Jets at Patriots
There has been no shortage of subplots in recent years in the rivalry between the New York Jets and New England Patriots.
From the high-profile divorce of the Bills (Parcells and Belichick) to the cold war between Belichick and Eric Mangini and the fallout from the Spygate scandal, the intensity - and animosity - has risen dramatically over the past decade.
The arrival of bombastic Jets coach Rex Ryan into the fray has only served to ratchet the emotions to a boil.
Oh, and as an aside - when the Jets visit the Patriots for a marquee Monday Night Football clash, the teams will be playing for the best record in football as well as first place in the AFC East.
The Jets (9-2) arrive in Foxborough having won four straight games overall and a franchise-record eight in a row on the road. That includes a tightrope act in which they won back-to-back games in overtime (at Detroit and Cleveland) to keep pace with New England atop the division.
The Patriots (9-2) have won three straight, including impressive back-to-back wins at Pittsburgh and at home against Indianapolis.
The latter victory improved New England's record to 5-0 at Gillette Stadium this season and was the 25th consecutive regular-season home win for quarterback Tom Brady, tying Brett Favre for the league record.
New York can take control of the division and deal a huge psychological blow to the Patriots with a victory Monday night.
The Jets already own a 28-14 victory over New England in Week 2 and would own what amounts to a two-game division lead if they can sweep the season series.
In the first matchup, the Jets scored 21 unanswered points and held the Patriots scoreless in the second half. Quarterback Mark Sanchez threw a career-high three touchdown passes in the win.
That loss matched New England's lowest point total of the season. The Patriots are the league's highest-scoring team with 334 points, including 115 in the last three games.
Conversely, the Jets have allowed the fourth-fewest points (187) in the NFL, although they held only one opponent under 20 points in a six-game stretch prior to a 26-10 victory over Cincinnati on Thanksgiving night.
Ryan, who introduced himself to the rivalry by announcing he was not hired to “kiss Belichick’s rings,” insists New York in a run-first team with the duo of LaDainian Tomlinson and Shonn Green. But he may be tempted to attack the Patriots through the air, given that their pass defense ranks last in the NFL.
New England will be sporting a different look on offense than in the first meeting, having traded away deep threat Randy Moss.
Spreading the ball around to an array of receivers, Brady had thrown for 23 touchdown passes against just four interceptions. He has not been picked off in the last six games.
The Jets also feature a different look in the wide receiving corps from the first matchup. Santonio Holmes, who was suspended for the first four weeks, has four scoring receptions – all in the last three games.
New York will be looking for its third straight Monday night win at New England, which has won 15 straight home games in December.