I doubt very much whether Ty Law will have ANY positive effect for the game on Thurday. However I would have been very happy if he signed with the Pats and would LOVE to know the behind the scenes stuff that led him to choose the Jets over the Pats. Was it money? Was it spite? Was it playing time? etc.
Its easy to dismiss Law, especially since his signing came so late in the season and that he's had NO training camp. However, IF it had been the Pats who had signed him, I would have been thrilled because not only would he have improved the Pats depth at BOTH CB and S, he would have added an experienced head to an ever DECREASING experienced secondary. Also Law is one of the smartest players to play in the defensive backfield in recent years. So while I'm sure his PHYSICAL skills have decreased, he would have been a help to the Pats is certain situations.
Just an aside. I can't help but think that if Law had chosen to come back to the Pats after his sojourn to the Jets and Chiefs, he would have gone down as one of the all time Pats and found a place in the Pats HOF eventually and would have earned him a place among Pats fandom similar to Troy Brown. Now he might just get into the HOF or the Pats HOF, but I can't help but think that in some way THIS signing is burning a few bridges.
Now it COULD be that the Pats felt that, like John Lynch, he JUST couldn't do the job anymore. BUT if it turns out that he still CAN play, and the Pats WERE in the bidding to get him, there can be no other conclusion that the Pats FO were outmaneuvered, or Law had some long standing grudge against the Pats and WOULDN'T sign here.