Sexy Rexy

How can you not run through a wall for this man?

Game Day

Tonight's the game that has been circled on most of our calendar's since the end of Week 2.  The rematch.  Jets - Patriots, in Foxborough.  We knew back in September that this game would have some meaning behind it, even if it is only that it's a division game, late in the season, payback on the mind for New England.

What we're getting in eight hours is so, so much more.  We're getting two 9-2 teams.  Two 9-2 franchises that despise one another, no matter how friendly and politically correct the coaches and players speak to the media.  They hate each other.  No one in Green and White has any love for someone wearing Red and Blue.  There is a ton of history and dirt that leads to this feeling, to this disdain but that is in the past.  None of that will matter in eight hours.  Only hatred.  And the chance to go 10-2.

Win tonight's game and move to 10-2. First place in the AFC East.  First place in the AFC.  #1 seed for the playoffs in your own hands.  So yeah, Rex Ryan is right by saying it and you know that Bill Belichick is right by thinking it: Tonight's game is the biggest NFL game of the season so far and one of the biggest games in NFL regular season history.

There's a lot in favor of the Patriots, don't get me wrong.  Tom Brady doesn't lose at home.  He doesn't lose in December.  He doesn't lose twice in a season to the same opponent.  He's been lights out since New England got rid of Randy Moss.  He was perfect in his last game.  To some, he's Mr Everything.

But he's not winning tonight.

He will not beat Mark Sanchez, who will face a weak pass rush and a weaker secondary and will duplicate his Week 2 numbers.  He will not beat Braylon Edwards and Santonio Holmes, who missed the first game but has been everything and more for the Jets the last five weeks.  He will not beat Ground and Pound, who will dig out their dirty yards and keep the New England offense off the field.  He will not beat Darrell Revis because, well, no one beats a healthy Darrell Revis.  He will not beat Bart Scott and Calvin Pace, another Jet who missed the first meeting and adds another wrinkle to the defense.  He may find some room in the middle of the field because Mr. Overachiever Jim Leonhard can't be there, but he won't beat our secondary.

The New York Jets will storm into New England and come away with a hard fought, high scoring game.  They will take over first place in the AFC.  They will bruise the Patriots.

They will not be beat!

The Return

Tonight's Jets game will be the first game with all possible players playing in the game (sorry Big Man Kris Jenkins, but it's not possible for you).  Santonio Holmes is back from suspension, Darelle Revis is back from his bum hammy, and Calvin Pace is back from his broken foot.  Damn is feels good to see #10, #24, and #97 back on the field tonight.

But, as we all know, the collective unit must perform on the field and not on paper.  Heading into this game, the boys are riding high, coming off of three straight (huge!) division wins and ready to show the nation that this team is for real.  What we all saw on Monday Night to open the season vs Baltimore was just a fluke and some nerves.  They will come out flying tonight and hitting everything in purple, hard.

The Jets should, and will, have enough tonight to extend their record to 4-1.  Sanchise has a new weapon to go to as well steady Dustin Keller and an improved Braylon Edwards.  Lets not forget about Mr. Revived, LT and his young, spry legs.

Sorry Brett, I'm not getting caught up in your return to the Meadowlands.  I'm actually thankful that you sucked at the end of the 2008 season, caused Man-penguin to lose his job and open the door for Rex Ryan.  You will have a chance tonight to maybe hit a home run or two, maybe.  But you're going to get banged up and bruised all over.  All-Day AP will run freely at times, he's too good to completely shut down but that's all Minnesota will have.

In the end, Jets 27, Vikings 13.

By the way... Another reason you know the Jets will win tonight... It's the 10 year anniversary of the Monday Night Miracle

Upcoming Glory? Can Only Hope

So the last of my local teams that have mold and turned me into the sports fan that I am today is most likely the team that will give me an ulcer before I die.  Don't ask me why exactly but it seems as if I have the most emotional connection with the New York Jets.  Since the mid-90s, the time I can recall most of the individual seasons, I can remember only two seasons ending positively.  But since no Super Bowl was won, I guess not too positive.  But all of those other seasons; bad, worse and worst.

3 and 13.  1 and 15.  Leon's toss.  Vinny's Achilles.  Chad's shoulder, three of them.  Doug O'Brien missed kicks.  Mangenious.   And none of those include the miserable nightmares that I couldn't witness myself, such as the Mud Bowl and the Fake Spike.  We were the laughing stock of the NFL.  The team that just could not get 'it' and made its fans suffer the consequences.  And that's right, I said we.  The fans are a part of this team as much as any set of fans in the country.  We're out there every home Sunday, screaming at the J-E-T-S JETS JETS JETS as best as we can, but we always seem to end in heart break.

But times are a changing it seems.  Rex Ryan and his loud, loud mouth enter the franchise.  They move ahead and draft the Sanchise, Mark Sanchez.  The defense becomes dominant, one of the best in the NFL.  A breath of a fresh air has blown through the New Jets Stadium and the fans believe.  This season has a been a great one so far... so far.  There's still a long way to go.  A long way to go to the Super Bowl.  To extinguishing all of those past memories.  But it does seem as if the 'Same ole Jets' are dead and gone.  So that is a step in the right direction.