Jets-Pats rivalry akin to Yankees-Red Sox

Nick Mangold admittedly isn't a huge baseball fan. But he's been playing here long enough to know what Yankees-Red Sox means as a rivalry. And from playing in the New York area, he knows what Jets- Patriots has come to be.

"I don't know a lot about the history of Yanks-Sox," he said, "but I know our rivalry is pretty strong now. It's up there."

As the Yankees and Red Sox play the rubber game of their three-game set at Fenway Park Sunday night, the Jets and Patriots are getting back to work in training camp, tossing out verbal jabs and warily eyeing one another in preparation for another year of two, or possibly more, heated matchups.

Jets coach Rex Ryan threw down the gauntlet when he arrived three years ago, refusing to bow down to Bill Belichick and taking every opportunity to point at the Patriots.

He did so again in his opening news conference this past week, asking if any other AFC East or NFL team could help out and knock the Pats off.

"We definitely get more heat because of the way Rex runs his mouth," Mangold said, "and I wouldn't want it any other way."

"Yankees-Red Sox goes way, way back, obviously, and they face each other so much, it's hard to compare," former Patriots linebacker Tedy Bruschi said, "but Jets-Pats has the intensity now. I think it's a better rivalry because both sides really have a lot of dislike for the other side."

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Perhaps the Jets-Pats feud began Jan. 4, 2000, when Belichick left his infamous "I resign as HC of the NYJ" note behind and left for Foxborough. The Jets have tried to play catch-up ever since, both in the standings, as Belichick's Pats rolled up three Super Bowl victories, or in personnel, with Belichick disciple Eric Mangini's hiring in 2006.

The results haven't been so lopsided, in truth. The Jets are 8-14 against the Pats since Belichick took over in New England and 1-1 in the postseason.

The real escalation of the rivalry came in January. The Pats again were the prohibitive favorites to roll to a fourth Super Bowl victory under Belichick, and Ryan's Jets went to Foxborough with an attitude.

Antonio Cromartie's "bleep Tom Brady" line managed to drag the never-ruffled Pats quarterback into the wrestling match.

But the Jets' 28-21 win was the real key. In the Jets' eyes, that was the equivalent of the Red Sox coming back from 3-0 down to beat the Yankees in 2004 -- that is, it was a rivalry-changer.

The only thing missing for the Jets, of course, is a ring.

Longtime Jets guard Brandon Moore was one who waved away comparisons to Yanks-Sox. "They [the Patriots] have Super Bowls; we have nothing," he said. "You don't win anything for championship games."

But as the two clear heavyweights in the AFC East, just as the Yankees and Red Sox are in the AL East, the Jets and Patriots have a chance to chase this rivalry into the postseason again.

"Up to last year, I couldn't really think of the Jets taking anything important away from the Patriots," Bart Scott said. "I think with Rex challenging our team, challenging the Pats, we finally have their attention.

"It's a chess match. Two great coaches with two great game plans. We won't decide who wins until one of us holds the Lombardi Trophy."