the Patriots. The Jets played well in that Week 7 loss at Gillette, but they did just enough to lose the contest as Brady got hot late, Gronk went off for 11 catches, the Jets settled for a field goals on a pair of red zone drives, the special teams units had a couple of hiccups and there was a crushing 3^rd-and-17 conversion in the 4^th quarter. Last week, the Jets feasted on Cowboys QBs with 4 interceptions. This is a different animal – Brady has 35 TD and 6 INT this season. And lastly, the Jets could use a boost from the home crowd. This should be one of the loudest atmospheres the Jets have ever experienced MetLife.

EA: The Patriots were hell-bent on not letting Brandon Marshall (4-67) beat them the first time around, so the double coverage came early and often. Eric Decker played very well in his matchup with Malcolm Butler, finishing with 6 receptions for 94 yards. The Jets played that first meeting without two key cogs in their offensive attack – Bilal Powell and Quincy Enunwa . In fact, both Powell and Stevan Ridley were inactive against the Pats. Powell paced the Jets with 7 receptions against the Cowboys and he has scored a TD in three consecutive games. He has fresh legs and adds an explosive element to the passing attack. Enunwa, a strong receiver more associated with his blocking, had 4 receptions last week including a huge 3^rd-down conversion. We’ll also have to see how S Patrick Chung (hip) and LB Dont’a Hightower (knee) are doing later in the week. And Kenbrell Thompkins certainly got a boost of confidence from his 43-yard reception on the GW drive in Dallas. Belichick said this week that the Jets are a well-balanced offense and “probably a more dangerous and harder to defender group than we saw in the first game.”

EA: The Jets need consistent pressure and they have to mix-up the looks on the back end. They also have to tackle well and get off the field on 3^rd down. Brady will get his yards, but the Green & White have to tighten up in the red zone. Brady may take a couple of shots, but expect the ball to come out quick. I think Pryor could be a huge factor in this game and I’m curious to see how Todd Bowles/Kacy Rodgers employ Darrelle Revis . Julian Edelman is still recovering from his foot injury while Danny Amendola (knee) could miss action as well.  Running back James White has become a huge factor for the Pats in the pass game and the Jets will have to account for him whether they’re in zone or man coverage.

EA: The Jets need both of them to make an impact..  I’m curious to see how the Patriots try to neutralize Powell when the Jets spread the field or utilize their screen game. He has become such an instrumental part of this offense. Ivory, who is 49 yards shy of his first 1,000-yard season, also has a career-high 26 receptions and can be a threat in space.

EA: The 12-2 Patriots have homefield on their minds, so yes there is plenty to play for. There will be no let up. The Jets are going to have to earn this victory and that’s the way it should be.

>     http://www.newyorkjets.com/news/article-1/EA-QA-All-the-Whos-Down-in-Whoville/8aaed93d-ae72-4ef3-9ecf-ad867a16c53d

[kelly]

The Jets will take another stab at trying to at least contain their nemesis this weekend.

Not that Gang Green — like the rest of the NFL — has ever had much luck in limiting the damage inflicted by the Patriots’ Rob Gronkowski.

“Many have tried …” Jets coach Todd Bowles said with a forced smile and a shrug Tuesday, his voice trailing off before Bowles could catalog the many accomplishments of the most dominant tight end in football.

Unfortunately for Bowles and the Jets, their playoff hopes most likely ride on being able to keep Gronkowski in reasonable check Sunday when they play host to New England at MetLife Stadium.It’s an especially daunting task for the Jets, who could do nothing of the sort the first time the teams met in Week 7 in Foxborough, Mass. Gronkowski ran wild that day, catching a season-high 11 passes for 108 yards and a touchdown in the Patriots’ 30-23 victory.

A two-time, first-team All-Pro, Gronkowski is a nightmare for opponents on multiple levels. Not only does he stand 6-feet-6, 265 pounds, but Gronkowski is quick for his mammoth size and has soft, reliable hands.Using single coverage is almost always a losing proposition, especially if it’s with a linebacker who isn’t both big and fast. So teams usually opt to blanket Gronkowski with a rotation of safeties and cornerbacks in double coverage.From listening to Bowles and his players Tuesday, the latter is likely to be the Jets’ approach again Sunday against Tom Brady’s favorite target.

Bowles all but admitted that singling Gronkowski is useless, especially when trying to press him at the line of scrimmage.

“I’ve seen the best try to cover Gronkowski and couldn’t cover him,” Bowles said. “We’ve got to mix it up and play our game.”

No matter what Bowles and the Jets try, it is likely to be a case of them picking their poison.

Gronkowski is having another huge year, staying healthy enough to appear in 13 of the 14 games while hauling in 66 passes for 1,072 yards and 11 TDs.

Gronkowski ranks just seventh in the NFL in receptions among tight ends, but that appears to be a case of the defending Super Bowl champions limiting his touches somewhat to keep their once oft-injured star upright and available for the playoffs.

“You’ve got to have different game plans when you’re going against him, because he’s so big and physical,” safety Calvin Pryor said. “He’s able to get off the jam quite easily when somebody tries to jump him, because he’s so strong. We just have to switch it up a little bit.”

Pryor, the Jets’ biggest hitter in the secondary, is expected to spend the most time shadowing Gronkowski on Sunday.

An ankle injury to Pryor in the October meeting is considered the biggest reason Gronkowski ended up with double-digit catches for the first (and still only) time this season.

Bowles also is sure to work the officials before and during the game about Gronkowski. That tactic could pay dividends, considering Gronkowski has been called for offensive pass interference five times already — more than several entire teams have incurred this season.

More likely, though, the Jets are going to have wince and hope for the best against the player who has burned them for an average of six catches for 63 yards and nearly one touchdown per game in nine career regular-season matchups.

“It’s just going to take a group effort,” cornerback Marcus Williams said. “He’s a great player, and it’s going to be a huge challenge.

“We’re going to have to go out there and try to be physical with him to see if we can get him off his game,” Williams added. “But that’s obviously easier said than done.”

>    http://nypost.com/2015/12/23/strategy-the-jets-likely-will-use-to-try-to-stop-rob-gronkowski/

[Beerfish]

Teams need to catch up to the Pats in one key area, playing a full 60 minutes and being ready ALL the time.  Most teams aren't.  This was pressed home once again when the Bills and Rex were beating up on Brady and playing great until the last drive before half time.  They took the foot off the pedal, relaxed and allowed a score, the pats have done this for years.  Another one is being ready for a gutsy quick play.  Another example, last game the Jets twice on short yardage took their time, handed off into the line and were stopped.  After Fitzs run to set up 1/2 a yard for a 1st down the pats would have run to line and quick sneaked it.

They are always ready.

 

[kelly]

Top Week 16 game: Patriots at Jets

According to FPI, the Pats' visit to the Jets is the highest-rated matchup of the week. If it leaves New York victorious, New England will have clinched home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs. Matchups to watch

>    http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/_/name/nyj/new-york-jets

[kelly]

-- The New England Patriots are known for finding useful players on the NFL scrap heap and plugging them into contributing roles. Early this season, the New York Jets found a player in that fashion -- wide receiver Kenbrell Thompkins, who, ironically, was tossed to the heap by the Patriots.

In 2013, Thompkins caught 32 passes for the Patriots as an undrafted rookie, but he was sent packing during the 2014 season. He returned to the Patriots earlier this season, on the practice squad, but that lasted only three weeks.

What happened     ?

"I don't know," Thompkins said Wednesday. "It's something you have to ask Bill [Belichick]."

The Jets are glad they have him.

After placing rookie Devin Smith on injured reserve last week, they turned to Thompkins as their No. 4 receiver. He responded with one of the biggest plays in last week's win over the Dallas Cowboys, a 43-yard reception that set up the game-winning field goal.

"I feel like I've got a lot more to show," said Thompkins, who will face his former team on Sunday at MetLife Stadium.Thompkins has quite a story. He grew up in the notorious Liberty City section of Miami and was arrested seven times before his 19th birthday. When he was 7, he accidentally shot himself in the arm with a handgun. He bounced around to different high schools and different colleges, landing at the University of Cincinnati. From all indications, he has cleaned up his life.

"I just go out there and play ball, not worrying about what anyone thinks of me or how anyone feels," said Thompkins, who also spent time with the Oakland Raiders. "I'm just trying to learn from every mistake I've made and keep pushing."He has made a positive impression with the Jets. Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick lauded Thompkins' work ethic, saying he's one of the first players to arrive every morning.

"He has provided a great example for everybody, especially the young guys in this locker room," Fitzpatrick said. "A guy that has just, he’s the same person every day, he works harder than everybody and hopefully we’ll continue to see some results from him"In Dallas, Thompkins approached Fitzpatrick early in the game and told him he could get open against a Cover-2 because he felt the cornerback was "lazy" in his technique. Fitzpatrick remembered that in the clutch, hitting him for 43 yards -- one of the biggest plays of the year.

"To me, he’s a pretty intelligent football player," offensive coordinator Chan Gailey said of Thompkins, who has 13 receptions for 138 yards.The Jets weren't sure what they had in Thompkins when he arrived in October. It's amazing what you can find in a scrap heap.

>       http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/57361/wr-kenbrell-thompkins-dumped-by-patriots-finds-role-with-jets

[kelly]

-- Discussing Tom Brady's fabulous career on Wednesday, New York Jets linebacker Calvin Pace cracked, "Blame Mo Lewis."It was Lewis, of course, who gave life to the Brady era, knocking Brady's predecessor, Drew Bledsoe, out of the lineup with a vicious but legal hit on Sept. 23, 2001.Lewis wasn't a one-hit wonder -- he's one of the best linebackers in Jets history -- and he surely will be in the Ring of Honor one day. On Sunday, he will serve as the "Pilot of the Game," the Jets' version of an honorary captain.

The timing is a bit dubious, wouldn't you say?

The Jets are facing Brady and the New England Patriots in the franchise's biggest home game since 2011, and they're recognizing the player who essentially ushered in the Patriots' dynasty. Why not pick another game? Every Jets fan over the age of 30 will see Lewis at midfield for the coin toss and think back to that fateful day in Foxborough -- and the ensuing 15 years of torment.

Why not pick another game for Lewis to be the pilot? This would be akin to bringing back Mark Sanchez in a dozen years or so to be the pilot for a Thanksgiving night game against the Patriots. Bad karma, right? Actually, it's surprising that Lewis, never a big spotlight guy, agreed to do it. He lives a quiet life in Georgia and has turned down numerous requests over the years to do interviews about Brady and the Patriots.

It would be a surreal scene if Brady participates in the pre-game coin toss, but he doesn't typically do so.

>      http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/57379/curious-timing-by-jets-mo-lewis-a-captain-with-tom-brady-in-house

[kelly]

he fate of this year's resilient New York Jets boils down to one very familiar task on Sunday: knocking off the New England Patriots.

A loss would likely finish off Gang Green in the AFC. A win, though, would place the Jets in excellent position for a wild-card berth with a victory over the Bills in Week 17.Playoffs aside, Sunday's border war between these long-testy rivals means plenty to both clubs. After all, it was Tom Brady who once declared, "I hate the Jets," before New York safety Calvin Pryor admitted: "We don't like Tom at all."

While New England's fortunes still pivot around Brady, this year's Jets have clung to a quarterback that few expected to be at the center of a late-December playoff run: Ryan Fitzpatrick."I don't know if I want to place a significance on it, where (it ranks) in my career, but this is huge for me," Fitzpatrick said of Sunday's duel, per ESPN.com. "I'm excited. This is why everybody in here plays the game, to play in a football games like this in December and have a shot at playing longer."

Long tagged as a mundane journeyman, Fitzpatrick has toiled for six teams over the past decade, with only his stint in Buffalo lasting more than two seasons. In New York, though, the Amish Rifle has reunited with creative play-caller Chan Gailey. The pairing has worked, with Fitzpatrick playing the best football of his career during a heady four-game win streak for the Jets.These final two weeks must hold special meaning for the signal-caller. After all, the Patriots slayed Fitzpatrick repeatedly during his four-season stretch in Buffalo, while the Bills -- next week's opponent -- dumped Fitzpatrick two years ago after signing him to a lucrative contract extension.

This is a massive opportunity for Fitzpatrick, who has a chance to turn the Jets into a playoff team for the first time since 2010. The years since have been a painful oblivion for New York's loyal fan base, watching Rex Ryan go down in flames while Brady's Patriots remain eternally nestled on their comfortable throne.New England rests atop the AFC once again, but Jets players believe this year is different, with Pryor pointing to the Patriots as an enemy that no longer holds a psychological grip over one of football's grittiest rivalries."When we played them the first time, we felt like we could play with them, but we didn't feel like we could dominate and win that game," Pryor said. "I'm thinking it's a different mindset now that we have."

Unlike those increasingly tedious Ryan-led teams, this year's Jets are fueled by more than just bluster and hot air. Said Bowles: "We've grown. We're playing together and they trust each other a little more. We have better chemistry."We've seen that on the field over the past four weeks, but the acid test -- the only test that matters -- comes Sunday.

>      http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000607761/article/jets-fitzpatrick-on-facing-pats-this-is-huge-for-me

[kelly]

-- Ten things to know about the New England Patriots' game against the New York Jets on Sunday at MetLife Stadium, via ESPN Stats & Information   :

1. If the Patriots win, they clinch home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs. There is not a scenario for the Patriots, who have won eight of the last nine against the Jets, to clinch home-field advantage in Week 16 if they lose to the Jets. They would have to wait until Week 17 to beat Miami to clinch home-field advantage.

2. The Jets (9-5) are hoping to keep their playoff hopes alive. They will be an AFC wild-card team in one of two scenarios:

• Win remaining two games (vs. Patriots, at Bills) and the Broncos (vs. Bengals, vs. Chargers), Chiefs (vs. Browns, vs. Raiders) or Steelers (at Ravens, at Browns) lose.

• Win one of their last two games, and the Broncos, Chiefs or Steelers lose both.

3. The Patriots have already won 12 games for the sixth consecutive season, which is the second longest streak since the merger. Bill Belichick referenced the 12-win mark in his postgame remarks to players. A win Sunday would be New England’s sixth 13-win season since 2001, most of any team in the league. New England had zero seasons with 13 or more wins in the first 43 seasons of the franchise spanning from 1960 to 2002.

4. The Jets' passing game has already produced 3,594 yards this season, which is the second most in Jets history through 14 games (1967). Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick is 579 yards away from tying the franchise record (4,007 by Joe Namath in 1967).

5. Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski has 66 career touchdowns since being drafted in 2010, which is the second most in Patriots history (65 receiving, 1 rushing). Gronkowski is two behind wide receiver Stanley Morgan for the franchise record.

6. The Patriots dropped back to pass on 90.9 percent of their offensive plays in Week 7 against the Jets, the only team above 90 percent in the last 10 years. Over that time frame, the Patriots are 4-0 when at least 80 percent of their plays are dropbacks. All other teams are 4-111.

7.The Patriots have recorded at least one sack in 27 straight games, the longest active streak in the league. New England sacked Fitzpatrick twice in Week 7, but overall, Fitzpatrick has been sacked on the lowest percentage of his dropbacks of any quarterback in the league this season (3.2 percent).

8. There have been seven games this season with a touchdown by both of the Jets' top receivers, Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker. That’s tied with Cris Carter and Randy Moss from the 1998 Vikings for most by teammates in NFL history. Meanwhile, Marshall has eight games with 100 or more receiving yards this season, one shy of the franchise record by Don Maynard in 1967. His team-high 93 receptions are tied with Al Toon’s single-season Jets record set in 1988. Decker has 25 red-zone targets this season, four more than any other player in the league.

9. The Jets have allowed a league low two rushing touchdowns this season. The next team, the Steelers, have given up five.

10. Veteran running back Steven Jackson, who was signed to a one-year deal by the Patriots on Tuesday, is expected to make his debut. He is third among active players with 11,388 rushing yards. Only Frank Gore (11,879) and Adrian Peterson (11,504) have more.

>       http://espn.go.com/blog/new-england-patriots/post/_/id/4789017/patriots-versus-jets-ten-things-to-know

[UnitedWhofans]

Still think Jets Dolphins is the better rivalry. Jets Pats is only media and fan driven. Pats have wiped the floor with the Jets and the other AFC East teams. That's not a rivalry.

They are just looking for Yankees-Red Sox in football and this is the closest they can get.

[kelly]

So can the New York Jets beat the New England Patriots? Of course they can, but it will take their best performance of the season.

Five things they must do Sunday at MetLife Stadium :

1. Win the fourth quarter: These Jets-Patriots affairs tend to be close. Did you know the last five meetings were decided by seven points or less? The Patriots won four of those, mostly because they made the clutch plays in the fourth quarter and the Jets didn't. For instance: In the Week 7 contest, the Jets had no answer for Tom Brady, who orchestrated a pair of 10-play touchdown drives. Since then, they've changed their fourth-quarter mojo. In fact, the Jets have gone three straight games without allowing a touchdown in the final quarter, helping them to two come-from-behind wins. On Sunday, they have to out-clutch the clutch Patriots.

2. Stop Rob Gronkowski in the red zone: Let's be real, they're not going to shut him down between the 20s, but they can offset that by containing Gronk in the red zone. He has 11 receptions inside the 20 (fifth in the NFL), including seven for touchdowns. Because of his size (6-foot-6) and chemistry with Brady, he's an absolute monster on a short field. But the Jets lead the league in red-zone efficiency on defense, so there's hope. What they can't have is a repeat of Oct. 25, when a busted coverage resulted in an uncovered Gronkowski. That 15-yard touchdown pass was the killer in the Jets' 30-23 loss.

3. Create at least two takeaways: This isn't a Patriots-specific objective, per se, but it's a rock-solid barometer for Jets success/failure. They're 7-0 when they force multiple turnovers, 2-5 when they don't. It won't be easy Sunday because Brady is so careful with the football; his last two-interception game against the Jets was Week 2, 2010. But he's human (we think), so he can be forced into mistakes. The key is to disrupt his timing, make him hold the ball a split-second longer than he wants. Again, it won't be easy. He delivers the ball in 2.25 seconds, the second-fastest average in the league.

4. Play rope-a-dope with Brady: The Jets don't want Brady to throw 57 out of 66 plays (see: first meeting) because he's good enough to win with a one-dimensional offense. Handoffs are wins, as far as the Jets are concerned, so they have induce them into running the ball. The Jets can do that by playing their smaller people on defense (i.e. extra defensive backs), daring Brady to run. As nose tackle Damon Harrison said, "We want them to run the ball." The Jets like their chances in that kind of game, especially with the Patriots down to their third running back.

5. Expand the offense: It can't be a three-man show -- Ryan Fitzpatrick, Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker. The Jets have to get others involved, especially early in the game. That will stretch the New England defense, eventually creating chances for Marshall, who was a non-factor in the first meeting. The good news for the Jets is they have secondary options, namely running back Bilal Powell and wide receiver Quincy Enunwa. Look for them early, make the Patriots adjust and then hit 'em with the big guns.

>      http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/57373/yes-virginia-there-is-a-way-the-jets-can-upset-the-patriots

[Freemanm]

Well Mr. Henderson.  Lets see:

The Pats have won how many division titles?

BB and Brady have how many SB's?

The Jets last won the division, when?

3rd and 17.

The Pats are 12-2 with a first round bye.

So yeah, why arent the Jets who arent even making the postseason the big dogs? ///rollseyes

I remember saying the same thing to myself before the Jets/Pats divisional playoff game in 2010. Yes, Rex was the head coach then, but since that win I've always believed the Jets could beat the Pats, despite what has happened since then. Brady said it took him a few seasons to get over that loss, cheating and all.

[PatsFanTX]

Brady said it took him a few seasons to get over that loss, cheating and all.

Brady is 8-1 versus the Jets since that fluke game.

[Charlie Brown]

 

Brady is 8-1 versus the Jets since that fluke game.

 

 

Ummmm Brady is now 8 and 2...

See we won yesterday.... JV squad and all....

[Charlie Brown]

And to my fellow Jets fans, the Jets proved for one night that yes they were the BIG DOGS and it was the Pats who were the puppies looking for gifts from the refs (one penalty all game and a stoppage of the game to set their defense)......

So yea we get to BARK TONIGHT and next week try our best to win a tough game in Buffalo!!!