According to a Yahoo! Sports report, the Christmas Eve clash between the New York Giants and New York Jets actually matters for a change. “For all the history of these teams – the Jets have Joe Namath and Super Bowl III while the Giants have Lawrence Taylor, the David Tyree catch and three titles – none of it intersects,” says the author of the article, Jason Cole. But of the 11 times the teams played during the regular season over the past 42 years, five were highly entertaining and significant. Here’s a look back at the top five games in the Giants-Jets rivalry.

New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning
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1) Nov. 1, 1981

The Giants and Jets were both in the midst of the playoff race by the midway point of the season, and the early November matchup between the squads would determine who was the top team in New York in the 1981 season. The Jets, featuring legendary Sack Exchange players Mark Gastineau, Joe Klecko, Marty Lyons and Abdul Salaam, sacked Giants quarterback Phil Simms nine times and held their offense to just seven points. The Jets came away with a 26-7 win.

2) Dec. 18, 1988

The teams squared off in the season finale of the 1988 season, with the Jets coming away with a 27-21 victory to knock the 10-6 Giants out of the playoff race. The Jets, who finished 8-7-1, were already eliminated from the postseason, but they showed plenty of heart in the affair. The Jets held a 20-7 lead in the third quarter, but Phil Simms hit Stephen Baker and Lionel Manuel for touchdown passes to give the Giants a 21-20 advantage. But with time winding down, Jets wide receiver Al Toon caught a touchdown pass to seal the victory for the Jets and end the Giants’ playoff hopes.

3) Nov. 2, 2003

The Giants would win their third straight game against the Jets in a wildly entertaining overtime affair on Nov. 2, 2003. New York Jets quarterback Chad Pennington pushed the pace of the offense and led a late comeback charge, tying the game at 28-all in the waning minutes of regulation time. But Giants kicker Brett Conway booted a field game with four seconds left in overtime to earn a 31-28 victory for his team.

4) Oct. 7, 2007

The last time the Giants played the Jets in the regular season was in the 2007-08 season, the year they won the Super Bowl over the New England Patriots. The Giants would ultimately win their fourth consecutive game over the Jets in thrilling, come-from-behind fashion. The Giants found themselves behind, 24-14, but Eli Manning connected on touchdown passes to wide receivers Jeremy Shockey and Plaxico Burress to put his team back on top. Aaron Ross then sealed the victory with a game-changing interception, ultimately helping the Giants come out on top, 35-24.

5) Nov. 10, 1974

The Jets earned a 26-20 win over the Giants for their first ever regular-season overtime victory. It was also the first time any regular-season NFL game ended with an overtime win, as this was the year that the league instituted overtime to non-playoff games. It was a back-and-forth affair, with the Jets tying the game in the fourth quarter on a quarterback sneak from Joe Namath. In the overtime period, Namath connected with Emerson Boozer to seal the win for the Jets.

Eric Holden is a lifelong New York Jets fan and he will be pulling for his team to knock Big Blue out of the playoffs on Christmas Eve. Follow the author on Twitter @ericholden.

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The Philadelphia Eagles face the New York Jets in a Week 15 game on December 18. The Eagles still have an outside chance at reaching the playoffs so the game has meaning. But too much needs to happen for fans to worry about that. Instead, the goal should be to simply get a win at home. The Eagles only have one so far in 2011. As an Eagles fan, the team can win this game. Here are five keys to the game for the Eagles.

1. Establish the run

The Jets are pretty solid against the run. However, the Eagles have to utilize the running game if they want to win. LeSean McCoy didn’t play well against the Miami Dolphins but he is still the best player on this team. McCoy should get at least 20 carries in this game. If he does, the Eagles will move the football and control the clock.

2. Open up the passing game

It is no secret that the Jets have dominant cornerbacks. But that doesn’t mean the Eagles shouldn’t try to throw the ball deep. DeSean Jackson looks like he might have regained his desire and he looked good against Miami. As strong as New York is in the secondary, Jackson should be able to break away a couple of times. It will be important for Michael Vick to find him.

3. Protect the quarterback

The Eagles know that Vick is going to try and do too much and absorb too many hits. It is up to the offensive line to take some of that heat away but protecting better. The Jets don’t have an elite pass rush so that should help the line protect Vick. If the quarterback can stay in the pocket and deliver the ball in a timely fashion, the offensive line will have done its job.

4. Stay aggressive on defense

The Eagles got nine sacks and three turnovers against Miami. That is a pretty remarkable game and it is asking a lot to duplicate that effort two weeks in a row. But the Eagles can put together a strong performance if they stay aggressive. Mark Sanchez is vulnerable to mistakes and he will turn the ball over if the Eagles keep the heat on him. That could mean the difference between winning and losing.

5. Stay composed

The last time the Eagles played at home, fans started chanting for Andy Reid to be fired. If the Eagles play like they have in most of the home games this season, those chants will start again. This team has a tendency to stop playing when things don’t go well. That can’t happen in this game. If they fall behind early, they have to remain focused and composed.

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The Philadelphia Eagles will look for their second win in a row when they face the New York Jets on Sunday, December 18. The Eagles have never lost to the Jets in the eight times they met. However, circumstances are a little different this time around. New York is 8-5 and surging toward the playoffs. Meanwhile, the Eagles are 5-8 and looking to avoid their fifth loss in seven games. It seems like this is the kind of game the Eagles should lose. But as an Eagles fan, I have a feeling the team will win this game.

I’m not thinking about the playoffs. I know the Eagles are mathematically alive but there is a lot that needs to happen for this team to get there. For me, it is about finishing the season on a strong note. I realize that won’t erase the disappointment that has already happened. But after three more weeks it will be a while before I see the Eagles on the field again. I would like those games to be meaningful. This game would represent a huge win for Philadelphia. The Eagles are just 1-5 at home and it would be nice to treat the fans to a good effort.

There are many out there that wouldn’t mind seeing the Eagles tank the rest of the season so that Andy Reid is more likely to be fired. I’m not among those fans. For one thing, there is no guarantee that Reid will be fired even if the Eagles lose the rest of their games. I think that if the Eagles were going to fire Reid, they will do it no matter how the Eagles finish. For that reason, fans should keep on cheering for this team.

This should be a pretty interesting game. The Jets have a strong defense and usually play their best football this time of year. Meanwhile, the Eagles had their best defensive effort of the season in Week 14. They want to prove that that was no fluke. The Eagles should be able to get to Mark Sanchez enough to limit the New York attack. However, the real key to the game will be how the Philadelphia offense attacks. The Jets are vulnerable in certain areas and this feels like the kind of game where Reid’s game plan works.

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PHILADELPHIA (AP)—Nnamdi Asomugha was headed for Broadway when the
Philadelphia Eagles swooped in at the last minute and stole the All-Pro
cornerback from the New York Jets.

Too bad for him there are no do-overs in free agency.

Asomugha chose the Eagles over the Jets, thinking he could help the
defending NFC East champions reach the Super Bowl. That won’t happen this year.

The Eagles (5-8) are clinging to slim playoff hopes entering Sunday’s game
against New York (8-5). Maybe Asomugha should’ve picked that other team in green
instead.

“No, I don’t regret it at all,” Asomugha said. “The thing that has been
very difficult is not winning. I think the tough part about that is the fact
that the expectations were really high coming into it. Even if my expectations
were realistic, the expectations that were out there, I think, I kind of let
that get to me, as well, the expectations of everything will be and must be
perfect with this team now that they’ve acquired these players and blah, blah,
blah.

“I always have a realistic approach to it, but I kind of let that seep
through and then that made the losing of it all a little bit tougher, a little
bit more difficult to deal with. But no, I have never, have not and will not
regret it. Our story still isn’t over yet, so there is always something to learn
and we’re still fighting. That’s pretty much where I stand with that.”

The Eagles stunned the football world when they signed Asomugha to a $60
million, five-year contract shortly after the NFL’s lockout ended in July. A day
earlier, the Eagles had acquired two-time Pro Bowl cornerback Dominique
Rodgers-Cromartie in a trade from Arizona.

Asomugha, Rodgers-Cromartie and Asante Samuel, a four-time Pro Bowl pick,
were expected to form the best cornerback trio in the league. But they haven’t
come close to fulfilling those expectations.

Part of the problem for Asomugha has been fitting into a different defensive
scheme than the one he excelled in for years in Oakland. Defensive coordinator
Juan Castillo, who switched from coaching the offensive line, gave Asomugha far
more responsibilities than he was used to with the Raiders.

“It’s been completely different from what I was doing in Oakland,”
Asomugha said. “Obviously, in Oakland, when I was there it was about just
finding a guy, matching up with him and playing him one-on-one pretty much the
whole game. It’s just completely different than with the one-on-ones and
putting in some new things.

“He has also been just moving me around the field. He’s wanted me to be
sometimes the corner, wanted me to be sometimes the nickel, he’s wanted me to
play a rover, sometimes a free safety, and there are some challenges with that
because you basically have to learn the scheme and the coverages for every
single position that you have to play. That’s where I think that the biggest
challenge has come in, is knowing how you fit based off each call, depending on
what position you’re playing. Then, he has some different techniques that he has
guys playing.”

Perhaps things would’ve been different if Asomugha had picked the Jets. With
star cornerback Darrelle Revis shadowing the opponent’s top receiver on one
side, Asomugha may have been left alone to play man coverage against the No. 2
guy.

Jets coach Rex Ryan called Asomugha once the free agency period opened and
went after him hard during the recruiting process.

“I really liked the staff there in New York,” Asomugha said. “I was
really close with Rob Ryan, so I know that Rex, being his twin, would be very
similar to him. During the 48 hours or whatever it was that we were able to
talk, they were saying some really great things. I liked how the defense played.
They were doing a lot of the things that I had done throughout my career, so
there wouldn’t be much adjusting or anything like that. I was really close.”

Then, the Eagles called.

“The Eagles came in that 11th hour or whatever it was,” Asomugha said.
“All along, I had always admired the Eagles. They were always the team that, if
they were involved, that was where I wanted to be. At the end there, they did,
they came in, so I managed to flip back to how I was thinking in the
beginning.”

Asomugha spoke with Eagles quarterback Michael Vick and wide receiver DeSean
Jackson at the Pro Bowl last January. He knew several other players on the team
and was impressed with the way they talked about the organization.

“Obviously, no one is going to say anything disparaging about their
organization, but everything they were saying, I just took it to heart and
really liked it,” Asomugha said.

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. – Slow starts are a thing of the past for the suddenly clicking New York Jets.

Remember those brutally boring first quarters when they couldn’t get much going? Well, those are so four weeks ago.

Mark Sanchez and the once-struggling offense have become an efficient group that has gotten on the scoreboard early and often during the Jets’ three-game winning streak.

“I think we’re all just playing a lot better across the board,” Sanchez said.

And they’ve done it against some pretty good defenses. Here comes another one this Sunday: the Eagles, who are coming off a nine-sack performance against Miami and playing for their playoff lives in a season that has been filled with inconsistencies.

“It sounds awfully familiar to another team I know,” center Nick Mangold said with a slight grin.

Big things were expected from the Jets offense this season, particularly in the passing game with Santonio Holmes and Plaxico Burress. Instead, there were a few impressive spurts scattered throughout an early portion of a season marked mainly by spotty play by Sanchez, the offensive line, the running game, and the receivers.

New York is ranked 25th in overall offense, but the Jets are in a real groove offensively. They have 13 touchdowns in the last three games, which ties them with New Orleans, New England, and Green Bay – the top-ranked three offenses in the league – for the most in the NFL during that span.

“I don’t think our practices were quite as sharp as they’ve been lately, and I think that carries over to the game,” coach Rex Ryan said. “I think you see right now our team is feeling pretty good about themselves.”

It all started in the fourth quarter against Buffalo in Week 12, when Sanchez led the Jets to a 28-24, comeback victory over the Bills with a touchdown pass to Holmes with just over a minute left. New York followed that by scoring on its first possession against Washington and then dominating the Redskins in the fourth quarter with three touchdowns in less than five minutes for a 34-19 win.

Last Sunday against the Chiefs, the Jets rebounded from an embarrassing timeout on their first play from scrimmage by again scoring a touchdown on their first possession, and kept going while cruising to a 37-10 victory. While no one might confuse this offense for those of the Saints, Patriots, or Packers right now, it certainly has become a force during the team’s streak.

“I think hopefully we’re just starting to hit our stride, and we’re not there yet,” Sanchez said.

“I think you’re seeing, for the most part, consistent play out of the offense,” right guard Brandon Moore said. “It’s . . . coming to fruition.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — A sense of urgency is driving the struggling Buffalo Bills and New York Jets these days.

Mounting losses. Injuries. Fading playoff chances.

They’ve all combined to turn a pair of promising teams that once appeared poised to dethrone the New England Patriots in the AFC East into scuffling squads desperate for a victory.

“It’s a must-win game for us,” Jets wide receiver Santonio Holmes said. “We know what’s at stake right now. We have to come out firing just like we did against these guys the last game we played them.”

The Jets (5-5) host the Bills (5-5) at MetLife Stadium in a game New York coach Rex Ryan said marks the start of his team’s playoff push. It was only three weeks ago that the Jets won their third straight game by dominating the Bills 27-11.

Neither team has won since. Two bad losses by New York; three straight for Buffalo.

“They’ve been in a little slump, as well as we have,” Holmes said. “We know it’s another game on the schedule and they get paid just as well as we do, so they’re going to be ready to come out and put a real good stamp into our playoff chances right now. So we have to be on high alert right now.”

That’s for sure. But, so do the Bills. As far as both teams are concerned, their playoff chances depend on it.

“I think especially the last (few) weeks have been hard on us,” Bills quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick said. “The biggest thing for us is we’ve really fallen down early, fallen behind and taken big deficits. Unfortunately, we haven’t been able to come back from those.”

Fitzpatrick’s play has been one reason. Since signing a six-year, $59 million contract extension Oct. 28, he has mostly struggled with four touchdowns and eight interceptions in four games after a terrific start. In Buffalo’s past three losses, the Bills have been outscored 106-26 — including a 35-8 thrashing at Miami last Sunday.

“Well, we’re not playing the way we were playing earlier in the season and it’s not necessarily (Fitzpatrick), even though I think he believes he can play a little bit better than he has been playing,” Bills coach Chan Gailey said. “But we can all do better, every one of us can, me included. I watch him play and it seems like we’ve had a different offensive line in there each week for the last three or four weeks and it seems like we’ve had different receivers going out there each week, so it’s been hard on him.”

There will be some more of the same lineup-shuffling this week for the Bills as running back Fred Jackson, their biggest offensive star, was placed on injured reserve with a broken bone in his lower left leg. That means the speedy C.J. Spiller will get more playing time in the backfield instead of at wide receiver, where he has been lined up a lot this season.

“We lost a great player, but this season’s far from over,” Spiller said. “I’ve just got to elevate my game to a higher level. I’ve got to play at kind of a level that Fred was playing at. Of course, we won’t replace him, that’s obvious. So we’ll just have to try our best and go out there and execute.”

Andy Levitre struggled to replace the injured Eric Wood at center, so Kraig Urbik will be moved to center this week while Levitre slides back to his normal left guard position. Starting cornerback Terrence McGee and wide receiver Donald Jones were placed on injured reserve because of injuries, and starting safety George Wilson (safety), wide receiver Naaman Roosevelt (shoulder) and kicker Rian Lindell (shoulder) are sidelined for the game against the Jets.

“We’ve had a good amount of guys go down, but to be honest, the way that this team is structured, a lot of the guys that have gotten the chance to play and to prove themselves had to do it by waiting their turn in line,” Fitzpatrick said, trying to put a positive spin on things. “A lot of young guys that are hungry and ready to get out there are really looking forward to the opportunity.”

The Jets are a significantly healthier bunch than the Bills, but running back LaDainian Tomlinson and rookie wide receiver Jeremy Kerley were both questionable with sore left knees that kept them out of New York’s last game.

Both are understandably itching to play, especially with how important the team considers today’s game. The Jets are in the middle of a muddled AFC playoff picture, but have some winnable games on the schedule — starting with this one.

“If we win the rest of our games, we’ll be fine,” linebacker Calvin Pace said. “I think that’s the mindset we have to have going in. Stop putting ourselves in a hole, hoping somebody kind of slips up.”

They’re in this position again, as it seems they are every year under Ryan, where they need to play their best football down the stretch just to get into the playoffs.

“That’s the story of our seasons these past three years,” Pace said. “We’ve had to make these miraculous pushes at the end when it should’ve never come to that.”

After all, finishing 5-1 and 10-6 overall might not be good enough this season.

“Six-and-oh,” Pace said of the team’s goal. “Sometimes when you get caught losing to teams you’re not supposed to lose to, you end up kicking yourself in the (butt) saying, ‘Man, we put ourselves behind the 8-ball. These are games we should win.’”

The Jets are still trying to get over letting one slip by them Nov. 17, when Tim Tebow drove the Broncos 95 yards for the winning touchdown. The defense insists it’ll be better, as does the offense with a fired-up quarterback, Mark Sanchez, whom Ryan took a few snaps from in practice as a motivational ploy — which worked last season.

Both the Jets and Bills know if they lose this game, the focus suddenly will be on looking ahead to next season rather than finishing in the playoffs.

“Whether people believe about the Jets on the outside or not, we believe in ourselves, and we’re going down swinging,” Ryan said. “If we go down, we’re going down swinging. But we think that we have a good enough team to where we can right the ship and get back to winning and get in those playoffs. That’s what it’s all about.”

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – A sense of urgency is driving the struggling Buffalo Bills and New York Jets these days.

Mounting losses. Injuries. Fading playoff chances.

They’ve all combined to turn a pair of promising teams that once appeared poised to dethrone the New England Patriots in the AFC East into scuffling squads desperate for a victory.

“It’s a must-win game for us,” Jets wide receiver Santonio Holmes said. “We know what’s at stake right now. We have to come out firing just like we did against these guys the last game we played them.”

The Jets (5-5) host the Bills (5-5) at MetLife Stadium in a game New York coach Rex Ryan said marks the start of his team’s playoff push. It was only three weeks ago that the Jets won their third straight game by dominating the Bills 27-11.

Neither team has won since. Two bad losses by New York; three straight for Buffalo.

“They’ve been in a little slump as well as we have,” Holmes said. “We know it’s another game on the schedule and they get paid just as well as we do, so they’re going to be ready to come out and put a real good stamp into our playoff chances right now. So we have to be on high alert right now.”

That’s for sure. But, so do the Bills. As far as both teams are concerned, their playoff chances depend on it.

“I think especially the last (few) weeks have been hard on us,” Bills quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick said. “The biggest thing for us is we’ve really fallen down early, fallen behind and taken big deficits. Unfortunately, we haven’t been able to come back from those.”

Fitzpatrick’s play has been one reason. Since signing a six-year, US$59 million contract extension on Oct. 28, he has mostly struggled with four touchdowns and eight interceptions in four games following a terrific start. In Buffalo’s last three losses, the Bills have been outscored 106-26 — including a 35-8 thrashing at Miami last Sunday.

“Well we’re not playing the way we were playing earlier in the season and it’s not necessarily (Fitzpatrick), even though I think he believes he can play a little bit better than he has been playing,” Bills coach Chan Gailey said. “But we can all do better, every one of us can, me included. I watch him play and it seems like we’ve had a different offensive line in there each week for the last three or four weeks and it seems like we’ve had different receivers going out there each week, so it’s been hard on him.”

There will be some more of the same lineup shuffling this week for the Bills as running back Fred Jackson, their biggest offensive star, was placed on injured reserve with a broken bone in his lower left leg. That means the speedy C.J. Spiller will get more playing time in the backfield instead at wide receiver, where he has been lined up a lot this season.

“We lost a great player, but this season’s far from over,” Spiller said. “I’ve just got to elevate my game to a higher level. I’ve got to play at kind of a level that Fred was playing at. Of course, we won’t replace him, that’s obvious. So we’ll just have to try our best and go out there and execute.”

Andy Levitre struggled to replace the injured Eric Wood at centre, so Kraig Urbik will be moved to centre this week while Levitre slides back to his normal left guard position. Starting cornerback Terrence McGee and wide receiver Donald Jones were placed on injured reserve because of injuries, and starting safety George Wilson (safety), wide receiver Naaman Roosevelt (shoulder) and kicker Rian Lindell (shoulder) are sidelined for the game against the Jets.

“We’ve had a good amount of guys go down, but to be honest, the way that this team is structured a lot of the guys that have gotten the chance to play and to prove themselves had to do it by waiting their turn in line,” Fitzpatrick said, trying to put a positive spin on things. “A lot of young guys that are hungry and ready to get out there are really looking forward to the opportunity.”

The Jets are a significantly healthier bunch than the Bills, but running back LaDainian Tomlinson and rookie wide receiver Jeremy Kerley were both questionable with sore left knees that kept them out of New York’s last game.

Both are understandably itching to play, especially with how important the team considers this game Sunday. The Jets are in the middle of a muddled AFC playoff picture, but have some winnable games on the schedule — starting with this one against Buffalo.

“If we win the rest of our games, we’ll be fine,” linebacker Calvin Pace said. “I think that’s the mindset we have to have going in. Stop putting ourselves in a hole, hoping somebody kind of slips up.”

They’re in this position again, as it seems they are every year under Ryan, where they need to play their best football down the stretch just to get into the playoffs.

“That’s the story of our seasons these past three years,” Pace said. “We’ve had to make these miraculous pushes at the end when it should’ve never come to that.”

After all, finishing 5-1 and 10-6 overall might not be good enough this season.

“Six-and-oh,” Pace said of the team’s goal. “Sometimes when you get caught losing to teams you’re not supposed to lose to, you end up kicking yourself in the (butt) saying, ‘Man, we put ourselves behind the 8-ball. These are games we should win.’”

The Jets are still trying to get over letting one slip by them last Thursday night, when Tim Tebow drove the Broncos 95 yards for the winning touchdown. The defence insists it’ll be better, as does the offence with a fired-up quarterback Mark Sanchez, whom Ryan took a few snaps in practice from as a motivational ploy — which worked last season.

Both the Jets and Bills know if they lose this game, the focus will suddenly be on looking ahead to next season rather than finishing in the playoffs.

“Whether people believe about the Jets on the outside or not, we believe in ourselves, and we’re going down swinging,” Ryan said. “If we go down, we’re going down swinging. But we think that we have a good enough team to where we can right the ship and get back to winning and get in those playoffs. That’s what it’s all about.”

“J-E-T-S, Jets! Jets!! Jets!!!” This is what every person yells who bleeds green and white on a football day or night because they know the New York Jets are in their flight mode, or as Santonio Holmes likes to say, ‘Tone Time,’ ready to win this game so they’re a step closer holding the Lamordi Trophy. Because everyone knows, when a team holds the Lombardi Trophy, they have every right to say they were the best in the world that year. Yes, the Jets deserve to say that!

I’m definitely not the one who is going to talk bad about the NY Jets because I believe they are strong, tough, fun trash-talkers, intelligent nice guys who all need a Super Bowl ring and many more. The flight boys can make some mistakes every now and again but making mistakes helps people learn to make better choices on and off the field.

The offense is coming together in ways that we may not always have to count on defense to win games. No one really talks about quarterback Mark Sanchez’s weapons, so I will! He goes from wide receivers Plaxico Burress, Santonio Holmes to Jeremy Kerley, then to his tight end number 81, Dustin Keller (remember this name!) and if he wants to run the ball, running backs Shonn Greene and LaDainian Tomlinson are there backing him up. While Sanchez is busy throwing the ball, he has the best center, Nick Mangold, leading the offensive line.

When I watch the Jets offense, it gives me the idea that if I put my mind to something, the end results will be fantastic. Touchdown! The Jets defense, though, teaches me to never give up and be tough.

Where should I even begin with their defense? Rex Ryan had made comments about how it would be sweet if his defense were better than the 85 Chicago Bears defense. But 26 years from now, people will want their team to be like the 2011 Jets defense. When I finally own a NFL team in my future, I would want it so bad; I might beg linebackers Bart Scott, David Harris cornerbacks Antonio Cromartie and Darrelle Revis to be on my team.

I love number 51 on defense, Aaron Maybin. He is a role model that people should look up to. He dealt with some personal issues in football and out of football by being labeled as a burst to losing a child. To escape from problems, he draws. He doesn’t cause issues and I think doesn’t want to be a part of any problems unless it involves hitting the quarterback.

Also, Eric Smith and Jim Leonhard are the best safeties in the league. I mean, they would never let a rookie catch a touchdown pass; cough cough, Troy Polamalu.

But one thing I want to tell everyone, including New England Patriot fans: Just because your team won against the Jets before does not mean you guys are the best football team ever and the Jets suck. It means you were better that day. Repeat this in your head a couple of times!

Through 10 games this season, the New York Jets have only managed to break even, falling to 5-5 after losses to the New England Patriots (6-3) and Denver Broncos (5-5) in Weeks 10 and 11, respectively.

After Denver quarterback Tim Tebow(notes) (9 of 20 passing, 104 yards; 68 rushing yards, 1 TD)—facing a three-point deficit late in the fourth quarter—marched his team to New York’s 20-yard line Thursday night, he rushed the ball in for a go-ahead touchdown. The Jets came up empty in their final possession and would lose 17-13.

We can talk about the Jets possibly being fatigued since their most recent game entering Thursday had taken place four days prior; we can talk about them losing running backs LaDainian Tomlinson(notes) and Shonn Greene(notes) to injury before and during the game, respectively; and we can talk about Mark Sanchez(notes) (24 of 40, 252 yards, 1 INT) throwing a pick six and no TD in the contest. This loss is on the shoulders of the coaches.

On offense and defense, players, no matter their level of talent, have to be placed in a position to succeed. For instance, why wasn’t someone spying on Tebow during Denver’s last drive? Anyone who’s ever played an NFL video game the last 15 years knows having a QB spy has its benefits—especially against a QB who runs as often as Tebow. At the very least, it could have helped to prevent him from winning the game with his legs.

Look at the replay of Tebow’s game-winning dash; no Jet was in position to seal the corner, creating a wide open lane that made the 24-year-old’s 20-yard TD run fairly easy.

Is Gang Green’s season over? Not mathematically. But losing to a QB many experts believe should be no more than a towel boy in professional football certainly doesn’t help morale. Head coach Rex Ryan and his staff knew—along with the entire planet—how Denver’s offense was going to come at his team, and yet Tebow couldn’t be stopped at the very end.

And perhaps that is because, when you get through all the hype and tinsel, the Jets this season just aren’t that good.

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Football fans in New England woke up a little happier Monday morning with the knowledge their team hadn’t completely lost its touch after a 37-16 victory over the Jets on Sunday night.

In the Big Apple, it’s a different story.

After the Jets’ embarrassing loss, in which they missed a chip shot field goal and turned the ball over three times, the New York Daily News ripped head coach Rex Ryan and his team as “Gag Green” on its back page.

Check out the back cover below.

Life at the top is too heady for the New York Jets right
now.

Plagued by errors on offense, defense and special teams, the
Jets were routed by New England 37-16 Sunday night. While the
Patriots took command of the AFC East, the Jets not only fell one
game behind in the standings, they fell so flat on the field that
they were thoroughly outclassed.

“It hurts bad,” star cornerback Darrelle Revis said. “We knew
what position we could have been in if we won. We wanted this very
bad.”

But they played so badly, especially in the second half, that
they had little chance of slowing Tom Brady and the team that has
dominated the division for a decade.

“We made too many mistakes and it cost us,” Revis added. “You
can’t do that against an offense and against No. 12 (Brady).

Brady threw three touchdown passes, including two to Rob
Gronkowski, and the Patriots moved to 6-3. They also have swept the
Jets (5-4), who are tied for second place with Buffalo.

While New England pulled away in the second half, the game
turned late in the second quarter. Mark Sanchez took a timeout at
the wrong time _ coach Rex Ryan took responsibility for it, but
Sanchez admitted it was his goof. The Jets didn’t take advantage of
kicking off from the 50-yard line after going ahead 9-6. And they
couldn’t get any pressure on Brady, who picked them apart on a
quick 80-yard drive.

All part of a bad night for New York, which had won three in a
row.

Ryan was so angry, he told NBC at halftime that the timeout was
the “stupidest play in NFL history.”

“They (the coaches) were talking about taking a timeout and as
soon as I heard it, I walked over to the ref. As soon as I did it,
I saw Rex when I was walking off … It was a horrible mistake and
one you can’t make,” Sanchez said.

There also was a muffed punt by Joe McKnight that two other Jets
also mishandled before the Patriots recovered, leading to a field
goal. And two interceptions by linebacker Rob Ninkovich. And a
team-record 4 1-2 sacks by Andre Carter.

“We had some big mistakes that you just can’t overcome,” said
Plaxico Burress, who caught a TD pass from Sanchez. “We kept
putting our defense in tough situations against a quarterback like
that.”

That quarterback and his coach set an NFL mark with their 117th
victory, breaking a tie with Miami’s Dan Marino and Don Shula as
the winningest duo since 1966.

After the Jets got within a score at 23-16 early in the fourth
quarter, Brady coolly led the Patriots down the field on an 84-yard
drive that was capped by an 8-yard touchdown catch by Deion
Branch.

Ninkovich then sealed the victory _ which snapped a two-game
skid _ on the Jets’ next possession with a 12-yard interception
return for a touchdown midway through the final quarter.

It was also the first home loss for the Jets (5-4) after opening
4-0, but they can’t dwell on it because they play again at Denver
on Thursday night.

Ryan insisted his team was greatly improved since a 30-21 loss
at New England on Oct. 9 and declared it a must-win if New York
wanted to get some home playoff games. Turns out, the Jets still
have plenty of work to do if they expect to dethrone the
Patriots.

New England was coming off losses to Pittsburgh and the Giants,
but said there was no concern in its locker room. It certainly
showed as the Patriots avoided their first three-game losing streak
since 2002.

Brady finished 26 of 39 for 329 yards, the 40th time he reached
the 300-yard mark in a regular-season game, breaking a tie with
Hall of Famer Joe Montana for eighth on the NFL’s list. He also
joined New Orleans’ Drew Brees as the only players to throw for
3,000 yards in their team’s first nine games. Brees also
accomplished the feat this season.

Gronkowski finished with eight catches for 113 yards and the two
scores, and Stephen Gostkowski kicked three field goals. Carter had
all those sacks as the Patriots’ defense, ranked last in the league
coming in, harassed Sanchez all night.

Sanchez was 20 of 39 for 306 yards and a touchdown, but was
intercepted twice and sacked five times.

The Jets appeared to get back in it when Burress caught a 7-yard
fade pass over Antwaun Molden in the right corner of the end zone
on the first play of the fourth quarter, making it 23-16.

But Brady led the Patriots on a typically efficient drive, going
84 yards on 13 plays using a no-huddle offense that kept the Jets’
defense off balance. Brady coolly spread the ball around to his
receivers before connecting with Branch with 8:04 remaining.

“We got caught,” Jets safety Jim Leonhard said. “We do a lot of
things where we’re trying to match personnel, and every once in a
while they get in that hurry-up and it catches us.”

The score sent many in the crowd at MetLife Stadium heading for
the exits.

Earlier, Gronkowski appeared to catch his second TD pass of the
night, but video replay showed he stepped out of bounds. Gostkowski
then booted his third field goal, from 27 yards.

But Gronkowski got into the end zone again a few minutes later
after Ninkovich returned a twice-tipped interception as Sanchez’s
throw went off the hands of running back Shonn Greene, then was
deflected by linebacker Jerod Mayo.

The Jets got on the scoreboard when they got some rare pressure
on Brady. Jamaal Westerman got to him in the end zone, and Brady
threw the ball away left-handed. He was called for intentional
grounding and a safety.

New York took the free kick and moved 65 yards on seven plays,
including a 21-yard run by LaDainian Tomlinson and a 22-yard grab
by Patrick Turner, his first catch of the season. Sanchez ran in
from the 2 on a quarterback draw for a 9-6 lead.

Adding to the frustration was New York not opting to try a pooch
kickoff following a 15-yard penalty on New England’s Vince Wilfork,
and Nick Folk kicked the ball through the end zone. Brady hit five
passes on an 80-yard drive, with Gronkowski getting open over the
middle for the 18-yard score with 9 seconds left in the half that
made it 13-9.

Folk was wide left on a 24-yard field goal attempt at the end of
New York’s opening drive.

New England took advantage, taking a 3-0 lead on Gostkowski’s
50-yard field goal that squeezed over the crossbar.

Read More: Tom Brady (QB – NEP), Chad Ochocinco (WR – NEP), Nick Folk (K – NYJ), Mark Sanchez (QB – NYJ), New York Jets, New England Patriots

The first quarter of the New York Jets Vs. New England Patriots could be best summed up by missed opportunities. In their opening drive, Mark Sanchez brilliantly led his team down the field, picking the Patriots apart with expertise. He was unable to find a receiver in the red zone. Nick Folk had the opportunity to put the team up 3-0 but missed a chip shot from 26 yards out. 

The Patriots had a similar opening drive. Tom Brady finally hooked up with Chad Ochocinco several times. The team was unable to move deep in Jets territory and had to settle for a field goal. On the second Patriots drive Brady found Ochocinco for a 58 yard completion. It Chad’s biggest reception on the year. Again, the Patriots had to settle for a field goal. The quarter ended with the Jets having control of the ball and driving down the field. 

Below is Chad Ochocinco’s reception:

Read More: Tom Brady (QB – NEP), New York Jets, New England Patriots, New York Giants

New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan spoke with the media Friday prior to the big game against the New England Patriots. In contrast to the team’s usually bombastic style, the Jets have kept the bulletin-board material to a minimum leading into the critical AFC East clash, something Ryan credits to the fact that everyone inside the locker room already knows how important the game is.

 ”We’re relaxed, focused, loose, but we know what’s at stake,” Ryan said. “We know how big this game is and we’re excited about it. We’re ready for it, and we know they’re going to be ready for it. So, it ought to be a great game. It’s almost like Ali-Frazier, it’s one of those type of things. We’re excited that it’s in our building. We’re not banking on that being the difference, but it might very well be the difference.”

As for his gameplan, Ryan said he will look to continue a recent trend of opposing teams disrupting Patriots quarterback Tom Brady by penetrating the line to generate pressure on the quarterback. Though Ryan said he didn’t take credit for other teams adopting this strategy from the Jets, he did say getting pressure on Brady was necessary if a team is going to beat the Patriots.

“We don’t take credit for someone else’s success, that’s for sure,” Ryan said. “If we steal something from somebody, we’ll make sure that we give them credit.  That’s probably the difference (joking).  Yes, you want to hit Brady, there is no question.  You want to (hit him) to where he is not feeling comfortable. That, you have to do.  If you can’t get pressure on Brady, then you’re going to get destroyed, so we have to find ways of getting there whether it’s through a four-man rush, like the Giants used a bunch, whether it’s something creative or whatever, I don’t know, but you have to get pressure on Brady.”

On offense, Ryan said the Jets will not be altering their gameplan to exploit what some consider to be a shaky New England secondary.

“It’s funny, because the season is only half over, so sometimes those stats will even out as the year goes on, but the fact they’ve had, what, three out of their eight (defensive backs) never even went to training camp,” Ryan said. “That’s probably tough sledding if you’ve got to play those guys. Eventually, though, once they play, eventually they’ll catch up to the system and all that. But, we’re just going to play our game and mix run and pass and see what happens.”

Visit Gang Green Nation for complete coverage of the New York Jets and our team page for schedules, news, statistics and updates.

Read More: Tom Brady (QB – NEP), New York Jets, New England Patriots, New England Patriots at New York Jets, Nov 13, 2011 8:20 PM EST

New York Jets coach Rex Ryan is never at a loss for words, especially when it comes to the rivalry between the Jets and Patriots. Everyone’s aware of his infamous ring quote, “I never came here to kiss Bill Belichick’s rings,” Ryan said. “I came here to win, let’s put it that way…. I’m certainly not intimidated by New England or anybody else.”

This is Ryan’s third season as coach of the Jets, where he sports a career 3-3 record against the Patriots, including 1-0 in the playoffs. In Ryan’s first two seasons as Jets coach, they’ve made it to the Conference championship game before being eliminated.

The Jets and Patriots will face off this week on Sunday Night Football. Both teams are 5-3, but the Patriots are coming off back-to-back losses, including Tom Brady’s first regular season home defeat since 2006. 

The Patriots are 1-0 against the Jets this season, but the Jets are 4-0 at home, where they’ll host New England on Sunday Night Football. Below are a few quotes from Rex Ryan’s Thursday press conference. 

On if the Patriots are more dangerous because they lost two straight games: 

We don’t care what difficulties they’re in or anything else. We face the same exact thing heading into their place and hope it’s the same result – that we end up finding a way to win. But that’s going to happen almost every team. Green Bay, I don’t know, they’re rolling pretty good. But I think each team will face it at some point. You’ll go through kind of dips in the road a little bit.

On if they measure themselves against the Patriots:

Yeah, I think you do because they’re the ones that are winning your division. So I think if that really is an ambition of yours to win your division, then, yeah, you want to see where you stack up with them. Obviously that first game, they were better than us. I said it right after we played them, they were the better team then. We’ll see who the better team is now. I think we’re a better team than we were then. I’ve said it the whole time. We’ll see if we’re ahead of them right now.

On if the relationship between the Jets and Patriots now is similar to the relationship between the Ravens and Steelers when he was in Baltimore: 

Yeah, very similar. That was the one. No offense to Cleveland or Cincinnati. We expected to beat those guys every time. You knew it was going to be, and sometimes you won it, but you knew it was going to be a war against Pittsburgh. You knew the same thing that is going to be a huge game against New England. There is no doubt.

On if he still feels that it is him against Bill Belichick when the Jets play the Patriots:

I don’t feel that way as much. This one’s about how much our team has improved. We’re going to judge the winner of this game. If we don’t win this game, we’re in trouble for the division and we understand that so this one is a big game. We don’t deny it. Is it me and all that? As a competitor, you want it that way, but I think this is the whole group of us. This is our football team against theirs. We said after we played them in the playoffs it had nothing to do with me, it was really about our players and our coaches.

Visit Gang Green Nation for complete Jets coverage throughout the season and our team page for schedules, statistics, news and more.