Alone atop the AFC at 11-3

[shmessy]

That's where it's all pointing right now. The Jets will absolutely wipe out the Texans and a return trip to Foxboro will be in order.

This is not who I want to see walking into Foxboro in January. Our only hope is that the Giants beat the Jets this week and hope that Cincy can win both of their remaining 2 games Arizona and Baltimore. Hopefully that last weekend game against Baltimore is meaningless for the Ravens assuming they'll already have their playoff position wrapped up, maybe they'll rest some guys.

Are you kidding me?

Gimme the Jets!!!!!!!

They are NOT what they were last year. the Pats clocked them twice this year - - it's a completely different story.

Plus, the media circus of a Rex Ryan playoff game in Gillette may actually get the Patriots page 2 coverage in the Globe sports section (after Bobby Valentine's reviews of his favorite restaurants and a feature on Ben Cherington's yoga teacher).

 

[shmessy]

You're prolly right...but at least Belichick isn't a bafoon like Rex. Besides, we have Tom Brady to counter-balance our coach. After all, who can't like someone named Tom Brady?

Bridget Moynihan.

(too soon?)

 

[Rob0729]

That's where it's all pointing right now. The Jets will absolutely wipe out the Texans and a return trip to Foxboro will be in order.

This is not who I want to see walking into Foxboro in January. Our only hope is that the Giants beat the Jets this week and hope that Cincy can win both of their remaining 2 games Arizona and Baltimore. Hopefully that last weekend game against Baltimore is meaningless for the Ravens assuming they'll already have their playoff position wrapped up, maybe they'll rest some guys.

Please! Please! Please! Let the Jets be the Pats' Division round opponent. It would be the Pats' best option.

People need to stop looking at the Jets as a good team. They are 1-5 against teams with winning records. Their biggest defensive weakness is their inability to cover even average TEs (Brent Celek had 156 yards and a TD vs. them on Sunday and how many people here even know who Brent Celek is?). Gronk and Hernandez would eat that defense apart.

I don't think the Jets can beat both the Giants and Dolphins either. I still doubt they make the playoffs, but with their competition sucking so badly down the road, I wouldn't put it past them to back in at 9-7. I still don't think they can beat any team in the playoffs though.

 

[Rob0729]

Are you kidding me?

Gimme the Jets!!!!!!!

They are NOT what they were last year. the Pats clocked them twice this year - - it's a completely different story.

Plus, the media circus of a Rex Ryan playoff game in Gillette may actually get the Patriots page 2 coverage in the Globe sports section (after Bobby Valentine's reviews of his favorite restaurants and a feature on Ben Cherington's yoga teacher).

Agreed. If Brent Celek can get 156 yards and a TD vs. the Jets. Gronk could probably break playoff records against Eric Smith and Brodney Pool.

 

[SyN65]

I'd rather play Houston.

I don't think the Jets are that good but you never know with their defense. Sanchez could have a decent game against our putrid pass D and they could put up points. Houston on the other hand is missing their starting QB, #1 WR, and Super Mario.

 

[cusan]

really?
what is Gronk and Hernandez's stats in last year's playoff loss vs. Jets? did they broke playoff records last year?

 

[blackglass3]

Call me a Nervous Nelly all you want, but weren't we all saying "Gimme the Jets again in Foxboro!" last year also? And look how that turned out...utter humiliation. I'd much rather the Jets don't get in at all.

As for the rest of the AFC, I think it looks like this:

#3 Texans vs #6 Jets
#4 Broncos vs #5 Steelers

Can the Steelers go into Mile High and beat the Broncos? I don't know, Ben looked awful last night and I don't think 2 weeks rest is going to help him much. That would set up the Broncos going to Baltimore.

I think it comes down to the Pats and Ravens for the AFC Championship. If we can catch the Ravens on one of their bad weeks like how they looked against the Chargers or Jaguars, there is a good chance we can see the Pats in the Super Bowl.

 

[Rob0729]

I'd rather play Houston.

I don't think the Jets are that good but you never know with their defense. Sanchez could have a decent game against our putrid pass D and they could put up points. Houston on the other hand is missing their starting QB, #1 WR, and Super Mario.

The Texans' defense is better than the Jets defense. The Jets' defense's biggest weakness is one of the Pats' offense's biggest strength - the inability to cover TEs.

TJ Yates did throw for 300 yards, 2 TDS, vs. 1 INT vs. Cincy. In the first game vs. the Pats, Sanchez threw for 166 yards and 2 TDs. In the second game, he threw for 306 yards with a lot in garbage time (110 yards came on the last two drives late in the fourth with the Pats up 37-16), 1 TD, and 2 INTs.

Give me the Jets.

 

[Rob0729]

I don't know. Call me a Nervous Nelly all you want, but weren't we all saying "Gimme the Jets again in Foxboro!" last year also? And look how that turned out...utter humiliation.

I'd much rather the Jets don't get in at all.

The Jets were good last year. They aren't this year. Last year it was about everyone thinking the Pats were the best team in the AFC, not that the Jets suck. This year, the Jets just suck. Again, they are 1-5 against teams with winning records and haven't beaten a team with a winning record since the first weekend of the season.

 

[rsd]

I want the Patriots to beat the best team. If they can't do that they don't deserve to win it all.

If people are afraid of the Jets, then they're going to be wetting themselves if they ever play the Saints or Packers. Let's see if the Jets even make the playoffs...ferchrissakes.

 

[Deus Irae]

Well Deus Irae still contends that the Indianapolis Colts are the NFL's best organization of this century.

Taking enormous liberties with the truth again, and trolling at the same time, I see....

 

[tobias funke]

I'll take the Jets again.

Something tells me Brady won't throw a horrible pick on a screen, and Chung won't decide to run a ridiculous fake punt this time.

Welker will probably even play the whole game.

I'm not worried about the Jets.

 

[Rob0729]

really?
what is Gronk and Hernandez's stats in last year's playoff loss vs. Jets? did they broke playoff records last year?

The Pats are not playing the last year's Jets' defense. I wouldn't have said what I did if they were. Besides, Hernandez was gimpy in that game (he was out for a month prior to that game with a knee injury) and Gronk has brought his game to another level this year (actually you can say that about Hernandez).

People need to get over last year. The Jets team of last year would mop the floor with this year's Jets' team.

 

[cusan]

I am suprised that everyone said Jet's defense can not cover TE. then How did they contain our TEs in last year's playoff game?

it seems Jets always lifted their defense strength in the playoff, compared with the regular season games.

 

[letekro]

I'll take the Jets again.

Something tells me Brady won't throw a horrible pick on a screen, and Chung won't decide to run a ridiculous fake punt this time.

Welker will probably even play the whole game.

I'm not worried about the Jets.

AHern was also hurt and was a nonfactor in that game. I agree, bring on the Jets. They remind me of the 2009 Patriots--they will get into the playoffs, but even their own fans know they basically suck.

 

[Rob0729]

I am suprised that everyone said Jet's defense can not cover TE. then How did they contain our TEs in last year's playoff game?

it seems Jets always lifted their defense strength in the playoff, compared with the regular season games.

Please stop! Last year's Jets defense was a top 5 defense. This year it is just average.

Last year Hernandez was in his first game back from a significant injury and gimpy. Both he and Gronk were rookies. This year, Gronk has already shattered the TE TD record and has a good chance to break the TE receiving yards record. He is arguably the best TE in the game right now.

Last year was last year. If the last year Patriots' offense was facing the last year's Jets' defense, I wouldn't say that. But they aren't.

 

[ivanvamp]

I don't know. Call me a Nervous Nelly all you want, but weren't we all saying "Gimme the Jets again in Foxboro!" last year also? And look how that turned out...utter humiliation.

I'd much rather the Jets don't get in at all.

Agreed. But this isn't the same Jets' defense. Compare:

Points allowed per game
2009: 14.8 (#1)
2010: 19.0 (#6)
2011: 22.5 (#21)

Yards allowed per game
2009: 252.3 (#1)
2010: 291.5 (#3)
2011: 317.9 (#7)

Combined ranking (PR+YR)/2
2009: 1
2010: 4.5
2011: 14

dSRS (profootball-reference.com)
2009: 7.5
2010: 4.2
2011: 0.0

That, my friends, is a defense on the decline. Still pretty good (and definitely better than New England), but not what it was.

 

[Deus Irae]

I am suprised that everyone said Jet's defense can not cover TE. then How did they contain our TEs in last year's playoff game?

it seems Jets always lifted their defense strength in the playoff, compared with the regular season games.

In the past 2 years, a very good surrounding cast has been able to carry a lousy QB. This year, the defense seems to have aged faster than a team normally does, and Turner/Slauson both suck on the offensive line. When you combine that with the aging of LdT, the mediocrity of Shonn Greene and the inconsistency of the WR corps, I think people are pretty confident that the Jets aren't that good.

And, by people, I mean Jets fans and non-Jets fans alike.

 

[The_Riddler]

No way I want to see the Jets. How would you feel if they beat us AGAIN, back to back years where we were the 1-seed each time? Seeing Fat Rex laughing and Santonio Holmes doing airplane dances on their way out of the stadium like they did last year? Why would you even want to put that possible feeling in front of you ?

Did you forgot how bad last year's loss felt? Can you imagine this possibility ?

Give me any other team.

 

[Rob0729]

One last post on the Jets. If you look at every are this year, they look to have downgraded from last year.

They had one of the best o-lines in 2010 and now one of the worst this year. Wayne Hunter is a disaster and the rest of the line looks to suffer because of it.

Their receiving corp has gone down hill. Santonio Holmes in the 50s in rank in reception and receiving yards. Pathetic for a #1 WR. People here complain about the lack of a deep threat, but the Jets are even worse in that area with the loss of Braylon Edwards. Plaxico has his moments, but he is old and slow and doesn't look to try at times.

Their running game had a brief re-emergence when they went on a stretch of bad teams, but overall they can't run the ball and unlike the Pats they make it a point of emphasis.

On defense, they can't generate much of a pass rush. Their leading sacker is a limited player who has one move in the pass rush and can't play running downs. Even when they blitz they have more trouble than the Pats getting pressure on the QB.

Their defense has gotten really slow. Any fast or quick receivers or RBs can burn them a lot.

Also, their safety position may be as bad or worse than the Patriots.

Lastly, their special teams have gone way down hill this year. Usually they are near the top in this area, but they can't find a punt returner who can hold onto the ball and Joe McKnight has slowed down since he started to get injured.

People should not be afraid of the Jets and this is not the Jets' team of last year. I still doubt they will get in the playoffs. If they do it will be because they backed in because the Bengals and others keep losing rather than the Jets winning their final two games.