New York, New York

You just knew it had to be the Jets. The teams have split their four games since Mt. Ryan took over Gang Green in '09. The rivalry has been boiling at high for a good decade now. Time to boil over. A week's worth of trash talk from Mr. Foot Fetish should take care of that.

The Jets did what I thought they would do, but hoped they wouldn't. They went into Indy and beat Peyton Manning. Barely. With a walk-off kick. It was a great playoff game. And another great road playoff win by Ryan's Jets. Last year they won at Cincy and San Diego before losing to the Colts. Last night they got that one corrected. Now they come to Foxborough. The site of the Monday Night Massacre. If there's a team more motivated than last year's Ravens to come into Gillette and knock off the Patriots, it's this Jets team. Sunday starting at 4:30 they will get their chance.

PATS-JETS: Football holy war.

The rivalries with the Colts, Steelers, and Ravens are intense. Especially the Colts. Patriots vs. Jets is more than just a rivalry. It's the NFL's Hatfields and McCoys. As Tom Brady so concisely put it earlier this year: I hate the Jets. I wrote last week about what would have to happen in the playoffs to make this a successful season for the Pats. Everything other than losing to the Jets would be a success in my mind. Losing to the Jets at home in the playoffs... eh, I don't want to think about that.

The two teams have played 103 games in their history and have split them 51-51-1. But the Patriots have always gotten the better of the Jets when it really counts. The Pats have won both playoff games. The first in 1985 when the team started its amazing run to the Super Bowl with a 26-14 win in the old Meadowlands. I remember watching the game over my brother Richard's house. The place was packed. The Pats made lots of big plays and we spent the afternoon recreating them in the backyard in a touch football game. In 2006 the two teams met for the second time in the playoffs. Belichick vs. Mangini. A real grudge match. It was all Patriots, 37-16. Some more touch football followed that win -- this time in Gillette's parking lot. The Patriots didn't win the Super Bowl in either of those years. But they didn't lose to the Jets. That made it a good season.

This Sunday's second round matchup is the biggest battle this football war has seen. And it has a perfect villain. Mr. Twinkle Toes. The Jets' coach has been a great addition to the story. From the moment he arrived saying he wasn't kissing Belichick's rings, he has brought a swagger that had eluded the Jets for many years. He sure talks the talk. In fact, Ryan got a head start last week by taking a few shots at Tom Brady while praising Manning. He and Belichick couldn't be more different. It makes for great theater.

The Jets came into the big Monday night clash in December talking tough (see video above). Both teams were 9-2. The Pats put a beating on NY and have not lost since. The Jets were stumbling till yesterday. It's been a great season for Pats fans. Now the fun really starts.

I can already see the NY Post headline if the Pats send Ryan and the Jets home losers... Agony of da feet!