This week’s game could just as easily be billed as Revis vs. Moss as the two have exchanged enough trash talking to cover both teams – and then some. We all know that Revis doesn’t think too highly of Moss and I’m sure that the feeling is mutual, but there are more elements to this game than these two superstars.

Why this Game Matters

This game matters because so much hype was put into the Jets this season. This was the year that they were going to dethrone the Patriots atop the AFC East. This was the year that Mark Sanchez was going to break out. This was the year that would showcase one of the strongest defenses ever assembled. This was the year of the Jets. I mean, they got their own TV show for crying out loud. Despite the seemingly lopsided figures below, this week two matchup will set the tone for the remainder of the division race. If the Patriots win, they hold a comfortable two game lead over the Jets which will be hard to overcome – not impossible, but it’s definitely working uphill. If the Jets win, their overall records are tied, but the Jets would have the early head to head tie-breaker advantage, not to mention the morale boost that comes from beating an elite team like New England. That kind of momentum can literally last an entire season.

Defensive Comparison

A lot of people are high on the Patriots offense, especially after last week’s showing against the Bengals. But despite the rest of the Jet’s woes, their defense is in a completely different league than the Bengals, which will more than likely keep this game close. The Patriot’s defense looked good at times, but also looked pretty bad. I’m not saying that Mark Sanchez is as good as Carson Palmer, but there should be more than enough opportunity to exploit the young Patriot’s secondary.

Advantage: Jets

Offensive Comparison

There really isn’t much comparison here. The Patriot’s offense is just so much better than that of the Jets. Knee surgeries seem to be healed completely for both Brady and Welker as those two look like they never skipped a beat. The Brady to Moss connection looked a little shaky, especially on the deep ball, but that could be week 1 jitters for all we know. The New York offense looked horrible, but we will say this – they have more potential in their ground game than the Patriots do, but if they find themselves down late, don’t expect any magic to come out of the arm of Sanchez. As we said before, there will be opportunities to exploit the Patriot’s defense, but I am not convinced that Sanchez is developed enough to find those holes. At any rate, he should have an easier time than he did last week against Baltimore.

Advantage: Patriots

Game of the Week Prediction

This game is being played in New York which gives a little advantage to the Jets, seeing as they beat New England there last year in impressive fashion. But despite the strong defensive play, the Patriots have too many weapons and too many wrinkles in their offense to stop everyone for 4 quarters. And with the way that the Jets’ offense has been playing, a couple scores might be all that New England needs to pull out the win.

Predicted Winner: Patriots