Projo Pats Blog

I apologize for my Monday and Tuesday absence, as I was enjoying some time with my family. Now back to commenting on the news of the day, with a big, big game coming up tomorrow:

THE HATE FACTOR: Newsday reports what some of the Jets players are saying about the Patriots. Not much of it is nice, and tight end Chris Baker has the strongest words: "They obviously don't like us and we really don't like them, either. ... I don't think they really respect us."

STAT OF THE DAY: The Patriots may not be a downfield passing team this year, but thanks to players like Wes Welker and Kevin Faulk, they remain very good at piling up yards after catches. The Jets, meanwhile, are vulnerable in this department, ranking 24th in the NFL with their 949 yards after catch allowed (Boston Globe). Welker and Faulk made a big impact against the Patriots by catching short balls and running with them, and it's something that the New York secondary -- which now includes Ty Law -- will have to focus on if they want to get revenge tomorrow.

STIRRING UP THE POT: Ron Borges looks at the Law signing by the Jets -- and their decision to cut a 24-year-old former Pro Bowl kick returner (Justin Miller) to make way for Law -- and sees another example of Eric Mangini's team just trying to stick it to New England (Boston Herald). Law was there for the Jets to take all season long, they've had trouble with their secondary all season long, and it wasn't until the injury-depleted Patriots were really interested in Law that the Jets jumped, Borges notes. Conclusion: "Tomorrow is again a night when the postgame handshake will be studied the way political scientists used to study the Kremlin."

JUST TRY IT: Mark Cannizzaro of The New York Post agrees with Borges that the timing of the Law signing is a little odd. He talked to the newest Jet, who expects to be a target whenever he is on the field tomorrow: "I would throw at me, too," Law said. "I'm just coming back, haven't played, they call me 'old man.' Hell, throw at me. That's what any smart coach would do. I relish the opportunity and look forward to the challenge."

WHAT ARE THE CHANCES? By signing Law, the Jets have two players in their secondary (the other is cornerback Darrelle Revis) who hail from Aliquippa, Pa., population 11,734 (according to the 2000 Census). (NFL.com)

THE FAVRE ANGLE: The Jets' disappointing performance in their Week 2 loss to the Patriots resulted in lots of public recriminations involving Brett Favre -- people saying that Favre was a shell of his old self, that Mangini wasn't using him correctly, among other things. Now the Jets are getting a lot of credit for their ball-control approach on offense, but Favre remains a man with something to prove (New York Times). Maybe that's why Favre's comments about tomorrow ("I know exactly what this game means, the weight it carries.") sound so much more urgent -- and honest -- than Mangini's ("I don't think that one game ever defines a season.")

A BETTER OPTION MIGHT BE: While this is certainly a big game for Favre, the Jets enter the game boasting the number-one rusher (Thomas Jones) in the NFL. Cris Collinsworth, who will work tomorrow's game for the NFL Network, says that the effectiveness (or lack thereof) of the New York running game will be one of the keys to the outcome (New York Post). Jones has not been great against the Patriots in his career -- since joining the Jets he has rushed 40 times for just 131 yards (a 3.1-yards-per-carry average) in three games against New England. In Week 2 he was stopped three consecutive times in the second quarter on attempts to punch the ball into the end zone from the Patriots' goal line.

SAME OLD, SAME OLD: You didn't expect Bill Belichick to offer any insight yesterday on how his team will cope with the loss of Adalius Thomas, now did you? Here's what the coach said when asked about the challenge of replacing Thomas defensively: "Every week you always have to be ready to make adjustments sometimes during the game, sometimes during the week. Whatever they are we will do the best we can with that just like we do every week." O.K. And will any one player really be able to fill Thomas' role, or will it be a few players combining to replace the versatile linebacker? "We try to prepare for each team individually and game plan each team. So, whatever we will do against our next opponent, that's what we will do with whoever the players are." Next question ...

A DISCIPLINED GROUP: The Patriots are still the least-penalized team in the NFL, with only 32 penalties called against them through nine games. Even more amazing to me, though, is that only five players have been flagged more than one time this season, and one of them, Stephen Spach, is no longer with the team (Boston Globe).

PLAYING CATCH-UP: The Herald's Karen Guregian, who has been out in front of the story of Tom Brady's troublesome knee surgery aftermath, quotes an unnamed source saying that the quarterback is "a little behind" schedule, and is working on mobility exercises to combat stiffness that results from his postsurgical infection.

ONE FOR THE BOOKS: Our fantasy sports columnist Michael Salfino believes that Sunday's Panthers-Raiders game was the worst passing game in modern NFL history. In case you missed it, winning quarterback Jake Delhomme threw for 72 yards and four interceptions.

 Tags  Football Today New York Jets

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