Jets take time off before 'huge' trip to New England
Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez. Credit: Joe Rogate
The hype machine already is at full throttle, loaded with enough coins to keep the vibe going well up until the ball is kicked off Dec. 6.
Rex Ryan injected a few quarters Friday, looking ahead to the first-place showdown for control of the AFC East after both teams took care of business Thursday.
"It's the marquee game of the year," said Ryan, whose team is coming off Thursday night's 26-10 win over the Bengals. "When you look at both teams and all that at 9-2, it's not going to get much bigger than that. So the fact that it's a divisional game, I guess the only way it would be better if it was the last game of the regular season. But this is pretty good right here."
Although they're technically tied atop the division, the Jets hold the current tiebreaker, given their 28-14 win over the Patriots in Week 2. If they can muster another win over New England, which has won three straight and eight of nine since that Sept. 19 meeting, the Jets will hold essentially a two-game lead over the Patriots with four games left.
That's why Calvin Pace is sounding the alarm, sending out the first salvo to any and every avid fan who supports the Jets and lives within striking distance of Gillette Stadium.
"The implications on this game are going to be huge," the linebacker said. "I guess if you are a Jets fan and you are in the Boston area, come on out. We need you. It's going to be explosive, man. I don't know if there's a regular-season game in the last few years that have had these types of implications - two teams that are 9-2, two teams that have had a rough stretch.
"It's going to be a good one, man."
Said Antonio Cromartie: "This is for home-field advantage, basically. This is for the AFC East and who's going to be No. 1. It's going to be a big game and it's going to be like a playoff atmosphere. So we definitely want to get ready and do the things that we need to do."
The Patriots have won 25 straight regular-season games at home with Tom Brady as their quarterback and are coming off a convincing 45-24 pasting of the Lions in Detroit on Thursday.
"They seemed at times, almost looked like they were unstoppable," Ryan said. "Their offense is moving the ball up and down the field on everybody."
Yet another reason why the hype during these next nine days will be off the charts.
"Ridiculous. I can't put it into words," right tackle Damien Woody said. "It's going to be a lot. You've got two teams who are 9-2. That type of game deserves a lot of hype. You've got first place in the division riding on this game. We are going to enjoy our three days off, but when we come back, we know what's at stake."
Said Ryan, "As much as we respect them, we also think we can beat them . . . this is going to be a heck of a game."
