Player- Pats defensive players old and slow FOXBOROUGH, Mass. - Losing this game for the New York Jets is, quite simply, not an option. They didn't spend $140 million in new talent during a frantic offseason of retooling then add Brett Favre to lose twice to the Matt Cassel-led Patriots. The Jets have the opportunity they've been craving tonight when they take their 6-3 record and put it up against the Patriots' 6-3 and see who emerges as the sole tenant in first place in the AFC East. Deep down in their souls, the Jets believe they're a better team now than the Patriots. Deep down, they know they're better. One Jets offensive player, who spoke under the condition of anonymity because he didn't want to provide bulletin board fodder for the Patriots, talked about being "sick to our stomachs" about the Jets' 19-10 loss in Week 2 at the Meadowlands. He felt the Patriots were vulnerable - particularly on defense. Not to mention it was the first game with Matt Cassel at quarterback, after Tom Brady was injured in Week 1 vs. the Chiefs. The player spoke matter-of-factly about how "slow" and "old" a number of the New England defenders are and how he believes the Jets should be able to put up "a lot of points" on them tonight. The Week 2 loss was maddening to the Jets. They thought that was their chance to finally beat their division rival. Cassel was starting his first NFL game. Yet the result was the same - a teasingly close game in which the Patriots simply made fewer mistakes and won. Again. "After that game, it was disappointing, but we knew we had to keep moving on," Jets DE Shaun EllisShaun Ellis said. "Now we have another opportunity. One thing I remember people saying in that locker room after the game was, 'We'll have another shot.' Here's our opportunity, so we have to go out and get a win in their home stadium." Now, the Jets have to get on the field and prove they are the better team, and they know that. "This has got to be the biggest game in a long time for the Jets," Jets RT Damien Woody, a former Patriot, said. "Guys are really looking forward to that. We're tied for first, at this point in the season, against the Patriots, the team that has had a stranglehold on this division. "We've got a great opportunity to make a move, and guys are really looking forward to the challenge." A big part of that challenge is simply getting over the stigma that they can't beat the Patriots, who've won the last four in the series against the Jets and 11 of the last 12, dating back to 2002. "Until we beat these guys, or until anyone beats these guys and knocks them from the top, then they're always going to be the team to beat," Favre said. "This is a big opportunity for us, obviously. Every one of our guys are aware of that. "I know exactly what this game means, the weight it carries. I'm well aware of what New England has done over the last decade or so." Leon Washington said a win tonight "would mean a lot." "If you think about all the games they've beaten us in the past and all the divisions they've won the last 10 years," he said. The Jets have a healthy respect for the Patriots, but they're sick of losing to them. "We don't need to be constantly reminded every time we play this team how bad we've been against them," Ellis said. "Really, to me, I'm tired of hearing it myself. I've been hearing it for years. I'm sick of it right now. "We're trying to get it fixed. Hopefully we can get it done this week. We've just got to go up there and play sound. They've always got the edge - got the turnovers, beat us on the fundamental things always." Another bugaboo in this series of futility for the Jets is how poorly their offense has fared against the New England defense. The Patriots have held the Jets to 17 points or fewer in 11 of the last 12 games between the teams. "That's one thing we've got to flip, don't give them those easy plays, those easy turnovers and just make it a grind-out game," Ellis said. "They're good at capitalizing on your mistakes." mark.cannizzaro@nypost.com
You need all you can get. The Jets are the better team and only a fool wouldn't admit to it. There is nothing new in this. In fact it's not even close. Just look at what Miami did to you. Now, it can certainly be argued who is better coached.
I hate seeing stuff like this but it won't matter come kickoff. I am so pumped for this game, we have such a great opportunity to take control of this division. This is the biggest regular season game in November since 2001 when we played NE at home. heading into that game we had dominated NE for years and that win beagn to shift the series in NE's favor, hopefully it happens for the Jets this time.
Home game? I guess Giants Stadium will be full tonight with all those JETS fans just waiting for something to happen on the field.
I saw it too but I didn't want to make you feel bad....:smile: Also if the Patsies need this as bulletin board fodder they're in worse shape than we think :jets:
Cannizzaro is by far the worst beat writer in the history of sportswriters. Good job fatboy, you just gave them their bulletin board material by printing this. The player didn't want it to be bulletin board material, but this lardass printed it. Nice job dickhead.
