Now it’s up to Gang Green to close the deal once and for all and earn the right to most likely face the same Bengal team a week later in Cincy.

The Giants got blown out last week in their farewell to a stadium that has been kind to them in it’s 33 year history. Three Giant Super Bowl teams were borne out of the purported hallowed burial ground of Jimmy Hoffa in this time. For the Jets, the Meadowlands has been home to so many crash landing endings that many Jet fans will be happy to see the team move next door in 2010. A chance at a fresh start with the opportunity to put their own stamp on things, will come shortly.

For now, the Jets hope to give themselves and their die hard fans one great memory in a stadium that has housed at least a few over the years.

The Monday night Miracle in 2000 with Jumbo Elliot’s TD catch capped off the greatest Monday night football comeback in history. Beating the Brett Favre led Packers on the last day of 2002 propelled the upstart Herman Edwards Jets into the playoffs. Their 41-0 dismantling of the Colts in the Wildcard was arguably the loudest Jets fans ever got in the Red and Blue seated stadium.

Of course there were nightmares. Too many to count. The bigger ones that come to mind are the day Dennis Byrd was partially paralyzed against the Chiefs in 1992. Who can forget the Dan Marino fake spike play in 1994 that left the then 6-5 Jets shocked? The wild loss sent them into a “same old Jets” Jet  tailspin, ending Pete Caroll’s tenure as head coach after just one season. This ushered in the Rick Kotite years of 1995 and 1996. Enough said.

Sunday night is about a lifetime of redemption for the franchise that, aside from Super Bowl III, seems to struggle most when the spotlight is the brightest. Although the Jets have fared well in “win or in ” games over the past decade, the stigma associated with monumental collapses contain ghosts that float close to the surface. Apparitions that seem ready to bring bad karma to Gang Green at any time.

This week has had its share of pre-game drama already. Chad Ochocinco and CB Darelle Revis have been going at it in a friendly fun way on twitter. Ochocinco has been boasting that Revis won’t be able to cover him. Don’t bet on it. Revis has covered all of the top receivers this year and has shut them all down. WR Braylon Edwards pulled a “Broadway” Joe guaranteeing the win saying that team is too focused and wants it too badly to lose.

Then there’s the issue of motivation. The Bengals can’t improve their playoff situation with a win. in fact they can only hurt it by adding any top player to the injury list in a game that has no ability to make their path to the Super Bowl any easier. Will coach Marvin Lewis let QB Carson Palmer and the oft injured RB Cedric Benson play for the duration? Backup QB  JT O Sullivan is a former starter with the 49ers, and should fare alot better than Curtis Painter did for the Colts last week, should the Bengals choose to keep Palmer on the sidelines. One or more of the AFC teams on the bubble between Miami, Houston and Pittsburgh will be watching Sunday night praying that the Bengals  go out and be competitive. The jury’s out as to how Lewis will play it.

If the Pats, who publicly claim Tom Brady and co. will be on the field (if you choose to believe Bill Belichick), beat the Texans at 1pm, the Bengals would own the 4th seed. This would be regardless of the outcome against the Jets. A Pats loss and the Bengals would move to No. 3 with a win but beating the Jets could force Cincy into facing division rival Baltimore or Pittsburgh in the opening round.

Many wonder if Cincy will tank just to win the right to take on rookie Mark Sanchez and his 26 interceptions, back to their place instead.

The stage is set. A stadium farewell. A win or else scenario. A national tv audience.

What a dramatic way to end what has been a roller coaster first season for coach Rex Ryan and the rookie Sanchez. 60 minutes away from the playoffs, the question is, can the Jets put it all together? It’s up to Gang Green now. They control their destiny. They are the owners of the chance to give Giants stadium one last glorious ride before it fades into the sunset. Before the Jets 2009 season fades into the sunset as well.

KEYS TO THE BENGALS:

Defense, It’s Time To Peak  For the Jets to keep the season going past Sunday and to make any sort of serious run in January , it’s going to have to be on the defense. The Defense , ranked 1st in the NFL in yards given up, must now grow into a turnover and sack machine. The foundation is there. The pressure has been solid all year. The interceptions have risen in the past five weeks. Now can the Jets D elevate into a unit that creates short fields and scores points. Sunday the Jets will need some help from the D as once again Sanchez will be asked to manage the offense, not carry it.

Shonn Greene: Can Greene develop here on the stretch drive as well? The fumble prone rookie has proven that he can be a big time aid to a run game already churning with RB Thomas Jones as long as he holds onto the rock. If Greene can come into his own, the template may be set for the rest of 2009. Jones, Greene, a few throws mixed in, and a stifling D.

Night Time is the Right Time: The nutty Jet fan base combined with the final game in Giants stadium,and a “Win and in” game” has to prove to be an energy force all its own. Fireman Ed, get your game face on, this one’s big. As big of a game as Gang Green has ever played in a stadium short on memories for the Jets. Alcohol sales have been banned for the game. The Meadowlands knows better than to lend Jet nation more fuel to a fire that may help carry the Jets over the edge and into the postseason.

Rightfully so, since the Jets (8-7) would either clinch the AFC’s fifth seed with a win over the Cincinnati Bengals (10-5) in the final regular season game (and likely, the last game, period) at Giants Stadium, at 8:20pm EST on Sunday night, or miss the playoffs with a loss.

Earlier in the day however, Jets fans may have to do the unimaginable and begin the new decade by rooting for their arch nemesis of the past decade.

In an ironic twist of fate, the New England Patriots (10-5), New York’s division rival, who for much of the past ten years, has stood in the way of the Jets’ success by winning (seven AFC East titles from 2001-2009 and a playoff victory over New York in 2006), could now severely damage the Jets’ playoff hopes by losing.

While focusing on Sunday night’s contest, many seem to be forgetting that what happens earlier in the day in Houston, when the Texans (8-7) host the Patriots (10-5) at 1 pm EST, might have a tremendous effect on the Jets’ chances of beating the Bengals.

Say what you will about how well the Jets played the second half in Indianapolis last week, but if the Colts didn’t rest their starters, the Jets probably wouldn’t be playing for much this Sunday.

Likewise, New York will of course have a much better chance at starting the new year with a playoff-clinching victory against Bengals’ backups instead of the Cincinnati starters that produced a 2009 AFC North championship.

At home, the Jets are still very capable of beating a motivated Bengals team with a lot to play for, but it would certainly be a lot easier for the Jets to win on Sunday night if they face a Bengals Lite team similar to the watered down version of the Colts that the Jets saw last week.

And, what Cincinnati may choose to do against the Jets could depend a lot on Sunday’s outcome in Houston.

If the Patriots beat the Texans, the Bengals would be locked into the AFC’s fourth playoff seed, and figure to rest a lot of starters at Giants Stadium, at least during the second half (especially since without a bye next week, Sunday’s game would be Cincinnati’s one chance at resting its key players prior to the playoffs).

However, if New England again stumbles away from home, and fails to lock up the third seed, that spot will be there for the taking for the Bengals. That’s something that could be a very worthwhile pursuit for Cincinnati for two reasons.

A first-round matchup as a three seed should be easier against a six seed, as opposed to playing in the four-five game next week.

Looking further down the road, the Bengals would also probably prefer a potential second-round playoff matchup at second-seeded San Diego, where Cincinnati was extremely competitive in a 27-24 loss on a 52-yard field goal with three seconds remaining, on December 20th.

A playoff rematch against the 12-3 Chargers shouldn’t be easy at all, but the alternative could be a much tougher road to the Super Bowl going to top-seeded Indianapolis as a four seed.

Although Houston needs a lot of help, the Texans will be playing for a lot regardless of how any other AFC scenario plays out. The Texans can make the playoffs with a win over the Patriots and at least two losses from among the Jets, Baltimore (8-7), and Denver (8-7). Making the postseason is obviously the primary goal, but the expansion Texans should have extra motivation to be fired up. Even if the Texans miss the playoffs this year, a win will give Houston its first winning season in its brief eight-year history while helping the Texans avoid a losing record at home, where they are currently just 3-4 this season.

Adding to the chances of a Texans’ win is the uncharacteristic Jekyl and Hyde performance of New England this year. The Patriots are a perfect 8-0 at home, but they haven’t had a decent road win all season. They’re just 2-5 away from Gillette Stadium, with road victories against 3-12 Tampa Bay (really a neutral field win, in London) and in Buffalo, against the Bills (5-10; 2-5 at home).

With the NBC flex schedule moving the Bengals-Jets game to a prime time Sunday night television affair, the final day of the regular season for Gang Green could be summed up in a single catchy phrase, as in: “Flex, Texans Affect The Jets.”

Regardless of what happens outside of the Meadowlands though, Jet fans are hoping that come Sunday night, they won’t be repeating a far more common phrase, such as “Houston, we have a problem.”

Yahoo Sports lays out the full playoff picture, with all possible remaining combinations, here:

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=ys-09playoffpicture&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

They moved closer to the first-place Dallas Cowboys by beating them at home last week, and Dallas fell even further to New York by losing again, at home to San Diego, earlier in the day on Sunday.

So, it was there for the taking on Sunday night.

Follow up one big NFC East win over Dallas with another over the Philadelphia Eagles, and the Giants would regain the division lead they once held over both Dallas and Philadelphia after their very promising 5-0 start to the 2009 season.

However, it wasn’t meant to be.

The franchise that will go down as the winingest visiting team in the history of the current Giants Stadium, found yet another different way to defeat Big Blue at the Meadowlands, this time, in a 45-38 shootout, on Sunday night.

Although the Giants have certainly had the best of the Eagles during the course of one of the NFL’s best rivalries of all-time, the Eagles have found some very creative ways to break the hearts of Big Blue supporters at Giants Stadium over the years.

In 1978, it was Herman Edwards’ Miracle At The Meadowlands touchdown. Ten years and a day later, Clyde Simmons’ fumbling, game-winning score off of a Giants’ blocked field goal made Giants’ fans again shake their collective heads in heartbreaking disbelief. In 2003, it was Brian Westbrook’s 84-yard punt return with 1:16 left in the game which stole another late Giants Stadium win for the Eagles.

And, on Sunday night, in the 154th game between the Giants and Eagles, Philadelphia (9-4) scored, and scored, and scored some more, to hold off a prolific scoring effort by New York, in the highest scoring meeting ever between the two teams in their 76-year-old rivalry.

If anyone leading up to the game was still cringing and complaining over Giants’ quarterback Eli Manning’s poor performance or Plaxico Burress shooting himself out of the lineup in last year’s divisional home playoff loss to the Eagles, they weren’t pointing their fingers that way this time.

Although the Giants fumbled five times, losing four, while the Eagles turned the ball over just once, two of the lost fumbles didn’t matter, and the Giants put up enough offense to win had their defense not let them down like it has so many other times this season.

In a game which featured five touchdowns of 60 yards or more, New York amassed 512 yards of offense (outgaining the Eagles by 138 yards), controlled the ball for a healthy 34:46

Unlike last year’s playoffs, Giants fans can’t pin this one on Manning or on the offense he directed.

In fact, had the Giants’ defense shown up at all in any number of big spots, the game might have gone down as one of the best of Manning’s career. The Giants’ signal caller finished with a 130.5 passer rating, spreading the ball around to eight different receivers, completing 27 of 38 passes for a career-high 391 yards, while throwing three touchdowns and no interceptions. He also led New York to 27 first downs (to Philadelphia’s 20) and a comeback from two different 14-point first-half deficits and a 13-point third-quarter hole, only to see the Giants’ inept defense immediately give the lead back for good later in the same period.

To put all of that in its proper perspective, the Giants’ 38 points marked the most they have ever scored in a home loss in their long and storied history, and it was their highest point total in any loss in 43 years, since a 49-40 defeat in Cleveland, in 1966. It was also the most points ever allowed in a loss by a Tom Coughlin-coached team.

In a game like this, you usually ask if anyone is capable of tackling, but even that’s difficult to do when you can’t get close enough because you’re putting virtually no pressure on the opposing quarterback, and covering wide open receivers even worse.

The Giants’ defense allowed the Eagles to open the game by marching 67 yards on six plays in 3:27 for a quick 7-0 lead.

Four plays later, the crazy Meadowlands luck of years past continued for the Eagles, when Giants’ running back Brandon Jacobs had the ball knocked free. Before hitting the ground, the ball hit the heel of Giants’ tight end Kevin Boss (who was blocking ahead of Jacobs), and caromed high to a waiting Sheldon Brown, who took it 60 yards the other way for a 14-0 Philadelphia lead just 5:20 into the game.

The Giants’ offense responded though with a drive for a Lawrence Tynes 26-yard field goal in the first quarter, and then 1:53 into the second period, Manning hit rookie Hakeem Nicks, who made a nice spin move to break a tackle and streak 68 yards for a touchdown to pull New York to within 14-10.

But then, the Giants’ defense allowed a twelve-play, 75-yard drive for a field goal before Big Blue’s special teams broke down, allowing the speedy DeSean Jackson to wait for the Giants’ coverage team to overrun him, turning seemingly nothing into a 72-yard punt return for a touchdown to put Philadelphia ahead, 24-10.

Once again, the Giants’ offense kept New York in the game. Manning led an eight-play, 67-yard drive that was finished by running back Ahmad Bradshaw’s 3-yard touchdown run, to get the Giants back to within 24-17 with 1:30 left in the opening half.

However, the Eagles then came right back on the Giants’ porous pass defense again. New York inexcusably allowed a 44-yard completion from quarterback Donovan McNabb (17-26, 275 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT) with the Eagles facing a third-and-20 from their own 32-yard line.

Three plays later, McNabb found tight end Brent Celek for another 23-yard chunk of yardage, setting up a one-yard touchdown run by Michael Vick (PAT missed) ten seconds before the half, for a 30-17 halftime lead for the Eagles.

It was the second time in as many games against the Giants this season that the Eagles posted a 30-spot in the first half against New York. The Giants trailed 30-7 at the half in a 40-17 Week 8 loss in Philadelphia. The 85 combined points were the most any team has scored against the Giants in one season since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger, and that type of scoring allowed the first Eagles’ sweep of the Giants in five years.

The game also marked the first season since 1973 that the Giants have given up at least 40 points or more in at least three games.

Giants’ defensive end very bluntly admitted, “Our defense, we just played like crap. Our offense, for them to put up that many points, and we can’t come out with a victory, we just can’t have that.”

And still, the Giants’ offense wouldn’t let its team go away quietly in such a big divisional game.

New York took the opening kickoff of the second half and drove 74 yards on eleven plays, with Manning completing a 23-yard pass to Boss and a 20-yarder to Nicks, to help set up a Jacobs one-yard touchdown plunge on fourth-and-goal, to draw the Giants to within 30-24.

Then, the Giants’ defense finally came through for a short while.

Linebacker Jonathan Goff intercepted McNabb, giving New York great field position at the Philadelphia 29-yard line, but Manning fumbled on a controversial call when he dove head first and the ground caused the ball to pop loose and be recovered at the Eagles’ 14-yard line.

The play didn’t hurt New York much though, because the Giants’ defense actually responded with, get this –- a three-and-out, and Manning took advantage right away, with a 61-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Domenik Hixon, to give the Giants their only lead of the game, 31-30, with 5:12 left in the third quarter.

That’s when the New York defense went from Big Blue to Big Bust again, allowing Philadelphia to regain the lead for good, 37-31, just 15 seconds later on a 60-yard touchdown pass from McNabb to Jackson, who not only torched the Giants for 178 yards on six catches, but he embarrassed them on that play, losing the New York secondary so badly, that he danced backwards into the end zone for the final few yards before scoring.

It was the eighth touchdown of 50 yards or more for Jackson, which tied an NFL record.

In the fourth quarter, the Giants, still down just six points, had Philadelphia backed up at its own 9-yard line after a good punt by Jeff Feagles.

So naturally, rather than getting the ball back with good field position for a Giants’ offense that was humming, the New York defense allowed a game-clinching twelve-play, 91-yard touchdown drive which ate up 7:24. And, for good measure, they allowed the ensuing two-point conversion, as well, putting Philadelphia ahead, 45-31.

The Giants’ offense still battled back, scoring on a four-yard Manning touchdown pass to Boss with 1:31 left, but an onside kick attempt failed, and the Eagles held on for their fourth straight win over the Giants and their third in a row over New York at Giants Stadium.

Prior to the Giant’s final touchdown, with 2:21 remaining and two timeouts left, the Mario Manningham just missed getting his left toe inbounds on what was very nearly a 28-yard touchdown catch from Manning.

Had that play been a touchdown, the Giants could have used the two-minute warning as a third timeout to get the ball back and score again to force overtime.

But, did that many in the building have any confidence that if that scenario took place, and the Giants needed a big stop, that the defense would actually come through?

The way it actually did play out, the Giants’ defense caused New York to miss a big opportunity.

And yet, the Giants might still have everything still set up okay. Maybe no longer to win the NFC East, but at least, to make the playoffs, since Dallas is in the midst of its annual December swoon, started by that Giants’ victory over the Cowboys last week.

New York (7-6) trails Dallas (8-5) by a game in the standings, but it holds the tiebreaker having swept the Cowboys this season, and the Giants appear to have a significantly more manageable schedule over the final three weeks of the regular season.

A disappointed yet realistic Coughlin said, “We still have a lot to play for.”

Meanwhile, Tuck said, “That’s what thing I know about this team. We won’t ever quit.”

After losing another game to the Eagles, the Giants can’t afford to.

The controversial decision by Belichick to ice the game against the undefeated Peyton Manning led Colts from his own 28 with a six point lead and just 2:08 left, backfired.  The stunning 35-34 win, capped by Manning’s game winning TD throw to WR Reggie Wayne with 0:15 left after the Pats failed 4th and 2, leaves the Jets only two games back of the hated Pats. The Jets could find themselves just one off the AFC East division lead while owning the head to head tiebreaker with a win in Foxboro Sunday.

Make no bones about it though, Sunday will be a monumental challenge. Maybe the clubs toughest they will face all year. The 6-3  Pats want revenge for their week two loss at the Meadowlands while QB Tom Brady was shaking off  the rust from season ending knee surgery in 2008. They’ll also look to erase the bad taste in their mouth from having the Colts on the ropes, then letting them off the hook. Nonetheless, it’s as good of a position that a Jet team who has lost five of six could’ve hoped for.

The Pats are not the same team the Jets saw in September. The biggest reason is that Tom Brady is back. The Pats most important player is second in the NFL in passing yards with 2,739, trailing only Manning with 2,872.  Brady is tied for second with Drew Brees for TD passes with 19 (again trailing only Manning who has 20). The Brady to Randy Moss combo has also woken up. After the slow start , Moss is now second in the league in both yards with 891 and TDs with seven. Pesky WR Wes Welker, out early in the year with hamstring issues, is healthy again and once again a threat to eat up yardage if too much attention is focused on Moss.

The Jets are at this point, a shell of their early season selves. They own the NFL’s top rushing attack averaging 170 yards per game despite losing Leon Washington for the year out in Oakland. The swagger of the team is gone though. Or missing at least. Mounting losses will do that to a team. By week four as the Jets were headed to New Orleans in what was at the time, a battle of the undefeated, many were calling the Jets defense the top unit in the NFL.  The 27-17 loss in the Big Easy gave Jet fans the first look at the types of mistakes rookieQB Mark Sanchez could make. A key ill advised interception in the end zone to FS Darren Sharper gave the Saints a 10-0 lead and they never looked back. The loss was followed by the defense then getting humbled for the first time as well, as they got torched for 416 yards by the Wildcat in Miami in week 5. Things got worse the following week as the glue of the defense NG Kris Jenkins was lost for the season to a torn ACL during a  week six OT loss to putrid Buffalo. Run stopping has suffered since. Jones-Drew burned the Jets for 123 yards last Sunday. Sanchez threw an astounding 5 interceptions during the Bills loss, raising the questions of how much responsibility the Jets should entrust the rookie with the rest of the way.

The second meeting between the clubs will renew a rivalry that contains a decade of seething hatred. Bill Parcells left New England for the Jets in 1997 then Bill Belichick returned the favor. Slated to be announced as the new Jet coach in 2000, Belichick pulled a trick play out of his book and resigned as “HC” of the Jets at the press conference announcing him. In doing this he avoided the shadow that Parcells as a front office man would’ve cast over his star pupil. Belichick then went on to return to New England where he was Parcells defensive coordinator in the mid nineties,  to win four Super Bowls in New England. Doing it  with the help of a coaching staff that consisted of many former Jet assistants under Parcells.

The rivalry took another odd turn when top Pats assistant Eric Mangini then usurped Belichick’s wishes to go anywhere but the Jets and signed on to become of course, the Jets head coach in 2006. Mangini was immediately locked out of the Foxboro facility. In 2007 after a blowout loss in the opener, “Mangenius” then complained that the Pats were using cameras to spy on the Jet sidelines. This brought about the controversial “Spygate” incident which threatened to ruin Belichick’s credibility and hall of fame resume as new charges against “Belicheat”  seemed to come out of the woodwork every day.

In the Spring of 2009, new Jet head coach Rex Ryan injected some new blood into the storyline by proclaiming that he didn’t come to New York “to kiss Bill Belichick’s rings.” Given the result in week two,  a 16-9 win over Belicheck’s crew, Ryan looked like the leader of team that could talk the talk AND walk the walk. In fact, after the game, outspoken Jet LB Bart Scott defended teammate CB Darelle Revis, who did a great job on perennial All Pro WR Randy Moss, on a day that included a key interception by the Jets top corner on a pass intended for Moss.

“I hear the easy copout by Randy Moss, saying that anybody can guard … that ‘I can play cornerback if I had safety help,’” Scott said. “That was a one-on-one jump ball. I think sometimes you’ve just got to give the man his credit, understand that [Revis] was the better man that day..[Revis] shut him down. He intimidated him. Randy was coming across that middle real slow. Tell him to man up next time and come across the middle like a man if he wants to be a complete receiver.”

Rest assured Moss and the Patriots haven’t forgotten their performance that day or the words exchanged by both clubs after the game.  When it comes to the Jets- Patriots there is no such thing as a short memory, only a long history of bad blood. This brings us now to the latest chapter in the saga.

While Belichick spent Monday trying to justify why he had no faith in his defense down the stretch at  Indy, Ryan spent part of Monday according to locker room reports, giving a passionate plea to his team that drove the rookie head coach to tears.

Offensive lineman Damien Woody reported “He was talking about the situation — this upcoming game with New England and how we’re still there, how we still have a pulse. He said It’s all about us, that nobody believes in us and that we are the only ones who believe we can get things done..He said, ‘I believe in you; I believe you get can get this thing done,’ and that’s when he really got emotional.” Revis added” I haven’t been a part of a meeting where a coach cried like that.”

Emotions. That’s what the Jets need. They played so well early on when they were driven by them. The Jets have to stick together and begin to believe like winners again, because as Woody noted regarding Ryan’s speech, few believe in the Jets right now. Only the players themselves can help change the perception that the Jets season is for all intensive purposes, over. The chance to reinvent themselves and not waste what was a promising start to 2009, presents itself Sunday. Albeit, it’s the first place Pats they are dealing with. The hated Pats. The Tom Brady and Bill Belichick Pats. Drama and daunting task aside, with a win the Jets will be back in business again in the AFC East.

THREE KEYS TO THE GAME:

JET PRESSURE ON BRADY. That how the Jets beat the Pats in week two. Brady was rushed, off his timing, and inaccurate. Much of it due to rust, the other, the Jet pressure. Without pressure, you can forget about it.

REVIS MOSS ROUND TWO: The winner of this battle will give his team the edge. “Revis Island” won the first one but Moss has been on fire since and surely remembers the bravado the Jets spoke with in shutting him down.

EMOTION: The Jets have to play with emotion Sunday. There has to be a “back against the wall” and  “us against the world mentality.” This rivalry seems to bring it out naturally, but the Jets shouldn’t wait to get kicked in the face before they decide to  get themselves going. If they do that in Foxboro,  it may be too late.

“I thought the crowd was tremendous today,” the rookie head coach said. “They were fantastic and behind us all the way.” They certainly had nearly a full 60 minutes to make noise and feel confident that they would hit the traffic on the New Jersey Turnpike a happy group. But a Josh Scobee 21-yard field goal as time expired changed all of that.

The nail in the coffin was the culmination of an 80-yard drive directed by Jaguars quarterback David Garrard (16-for-26, 221 yards, 1 touchdown plus 1 rushing touchdown). Jacksonville head coach Jack Del Rio decided to use as much time as possible, even choosing to have running back Maurice Jones-Drew (123 yards on 24 carries and 1 touchdown) go down at the 1-yard line instead of scoring a touchdown and leaving the Jets any time on the clock to put the ball back in the hands of Mark Sanchez.

“Once we got the first down in that situation, we had the ball on the 14-yard line, the game was over,” Del Rio said. “You’ve got to make  [the equivalent of] an extra point and don’t even give them a chance to return a kick or get a fluke play or anything like that. I declared right away when we got down there and had that situation that that’s how I wanted to approach it. The guys handled it real well.”

An auspicious start to the game set the tone for the rest of the afternoon. On the Jets first play from scrimmage, Sanchez tried to hit Jericho Cotchery deep down the field and Jags corner Rashean Mathis easily picked off the badly under thrown ball. Jones-Drew dominated on the drive and went in to the end zone on a 3^rd and 2 33 yards out.

Jacksonville then nearly caught the Jets special teams unit off guard by attempting an onside kick, which was knocked out of bounds by Jamaal Westerman at the Jaguars 44-yard line. The Jets could only muster a 32-yard Jay Feeley field goal, his first of three on the day.

The Jets defense had trouble with both the run and pass and Jacksonville went into the locker room at halftime leading by a score of 21-13. They tightened up the entire second half until that fatal last drive.

The Jets went ahead 22-21 with just over five minutes remaining on a 1-yard over-the-top by Thomas Jones (21 carries, 77 yards, 1 touchdown). On the ensuing two-point conversion attempt, Braylon Edwards appeared to drop the Sanchez delivery.

“It was a simple throw,” the wideout said. “It was a little bit behind me. I had a hand on it but the safety came out of nowhere and put a helmet in my ribs. It was a good play.”

Now one game under .500, the Jets may have seen their playoff hopes go up in flames. “We just spent all our room for error,” Ryan said.

Certainly a feeling echoed by all the disappointed fans perhaps still sitting in traffic.

It was the type of mid-season drive that can change a season for both teams, and depending on what happens in the remainder of the 2009 season, it just may. The Chargers had come to the Meadowlands with a 4-3 record, winners of two straight after a very mediocre start to their season, looking to gain on Denver in the AFC West, and also keep pace in the very competitive AFC wild-card picture. The Giants meanwhile, were looking to get back on track after following a 5-0 start with three consecutive losses. So, a big game for both sides, and a bigger finish for San Diego and quarterback Phillip Rivers. Five years after being traded from the Giants for Eli Manning, Rivers got revenge on both, with a brilliant two-minute drill to win the game. Bouncing back from an interception that looked to seal the Chargers’ fate on their previous possession, Rivers and San Diego caught a big break when the Giants couldn’t score after a first-and-goal at the Charger 4-yard line, and New York had to settle for field goal. Rivers took advantage, completing 6 of 8 passes, taking the Chargers 80 yards in 8 plays, in just 1:44, throwing hid third touchdown pass of the game, an 18-yarder with just 21 seconds left, to upset the Giants, 21-20.

#4:  CINCY ‘D’ RIPS RAVENS

In a big AFC North showdown, the Bengals, normally know in past years for their offense, have stepped up the defense this year, and they were all about the ‘D’ in beating the Ravens, 17-7. Shutting out Baltimore over the first three quarters, Cincinnati finished the game with six sacks, while forcing three turnovers, and allowing just 215 total yards. Instead of letting the Ravens tie the Bengals at 5-3, a game behind 6-2 Pittsburgh, the Bengals’ dominant defensive performance allows them to play the Steelers for first place next week, with both teams at 6-2, while Baltimore fell back to .500 at 4-4.

#3:  TURNER TURNS IT UP

Atlanta running back Michael Turner was turned loose against Washington and he made the Redskins pay with a game-high 166 yards on just 18 carries, for a 9.2 ypc average. He also rushed for two touchdowns. His second came in the fourth quarter, on a 58-yard run, just 1:42 after Washington made it a game at 24-17, early in the fourth quarter. Turner accounted for all but 15 of the Falcons’ 181 rushing yards in helping Atlanta get to 5-3 at home.

#2: WARNER’S HUGE TURNAROUND

Talk about a change! Arizona quarterback Kurt Warner threw five touchdown passes one week after throwing five interceptions, in the Cardinals’ 41-21 win in Chicago. Warner led first-half drives of 81, 74, 70, and 86 yards the first four times Arizona touched the ball, with all resulting in touchdown passes. The Cardinals built a big 31-7 halftime lead on the strength of those scoring drives, and Warner finished the game 22 of 32 for 261 yards, and this time, no interceptions.

#1:  IN THE OLD THREADS, THE BUCS STOP LOSING

I know a lot of people don’t like them, and I do like the new threads, but I still have a soft spot for the old light orange Tampa Bay uniforms and the old logo. The Buccaneers might like them better this season now, too. It took wearing their throwbacks, giving 2009 first-round pick, quarterback Josh Freeman his first start, and comebacks from 14-7, 21-14, and 28-17, but Tampa Bay finally got their first win of the season and broke the league’s longest losing streak, which stood at eleven games, dating back to least season. Freeman was only 14 of 31 for 205 yards in his NFL debut, but he threw just one interception and three touchdowns, including two in the fourth quarter to rally the Bucs to a 38-28 victory. Tampa Bay also had a blocked punt returned 31 yards for a touchdown which tied the game 14-14 in the second quarter, and iced the game, returning a touchdown 35 yards with 35 seconds left.

More than five years after being traded for Manning, San Diego quarterback Phillip Rivers, who was a Giant for all of about 45 minutes on Draft Day in 2004, directed a final minute, game-winning, 80-yard touchdown drive to beat the Giants, 21-20, at the Meadowlands on Sunday, in the first meeting between Manning and Rivers since their trade.

In their first trip back to the Meadowlands to play the Giants since December 23, 1995 (a 27-17 San Diego victory), the Chargers brought the nice San Diego weather with them on an uncharacteristically warm November day in New Jersey, and their recent stretch of hot play as well.

For at least one day, San Diego could definitely feel like they got the better of the deal, even though most football followers, even among those who either cover or root for the Giants, have ranked Rivers as slightly better than Manning to this point in their careers.

Entering Sunday’s showdown, Rivers’ had a better quarterback rating (93.4 to 77.1), completion percentage (61.9 percent to 56.1 percent), yards-per-game average (215.8 ypg to 203.4 ypg), and touchdowns-to-interceptions ratio (89:40 to 111:82).
However, most who feel that Rivers has been the more accomplished of the two passers, also agree that the Giants have had the biggest leg — or with a quarterback comparison, the biggest arm –- up on the trade since Manning leads in the one statistical category which matters most: one Super Bowl victory (including a Super Bowl MVP) to no Super Bowls reached yet for Rivers.

On Sunday, the results were remarkably similar between the two quarterbacks who will always be associated with each other throughout the rest of their careers and whatever future legacies they leave behind.

Throwing for 215 yards on 33 attempts, Manning completed 25 passes, increasing his career total to 1,441, moving him past one former Giant (Charlie Conerly, 1,418 completions) and just six completions behind another — Kerry Collins, who ranks second on the Giants’ career completion list.

Rivers meanwhile, was about the same, going 24 for 36, for 209 yards.

Where they differed was that Manning did not turn the ball over, while Rivers threw two interceptions, but while Manning tossed a pair of touchdowns, Rivers threw touchdown passes on all three of San Diego’s scores.

In terms of just one game on Sunday, Rivers ultimately had the last laugh, and more importantly for both teams, the Chargers (5-3) and Giants are now going in opposite directions, with San Diego winning their past three games after a mediocre and inconsistent 2-3 start, while New York lost its fourth consecutive game after looking like an elite NFL team at 5-0. The Giants have already matched the total number of losses they had in 2008.

Perhaps expecting a Manning-Rivers back-and-forth shootout, the 78,774 fans in attendance witnessed a scoreless game after one quarter.

The Giants had a chance to strike early, but came away with no points after driving 68 yards on eleven plays, in 7:23, on the game’s opening possession, after holder Jeff Feagles couldn’t get a snap down on a 38-yard field goal attempt.

That play would come back to haunt the Giants in the one-point loss, and appropriately, Feagles’ fumble on the play was recovered by Chargers’ linebacker Shawne Merriman, who despite being suspended by the NFL for abusing steroids in 2006, is a three-time pro bowl selection after being selected by San Diego in the first round of the 2005 NFL draft using a draft pick that the Chargers acquired when they traded Rivers for Manning.

On the final play of the first quarter, Rivers threw just before pressure from the back side, from Giants’ linebacker Michael Boley (who returned from injury), and from defensive end Osi Umenyiora and linebacker Antonio Pierce, both up the middle, got to him, to complete a key 3rd-and-10 pass to tight end Antonio Gates (game-high 67 yards on 5 receptions) for a 19-yard play to the Giants’ 10-yard line.

That set up a Rivers 10-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Vincent Jackson, who caused Giants starting left cornerback Corey Webster problems on several occasions during the game. Jackson’s catch gave the Chargers a 7-0 lead on the first play of the second quarter.

But, Manning went a perfect 9-for-9 to march the Giants right back on their longest drive (in terms of time) in over sixteen years, taking New York 79 yards on 16 plays in 10:35, to tie the game, 7-7, on a 6-yard touchdown pass with 4:20 left in the first half, to wide receiver Steve Smith, who led the Giants with eight catches for 57 yards.

The game remained tied until late in the third quarter, when Rivers took advantage of another short punt by Feagles, something which has seriously plagued the Giants while facing good opposing quarterbacks during their current losing streak.

After a 31-yard punt by Feagles, Rivers drove the Chargers 51 yards in on six plays in 3:03, to give his team a 14-7 lead on a 2-yard touchdown toss to tight end Kris Wilson, with 3:51 left in the third quarter. Webster helped set up the score, being called for pass interference in the end zone against Jackson, on a 29-yard heave by Rivers, who was hit as he threw.

Manning again responded though, taking the Giants 70 yards on 10 plays in 4:42, to set up a 38-yard field goal by kicker Lawrence Tynes, to cut the Chargers’ lead to 14-10 with 14:09 left in the game.

Then, after the Giants’ defense forced its only three-and-out of the game, New York got great field position at the San Diego 39-yard line after a 13-yard punt return by Domenik Hixon.

The Giants needed only six plays from there, to take a 17-14 lead with 8:58 remaining in the game, on an 8-yard Manning touchdown pass into the far left corner of the end zone to tight end Kevin Boss.

The defining moment of the game — and depending on how things plays out over the next several weeks, maybe of the season — then came for the Giants after both teams traded punts.

Taking over at the San Diego 21-yard line after a Feagles’ 46-yard punt out of bounds, Rivers, on first down, threw over the middle and was intercepted by cornerback Terrell Thomas at the Chargers’ 37-yard line. Thomas returned the ball 33 yards to the San Diego four-yard line, with just 3:14 left in the game.

If the Giants score there, as they should have, they likely win the game and have a much different outlook on their season right now.

Instead, New York went into ultra conservative mode, rather than attacking to try to win the game, partly because of a holding penalty on right guard Chris Snee which immediately pushed the ball back to the 14-yard line.

Manning then completed to wide receiver Hakeem Nicks for no gain. On second down, running back Brandon Jacobs ran up the middle for five yards to the Chargers’ 9-yard line. And, on 3rd-and-goal, the Giants again ran the same play, Jacobs for five yards up the middle, to the San Diego four-yard line.

All that did was set up a Tynes 22-yard field goal to put the Giants ahead 20-14, with 2:07 left in the game, giving a good quarterback like Rivers plenty of time to send New York to yet another defeat.

And that’s exactly what Rivers did, completing six of eight passes, taking the Chargers 80 yards to win the game. The game-winning drive was capped on the second touchdown catch by Jackson, this time on an 18-yard pass from Rivers with just 21 seconds left in the game.

On the play, Webster was again beaten by Jackson, but mostly because he never received help that should have been there. Cornerback Bruce Johnson was locked in on Gates, who running an inside route, and he never made a break to his left in time to give help to Webster who was watching Jackson run the outside fade route toward the far right corner of the end zone.

Rivers is simply too good for that without enough pressure on him, nor the help from Johnson on Jackson, Rivers easily went over the top of Webster leading Jackson for the game-winning score.

Ultimately, the Giants never got enough pressure on Rivers for most of the game, hitting him only five times, and because of that, their whole season is now under pressure.

Fittingly, it was Merriman who sacked Manning to end the game, preventing the Giants from getting off one last play from their own 29-yard line.

After the game, Rivers described his long-awaited initial meeting with Manning and the Giants, who are less than two years removed from a Super Bowl title as “A big emotional win.”

He added, “The link between me and Eli Is always going to be there. So yeah, it’s a little special. Any time you play against a team that won the Super Bowl, it’s fun. [The trade] didn’t weigh into my mind and my thinking, but I bet it was there.”

The same can be said for Manning and the Giants, who heading into their bye week on a four-game losing streak, have much greater concerns on their own minds, with their season slipping away.

Everyone involved with the UFL keeps using the catch phrase “alternative entertainment,” but I prefer to use the term “football at a price everyone can afford to watch.”  With seats priced at levels even lower then most college football games, everyone should be taking advantage of the chance to see professional football.

If you tally the cost of going to an NFL Game (even if you have tickets you purchased at regular face value), you would have already priced the average person out of their rent or mortgage payment for a month. With the going price for a UFL seat at $20 per, a family of 4 can have an affordable day or night of football.

While Thursday’s game was another loss for New York, they continue to improve in every facet of the game. Recent additions to the roster include former NFL Punter Scott Player, who wears a faceguard out of the 1950’s era.  When I asked New York head coach Ted Cottrell about player’s faceguard (as I’m an ex-kicker/punter and wore a similar one as a youth player in the 1960’s and 70’s), he lit up that great smile of his and told us, “they’ve (the team) never seen it!”

California would win this game by a 20-13 score, but New York kept it more then interesting, considering they had given up 17 points in the first half. Give the New York coaches and players credit for not packing it in early, as you could almost hear echoes of Herman Edwards famous “you play to win the game” quote along with his infamous (to Giants fans) fumble recovery for a touchdown throughout the halls of the building that will soon be torn down.

Personally, I spent many years learning about football In the Meadowlands, as both a fan sitting in section 311(row 25, seats 6-10), and later as I began my sports writing career. It holds a special place for me, and having the opportunity to cover the first UFL game here just made this last year of the building’s existence and my memories of it that much sweeter for me.

Both coaches have a wide array of feelings about the building as well. Redwoods head coach Dennis Green was asked about it and told us, “It was exciting to be at Giants Stadium, but once the game starts, you don’t notice. All the players were excited.”

He also made mention of the famous “Open Doors” Incident that he felt cost him a win over the Giants when the facilities staff would open the doors on the field level to allow the wind to aid a Giants’ field goal attempt or punt and then make sure they were closed for the opposing team In the same situation.

Coach Cottrell offered some other thoughts on the positive side:  “It was great to be in the area we’re locating to. I wish it (the game) had come out another way.” He went on to tell us “This ball park is great for fans. The new one (stadium) is going to be even better.” He still holds a deep fondness for the area from his time as a Rutgers assistant coach, and as the Jets defensive coordinator, but also recounted his famous quote as a Bills assistant when his defensive players talked about coming to New York to play the Jets, “It’s not New York, it’s East Rutherford New Jersey.”

All that being said, the stadium with the skyline of Manhattan in clear view will be missed by many people, but will be remembered for many great moments, including the launch of the UFL in the NY area.

However, it was a certain right foot — or more specifically, a right heel — which concerned the Giants most on Sunday.

That is, the sore right heel of Giants’ star quarterback Eli Manning, who made his 83rd consecutive start.

As if following a script that Giants’ head coach Tom Coughlin couldn’t have written better himself, Manning tossed two touchdown passes while leading New York to touchdowns on each of its first four offensive possessions.

The fast start allowed Coughlin to pull and rest Manning for precautionary reasons before halftime, with the Giants very comfortably ahead of the woeful Oakland Raiders at The Meadowlands on Sunday.

Manning said, “It was just a… team domination from the start, and it gave us a big lead, and that’s what we wanted to do.”

Big Blue wasted no time in sending a clear message to the rest of the National Football League that with their offensive leader of sound health, the Giants intend to remain a legitimate Super Bowl contender this season.

On the first play from scrimmage in the Giants’ 44-7 rout of Oakland, Manning took a normal drop from under center, made a routine plant on the right heel that he injured in the Giants’ win in Kansas City last week, and off a play-action fake, completed a solid pass to tight end Darcy Johnson for a 9-yard gain.

As Johnson was tackled, 79,012 fans in attendance plus millions of other Giants’ fans watching on television or listening on the radio, breathed a collective sigh of relief.

With Manning’s plantar fasciitis question apparently answered on the game’s initial play, the Giants used more than half of the first quarter during a 14-play, 77-yard game-opening drive which took 8:03, to grab a 7-0 lead. Manning completed four passes to four different receivers in five attempts, for 36 yards on the drive, immediately quelling any doubts about the condition of his heel.

Manning later confirmed that he felt fine, saying “It felt great during the game, it felt like I could do everything, run the offense… I could do everything we had to do.”

New York capped the possession with a 4th-and-1 touchdown plunge by running back Ahmad Bradshaw, who led the Giants’ rushing attack with a game-high 110 yards on just 11 carries. Coughlin evaluated Bradshaw’s performance with high praise, saying, “He’s run the ball very tough, very physical, he makes a lot of people miss. He had a very, very good game.”

For further convincing, after an Oakland three-and-out, Manning began the Giants’ next possession placing the ball over the shoulder of Raiders’ cornerback, seven-year pro Chris Johnson, hitting wide receiver Steve Smith, who led all receivers with 70 yards on three catches, for a 43-yard pass to the Oakland 36 yard-line. Bradshaw then finished the three-play, 79-yard drive, which took only 1:37, with a rush of 17 yards, before going untouched on a 19-yard touchdown run, putting the Giants up 14-0 with 3:15 left in the first quarter.

After another Raider three-and-out, Bradshaw turned a Manning screen pass on third-and-24 into a 55-yard romp to the Oakland 30 yard-line on the final play of the opening quarter, a period in which the New York outgained Oakland 219-18 while controlling the ball for 11:07 to the Raiders’ 3:53.

On the next play, Manning threw a nice 30-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Mario Manningham in the far right corner of the end zone, giving the Giants a 21-0 lead just seven seconds into the second quarter.

Only three plays later, the Giants got the ball back on the first of three Oakland fumbles, all by quarterback Jamarcus Russell, who was just 8 of 13 for 100 yards. Cornerback Terrell Thomas sacked Russell, the first of six New York sacks, forcing the ball loose. Defensive end Justin Tuck recovered at the Raiders’ 13 yard-line. After two rushes, Manning threw a 3rd-and-6, nine-yard bullet in the end zone to wide receiver Hakeem Nicks (4 receptions, 49 yards) for the rookie’s second career touchdown (Nicks made his first career touchdown reception last week). The Giants led 28-0 with 12:37 remaining in the half, and the rout was on.

The Raiders’ only points came on only their fourth touchdown of the season — as many touchdowns as the Giants had in Sunday’s game alone, to that point –- after Sinorice Moss fumbled a punt which Oakland recovered at the New York 15 yard-line. Running back Michael Bush cut the Giants’ lead to 28-7 on a 5-yard touchdown run with 2:19 to go in the first half after it appeared that the Raiders got a break when a Giants’ fumble recovery was negated on a questionable forward progress ruling on the previous play.

At that point, having completed 8 of his 10 passes for 173 yards (49 more than the total yards Oakland managed for the game), Manning was lifted for the remainder of the day in favor of backup David Carr.

Russell’s second fumble set up a Lawrence Tynes 25-yard field goal with two seconds left in the half, as the Giants took a 31-7 lead into the break.

On the Giants’ opening possession of the third quarter, Carr capped a six-play, 53 yard drive with a 12-yard run into the near left corner of the end zone, for a 38-7 Giants’ advantage with 10:01 left in the third quarter.

Tynes added a 33-yard field goal with 6:52 left in the third, and closed the scoring with 11:38 remaining in the game on a 37-yard kick.

The Giants’ dominance of the Raiders was of an equal opportunity variety for both the running and passing games. New York, which outgained Oakland 483-124 yards overall, held advantages of 220-64 on the ground and 263-64 through the air.

The win marks the third time the Giants have started a season 5-0. The previous times, they lost in the 1941 NFL championship game, and the 1990 Giants won Super Bowl XXV.

In a showdown of arguably the top two teams in the NFL right now, the Giants, who have beaten up on a soft schedule of Tampa Bay (0-5), Kansas City (0-5) and Oakland (1-4) over the past three weeks, will travel to New Orleans to face the 4-0 Saints on Sunday, at 1:00pm EST.

Though Sunday’s game will foremost be a big regular season matchup with possible big playoff seeding implications, it will also be an emotional homecoming for Manning, who was born in New Orleans. For the first time ever, Manning will be playing in The Superdome, where his father, Archie Manning, a former two-time pro-bowl selection who still makes his home in New Orleans, played for the Saints from 1971-1982.

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.