Myers: Jets control destiny when they visit Bill Belichick, Patriots in Foxborough

[SoFlaJets]

Sunday Morning QB: Jets control destiny when they visit Bill Belichick, Patriots in Foxborough

Gary Myers

Rex Ryan and Jets LB Bart Scott understand the challenge the Patriots and coach Bill Belichick (b.) present, but Gang Green is already displaying bravado entering the teams' Dec. 6 meeting.

They go way back to the start of the old AFL in 1960, when the Jets were the Titans and the Patriots were based in Boston. The Patriots played in their only AFL championship game in 1963, and the Jets got there for the first time in 1968 and then went on to win Super Bowl III.

In the nearly 42 years since Jan. 12, 1969, the one glorious moment in Jets history, the Patriots have been to five Super Bowls. They won it for the first time after the 2001 season and then back-to-back following the 2003 and 2004 seasons. They came less than a minute away from completing a perfect season in 2007 and winning another title before Eli Manning hit Plaxico Burress for the winning touchdown in one of the greatest upsets in NFL history.

The bottom line: The Patriots have been a real pain for the Jets. And now is the time for the Jets to show there is a new order in the AFC East. "We got to make a statement and go out there and prove we are the best team in the AFC East," Jets tight end Dustin Keller said.

The Jets beat the Patriots 28-14 in Week 2 and are going for the first season sweep since 2000; the Pats have swept them four times going back to 2003. It's the game of the year one week from Monday night in Foxborough.

"We beat them. So it's 1-0. I think the pressure is on them," said Jets defensive end Shaun Ellis, the most senior member of the team in his 11th season. "We're going up there to win. We're going to be relaxed and go in there, play our game and see what happens. In the end, they got to beat us. For years, we've been going up there trying to get revenge. For the first time in a while since I've been here, we won the first."

Actually, the Jets won the first meeting last year, too, but then lost 31-14 in the rematch when Mark Sanchez suffered a rookie meltdown with four interceptions and a lost fumble.

Clearly, however, the pressure is on the Jets. It's the Patriots who have a history of winning.

The Jets and Patriots are 9-2, they are the two best teams in the league, and the winner becomes the favorite to capture the AFC East. The game could mean the difference between the AFC's No. 1 seed and No. 5 seed. This Jets-Pats game is the most significant regular-season game the teams have played against each other. They have met 100 times in the regular season in 51 years.

In order for the Jets to give themselves the best chance to get to Super Bowl XLV, they have to beat the Patriots. This is the Jets' best opportunity to kick sand back in the bully's face.

The Jets have to be tired of Bill Belichick and Tom Brady, who has won 25 consecutive home games. That stat is a bit misleading because Brady and the Patriots were humiliated at home in the playoffs last season by the Ravens and the streak only takes the regular season into account. The Patriots lost two home games in 2008 (one against the Jets) when Brady was out with a knee injury. The Jets are bragging about their eight-game road winning streak, but that's just in the regular season. They lost the AFC title game in Indy in January.

The Jets and Patriots were starting from the same spot in 2000 after Belichick resigned after one day as HC of the NYJ and worked his way to New England. Al Groh succeeded Belichick. This is Belichick's 11th season in New England. Groh was followed by Herm Edwards, Eric Mangini and now Rex Ryan. Belichick has won seven division titles, four conference titles and three Super Bowls. The Jets have won one division title.

Belichick elevated Brady to the starting job in the third game of the 2001 season after Drew Bledsoe was injured. Brady missed the final 15 games of the 2008 season with Matt Cassel taking over and they barely missed the playoffs on a tie-breaker at 11-5. Other than those games, Brady has started every game since taking over in ‘01. During that time, the Jets have started Vinny Testaverde, Chad Pennington, Quincy Carter, Brooks Bollinger, Kellen Clemens, Brett Favre and Mark Sanchez.

Brady is having an MVP year. Sanchez is the most improved player in the league.

"It's going to be a showdown," guard Brandon Moore said. "It's definitely going to be a big-time game."

The Jets are off to the second-best start in their history. In 1986, they started 10-1, lost their final five regular-season games, beat the Chiefs in the wild-card round and then blew a 10-point lead in Cleveland in the final two minutes and lost in double overtime.

[Larz]

"Clearly, however, the pressure is on the Jets. It's the Patriots who have a history of winning"

no gary, that's just how you want to to be

the jets would have an enourmous tie breaker on the pats* if they win, this is a must win for them

head to head would be 2-0

division would be 4-0 to 2-2

conference would be 8-1 to 7-3

and the schedule are about even, but the jets get an average pitts team, and the pats* get a soaring GB team

[Maxman]

"Clearly, however, the pressure is on the Jets. It's the Patriots who have a history of winning"

The pressure is on both teams, that line by Gary was beyond stupid.

The Patriots fans are going to say what if the Jets win? Oh that is okay we won three super bowls, it is now the Jets turn? Yeah I don't think so Gary Myers.

[Jetkid94]

if we win all we need to do is win 3 of the last 4 games and anything that new england does in their last 4 even if they won all 4 means nothing and we win the division

Odds are the pats will lose one of those 4 and if they do we would just need to go 2-2 and not worry about them jumping us

This game means so much

[SoFlaJets]

The pressure is on both teams, that line by Gary was beyond stupid.

The Patriots fans are going to say what if the Jets win? Oh that is okay we won three super bowls, it is now the Jets turn? Yeah I don't think so Gary Myers.

whadda ya expect Max The Daily News is still a Giants paper

[Smashmouth]

Gary Myers is an idiot.

Now that thats off my chest.

This game is equally important for both teams Sure if the Jets win they have huge tie breaker advantages so it gives us a 1.5 game lead with 4 to play. We would have to lose 2 games and the Pats win out for them to win the division.

If we lose were one game back and at that point the tie breakers dont mean sh!t. This is a must win for the NY Jets or risk being a freakin Wild card team which would really suck. We need the Home field advantage in the playoffs because the games will be that much louder and that much more intense, making it very very difficult for opposing offenses.

[Sharrow]

If the Pats lost this game, they need the Jets to lose 2 more games than them over the final 4 weeks of the season. Plus they're at home, with their win streak on the line. Plus they'll have been swept by the Jets for the first time in however long. There's definitely more pressure on them. Myers is a tard.

[SoFlaJets]

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-network-total-access/09000d5d81c70d6d/More-complete-team-Jets-or-Pats

[Bergen Jet]

The Patriots also control their own destiny... If they win we need to them lose another game while we run the table.

[Vudu]

I seriously believe the JEts will go up there and kill them! Just a total gut feeling. I LOVE IT!

[Bergen Jet]

I seriously believe the JEts will go up there and kill them! Just a total gut feeling. I LOVE IT!

I haven't felt this confident about a game all year. We will dominate.