WAKE UP, PEOPLE! Where is the Jets talk?

[Tunescribe]

Yes, it's true -- the Colts have left town and we have a GAME Sunday against Mangini's Jets. What might Mangini and Schottenheimer have up their sleeves for this one, especially after two weeks to prepare? With our situation at safety in flux, I think we might see Pennington throw deep early and often. This is going to be a tough contest we can't afford to lose; we just might have to run the table to secure that first-round bye, with how the AFC is dominating. I expect the Jets to bring it, this will be a very physical AFCE matchup and no cakewalk for our guys.

 

[PatsFanInVa]

Well put, Tune... but of course, there's a different feeling when you're favored by 10 1/2 and you're SUPPOSED to win.

I hope it's not a trap game... think about that: losing to the JEST, being one slim game ahead of them in the standings, with them riding the boost of beating us... what if they beat us and win their next two? Then we're looking at the Bears (still to be reckoned with,) and facing a possible tie for the division lead with a loss (likely, at our current level of play.)

Like I always say, the sky's not falling... but I really hope the PLAYERS have moved on, even if we haven't!

PFnV

 

[cstjohn17]

Good question, looks like good football weather, rainy 55 degree...

I expect a slugfest with the Pats winning the battle in the trenches, the passing games should be minimized with the lousy field and poor weather. I honestly haven't seen much of the Jets this year, they are doing a lot better than expected but I don't think they have the talent to measure up. Washington's speed will be minimized on the turf. Coles is having a good year, I expect them to take their shots deep.

In the end I think it will be a sloppy messy, field position battle with the Pats winning in a game that is not as close as the score indicates. Pats 20 - Jets 16.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Although the Jets truly suck, they will "bring it" Sunday as best they can. These games are usually a dogfight. But this year's Jets don't have a running game. Expect the Pats to defend mostly against the pass, by alternately blitzing and droping extra guys back, to throw off any pass oriented gameplan. On D, if we have trouble covering the Jets, forget about the playoffs. Yes, I'm well aware that they have one very good wideout and an accurate but not deep throwing QB.

I'll be at this game, siting right behind the D bench.

 

[patsacolachick]

I love when people say the Jets suck. They are 4-4, they've got to be doing something right, it isn't all luck. This is going to be a tough, tough game.

 

[Patfandango]

OK, I'll play. The Pats have been exceptional at not having trap games. A division game against the second place team and only real threat in their division is plenty of motivation. Any possibility of a letdown vanished after a Colts loss. Overall the Jets are not nearly talented enough to win a slug fest so I'm guessing that Mangini will take a high risk high return approach. He has to respect the run and will play 8 in the box but will blitz frequently from this formation. On offense, I think the Jets might go quickly to no huddle and spread formations to take advantage of our reduced depth in the secondary and away from our stout run defense. I don't fear their offense but Pennington can get in a zone and it would be important to rattle him early. An interesting subplot is Hawkins at SS given that it was Pees and not Mangini that moved him there and turned around our defense. They may try to attack the middle. For our offense, I'd like to see a run heavy ball control game. I'm hoping that Neal and Graham are back and we can run it down their throats all day long. Kick and punt coverage concerns me after last week but I'm guessing Seeley's had more than a few words this week.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

The Jets suck

(Just keeping folks happy)

 

[TomBrady'sGoat]

I love when people say the Jets suck. They are 4-4, they've got to be doing something right, it isn't all luck. This is going to be a tough, tough game.

the jets do suck. they've beaten Tennessee, Buffalo, Miami, and Detroit. That would be wins over three god-awful teams and one bad team. They lost to cleveland, a bad team. They lost 41-0 to jacksonville, a good team which should never score more than 24 points.

Add to this that the Patriots always play well the week following a loss and were dominating the jets in week 2 before they lost their focus. There should be no lost focus this week as the Pats score 30+ points and give up single digits.

I hate all the talk/panic over last week's game but I can't really muster up much talk about the jets game.

 

[Brownfan80]

I think this game is pretty much for the Jet's season and because of that we'll get the toughest game that they've played all year long.

I think Mangina's familiarity with our team negates the talent advantage that we have to some degree.

I think that our defense is in a bit of a transition, but still has the firepower to give the Jets headaches. We can shut down their running game without a doubt. But our pass defense is a question mark now without the field general back there directing traffic (and it wasn't that great even WITH him back there). I think the Jets will have to go to the air early and often and so it'll be up to our pass rush to win the day for the defense.

Thusfar the pass rush has been inconsistent, so I'm not sure how I feel about that. Hope for the best, I guess.

In the last matchup the defense really played VERY well except for the couple of big plays they allowed. If they can limit the big plays I don't see how the Jets will be able to score as much as our offense.

Who knows what to expect from their defense, being that it's supposedly mirrored after our own, which is pretty much a shape changing unit based on the opponent and gameplan. They might come out in a totally different look than the last game. It wouldn't shock me at all.

I think that after the past week we certainly need to re-establish our powerful running attack this week. This game needs to set the tone for the rest of the season on the ground. If we stick with our running game I think it'll take pressure off of Brady and set up the passing game.

I hope to see no trick plays. I want us to line up and just beat the crap out of the Greenies. We don't need trickeration, we need to assert our collective will. I think if the running game is keeping Brady clean and the OL can keep him protected that he'll bounce back and have a good day.

I hope to see Chad Jackson step up this week and put some pressure on NY's corners. Gabriel has a size advantage against their secondary, though he did last week as well...

At this point in the season we know what the Patriots do well, we know what we feel should happen in each game, but it's so hard to predict what the coaches have seen and implemented during the week (Indy, anyone?).

If the Patriots win this game it'll be very easy for them to win the AFCE again this season. If they lose it's still anybody's ballgame, with the Jets nipping at our heels.

Big, big game.

 

[TomBrady'sGoat]

I think this game is pretty much for the Jet's season and because of that we'll get the toughest game that they've played all year long.

Eh, I've always seen this as being overrated. When Miami played NE the game was for their season and that didn't really help. Wasn't Pittsburg's game against Denver last week for their season; how'd that one go? I don't think NFL players don't have a hard time getting pumped up for one game a week reguardless the circumstances.

 

[Brownfan80]

Eh, I've always seen this as being overrated. When Miami played NE the game was for their season and that didn't really help. Wasn't Pittsburg's game against Denver last week for their season; how'd that one go? I don't think NFL players don't have a hard time getting pumped up for one game a week reguardless the circumstances.

I think you have a point, but at the same time:

Pitt and Miami each have a record well below 500. They are 'playing for their season' mathmatically. If they lose many more then even if they win out it's too little too late. The Jets are 4-4. If they are 5-4 with the Pats at 6-3, then they know the AFCE crown is still a realistic possibility. If they're 4-5 and the Pats 7-2, then they can kiss it goodbye. I think there's a big difference between the situation the Jets are in than the one Miami or Pitt are in.

I think the difference is actually tangible to the players on each team. I think the fact that it's more based in reality will serve as a much better motivation to the Jets than either of the other teams you mentioned.

It might be all psychobabble, and I'm okay with that, but I just expect them to come out fired up, knowing that their goal is not out of sight even at 4-4.

 

[BelichickFan]

The Patriots are just the way better team. They know it, the jesters know it. There's only one way this stays within 14 and that's if we play like crap. Either turning the ball over like last week or bad tackling (and bad luck on the Scott hit) like we had against the jesters Week 2.

At home, angry Patriots, crappy jesters. Forget about it.

 

[atlpatsfan]

Yes, it's true -- the Colts have left town and we have a GAME Sunday against Mangini's Jets. What might Mangini and Schottenheimer have up their sleeves for this one, especially after two weeks to prepare? With our situation at safety in flux, I think we might see Pennington throw deep early and often. This is going to be a tough contest we can't afford to lose; we just might have to run the table to secure that first-round bye, with how the AFC is dominating. I expect the Jets to bring it, this will be a very physical AFCE matchup and no cakewalk for our guys.

I think the only chance the JEST will have is if they can pull of the deep pass. They can't run on us and they will give up sacks so they have no other choice.

 

[Tunescribe]

I think you have a point, but at the same time:

Pitt and Miami each have a record well below 500. They are 'playing for their season' mathmatically. If they lose many more then even if they win out it's too little too late. The Jets are 4-4. If they are 5-4 with the Pats at 6-3, then they know the AFCE crown is still a realistic possibility. If they're 4-5 and the Pats 7-2, then they can kiss it goodbye. I think there's a big difference between the situation the Jets are in than the one Miami or Pitt are in.

I think the difference is actually tangible to the players on each team. I think the fact that it's more based in reality will serve as a much better motivation to the Jets than either of the other teams you mentioned.

It might be all psychobabble, and I'm okay with that, but I just expect them to come out fired up, knowing that their goal is not out of sight even at 4-4.

My thoughts exactly. I'm sure Mangini has his players believing they have a shot at something, and that makes them dangerous. Along with that goes the fact that they've had two weeks to rest and prepare and we're coming off a short week with a hangover from the Colts and some key injuries. The fact that we're a better team on paper doesn't absolve us from what I think is a very, very dangerous game that we could lose.

 

[Brownfan80]

My thoughts exactly. I'm sure Mangini has his players believing they have a shot at something, and that makes them dangerous. Along with that goes the fact that they've had two weeks to rest and prepare and we're coming off a short week with a hangover from the Colts and some key injuries. The fact that we're a better team on paper doesn't absolve us from what I think is a very, very dangerous game that we could lose.

I think that unless you go off of Pennington's last game, you have to say he's playing very well this season. (The same can be said for Brady identically). I think you're right that this is a very dangerous game. I think that this is a statement game. Either the Patriots will make the statement in saying that the AFCE is still theirs, or the Jets will make a statement that they're coming up.

This game, even more than the Colts game, is vital to the stretch run.

Division games are always harder, no matter how 'bad' the other team is on paper.

Good stuff, Tune.