To understand the nature of the rivaly let’s take a look back: The intensity of Jets Pats, dating back to the AFL days, where both franchises came from, became vitriolic after legendary coach Bill Parcells left the Super Bowl Patriots in 1996. Wanting total control and not getting it from Pats owner Robert Kraft, then Jet owner Leon Hess offered it to Parcells. With it the  hapless 4-28 Rich Kotite era, ended. “I’m 80 years old, I want results now, ” was the famous line Hess regarding the Parcells coup.

The Patriots however, were furious about the nature of Parcells’ departure. Parcells, had he chosen to step down, was not contractually allowed to coach anywhere else. To circumvent this,  the Jets hired then Pats defensive coordinator Belicheck as coach and Parcells was hired in an “advisory role.” This charade continued only brielfy until commissioner Paul Tagliabue helped broker a deal which led to New England obtaining a 1st round pick for their troubles in exchange for Parcells being left free to coach.

Parcells turned the Jets around, taking them to the AFC championship game in 1999, only three years removed from his arrival.  When he stepped down that offseason to move into the front office and give the head job to Belicheck , the story took another turn. Belicheck resigned during the press conference, at the podium. This came as both a shock and an embarrassment to fans, Parcells and the Jets organization. The reason being that for Belicheck, he didn’t want Parcells natural hunger for a potential return to coaching hanging over him.

Belicheck then reunited with Kraft and the Pats. Now it was the Jet brass and faithful who were left feeling jilted. During this time , his second head coaching stint (Belicheck coached Cleveland in the early 90’s), he has become a legend, winning four Super Bowls. Recently however, and thanks of course to the Jets, his resume has become controversial.

Eric Mangini,  a former top assistant to Belicheck, left New England in 2006, to take the Jet job after Herm Edwards went to Kansas City. “Mangenius,” (his nickname after taking  the Jets to a 10-6 season in his first year) was locked out of the Foxboro facilities immediately after taking the Jets job: Anywhere but the Jets, the Pats must have thought to themselves. Then Mangini went on to claim after the 2007 opener, a blowout loss at home to the Pats, that Belicheck and the Pats were using cameras to steal signals from the opposing sidelines. In what has come to be known as “Spy Gate”, the Pats were fined 250,000 and forfeited their 1st round pick in 2008 by comissioner Roger Goodell. the Spy Gate incident has only furthered the hatred between these two clubs.

Fast forward to this week:

The 2009 Jets, fresh off of an inspiring 24-7 win at Houston in the opener, have come to already mirror the cocky tough swagger of their rookie coach Rex Ryan. Fast aggressive defensive schemes coupled with quick decision making by rookie QB Mark Sanchez has the Jets excited and confident about the future.

The Pats, also coming off of a win, albeit a miraculous one that saw them erase a 2 TD deficit in the closing minutes against the Bills on Monday night, come to the Meadowlands looking to regain their championship form. Brady’s throws against Buffalo were inaccurate for most of the night. His mobility is in question. The Pats defense formerly comprised of cerebral stars like Mike Vrabel and Ted Bruschi, ball hawking CB Asanti Samuel, the vicious hitting FS Rodney Harrison, and all pro pass rusher Richard Seymour, are all gone. Add 2nd year rising star LB Jerrrod Mayo to the list after an injury that will keep him out 6-8 weeks, and you here’s what you have: A perenially tough defense coached  by a defensive mastermind,  with now unproven talent. A far cry from the gelled disciplined crew that hoisted four Vince Lombardi trophies in the air this decade.

So as both teams, with their “Hatfields and the McCoy’s” history, march through the tunnel on Sunday, here will be the three keys to victory.

1-Pressure: Who will win the battle of pressure? There will be tons on Sunday coming from both sides. Expect the Pats to offset the Jets and Ryan’s blitz packages with dump offs to RB Kevin Faulk and slants to Wes Welker.

Expect the Jets to do the same with screens to  speedy RB Leon Washington and slants to Chansi Stuckey (64 yds 1 TD against Houston) . In addition, the Jets will look to highlight the loss of Mayo by using TE Dustin Keller (4-94 yards against Houston) in the middle of the field. The team that handles pressure better and can get to the opposing teams’ QB will of course have the edge.

2-Ryan vs Belicheck. We’ve all heard the bravado  coming from the mouth of rookie head coach Rex Ryan. It’s rubbed off on the team already. The Jets have  a swagger and a personality not seen here in a decade. How that translates into sound game planning for the Pats is another story. Ryan will be tested early in the game and often. Few make better halftime adjustments than Belicheck as well. The Pats HC is one of the best game day coaches of all time. Ryan doesn’t have to match him, but he HAS to live up to his words and maintain the aggression he talks about.

3-Sanchez vs Brady. The rookie with the Broadway Joe intangibles: The looks, the flair, the leadership, the skills. This an assessment of the “San-chize” after just one NFL game under his belt.

The future hall of famer Brady with his super model wife Gisele and the 4 Super Bowl rings. The matchup can’t get anymore more Hollywood than this. As with Ryan,  Sanchez doesn’t have to outplay Brady but he has to show that he belongs on the same field as him.

If it’s tied late, the edge will go to the experience and late game abilities of Brady. Ryan has to devise schemes that force Brady to throw on the run, where the rust and effects of coming off of a knee surgery could give the Jet secondary some chances to make some big game changing  plays.

The crowd sent pulsating screams through the building the second general manager Garth Snow announced the Islanders selected John Tavares with the No. 1 overall draft pick in the 2009 NHL draft. Before the announcement was shown on the lowered scoreboard, fans repeatedly chanted for the team to take the two-time World Junior champion who scored 72 goals in 2007.

Islanders management did not disappoint the crowd, taking Tavares over 6-6 defenseman Victor Hedman and Matt Duchene. Hedman went second to Tampa Bay while Duchene, a fellow centerman, was chosen by Colorado with the third selection.

A little more than 300 miles away in Montreal, Tavares put on an Islanders home dark blue uniform with 09 as the number. After posing with Snow and owner Charles Wang for pictures on the Belle Center stage, Tavares said he could sympathize with the nervous fans back in Uniondale.

“I was just like everybody else, wondering what the decision would be,” Tavares said. “I couldn’t be more happy right now and excited about my opportunity to play for Long Island and the Islanders.”

Snow turned his draft pick stockpile into another major draft day move, packaging the club’s No. 26, No. 37, No. 62 and No.92 selection to Columbus for the No. 16 pick in the first round and a third-round choice at No. 77. Snow then parlayed those two selections, along with the Isles first pick of the seventh round, to Minnesota for the No. 12 overall selection.

That string of moves allowed the Islanders to draft defenseman Calvin de Hann out of Oshawa. The NHL’s central scouting rankings rated Tavares the No. 1 North American skater, one spot ahead of Duchene. De Hann was ranked 25^th overall.

But Tavares was the story of the night, becoming the fourth No. 1 overall pick in franchise history. The 6-0, 198-pound center joined Billy Harris (1972), Denis Potvin (1973) and goalie Rick DiPietro (2000) on that list and should help a team that scored the league’s second-fewest goals with just 201 tallies last season.

“Our goal was to find the best player in this draft that will become an integral piece to us  winning a Stanley Cup,” Snow said. “John has been a game-breaking type of player at every level he has played and will add a scoring touch to our lineup.”

Tavares’ selection was two years in the making. Rumors about his game-breaking talent reached its apex in 2007 when Tavares reached the 72-goal plateau as a 16-year-old, breaking the record for his age held by Wayne Gretzky.  Back at the Coliseum, the team lowered the retired numbers of Bobby Nystrom, Bryan Trottier and Mike Bossy so fans on the floor could have their pictures taken with it. Those same fans will hope Tavares can become a feared sniper and 50-goal threat like Bossy and help the Islanders return to the glory years that resulted in four Stanley Cups more than a quarter-century ago.

Tavares will need help and joins a team with many young players but not much proven talent. Former first-round picks Josh Bailey and Kyle Okposo should benefit from Tavares’ acquisition, where the centerman will also be able to learn from returning veteran center Doug Weight as the Islanders try to make it back to the playoffs after missing out the last two seasons.

“You have the opportunity there to start with a young core of guys and grow into the future,” Tavares said. “You see how many teams have gone it before and you can see where it’s headed with the draft picks.

“There’s a great tradition there to bring the winning tradition back to Long Island. That’s what my goal is and I want to be successful at the highest level. I can’t wait to get started and it’s a great opportunity for me. I can’t wait to get started and it’s a great opportunity for me. This is really a humbling moment and it’s really special for myself.”

Tavares should generate interest with minicamps coming up at the team’s Syosset-based Iceworks practice facility. Tavares said the fan reaction had already impressed him.

“I didn’t see it but I heard things and obviously they are really interested in having me and definitely have the support of the fans and the community, that’s huge,” Tavares said about the draft party that saw 22,000 people order tickets and almost half that amount attend. “I’m very thankful to be going there and I appreciate the opportunity to be part of Long Island. It’s going to be great and I can’t wait to get things going knowing where it’s head. It’s going to be a great future for all of us.”

The Islanders passed on Hedman, the powerful Swedish defenseman. With the Isles front office giving no clues before the selection, there was a possibility the team could haven went with the potential lockdown defender instead of a skilled scorer. Instead, Hedman joined Tampa Bay, who picked Steven Stamkos first overall last year.

“I mean, it was great. The Islanders picked a good guy, as well, John, he’s a very good player,” Hedman said. “I’m just happy to become an NHL player and it became Tampa and I’m just as happy as I can be. Tampa is a great team and a great organization as well as in my thoughts, so I’m really looking forward to help the team next year.”

The Isles also had Duchene on the radar. Duchene and Tavares with roommates at the scouting combine, though neither knew what would unfold in Montreal.

“I had no idea until I saw Johnny go. I had no idea,” Duchene said. “ I was sitting there, going, well, this could be it right here and same with Tampa, no one knew. No one knew. My agent tried to get [Snow] to show his cards and he’s got the best poker face ever, so he held everything pretty close to the chest and didn’t tell anybody.”