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!

Tourney time

It's the most wonderful time of the year. I'm not talking about that joyous week after all the stress and obligations and annoyances from the holidays have finally passed. I'm talking the NFL playoffs. The bye-week Patriots will be sitting comfortably on their couches along with the rest of us watching what should be some very entertaining and close battles.

I haven't done the research -- because that's not what I do here -- but this may be the first time in NFL history that all four road teams (the wild cards) either have the same or better record than the four division winners. How will that effect the results? Who knows. Here are my largely uneducated picks for Wild Card weekend:

AFC

NY Jets (11-5) at Indianapolis (10-6): I could go with my heart and say Colts 45, Jets 3. But my head says Mt. Ryan and the Jets are the slightly better team. Neither has looked that impressive down the stretch but the Jets have more healthy weapons on offense and -- despite the loss of safety Jim Leonard -- the defense should be strong in the playoffs. The Colts are saying they plan on trying to match the Jets run for run with a healthy Joe Addai. Right. Manning will be throwing the ball all over the place. The two teams met in the AFC title game last year and the Jets squandered a 17-7 lead. This time they hold on. Jets 26, Colts 23.

Baltimore (12-4) at Kansas City (10-6): This is the game I'm most interested in watching. I predicted the Chiefs would capture the AFC West crown and they did. But it would have been more impressive of they hadn't lost to the Raiders in the season finale. But they did. This is the classic matchup of the playoff veteran (Ravens) vs. the playoff rookie (Chiefs). The veteran almost always wins. But Arrowhead will be red and rockin'. It will be fun to watch. I think Matt Cassell and the Chiefs channel some Patriot magic and shut down -- and shut up -- Ray Lewis and the Ravens. Chiefs 20, Ravens 13.

NFC

New Orleans (11-5) at Seattle (7-9): You read that right. 7-9. The Seahawks are the first team to make the playoffs with a losing record. And they did it in style, dropping seven of their last 10 games. But Pete Carroll and his squad are P'd and J'd to be in the playoffs and are -- incredibly -- at home. Like KC, Seattle is a very tough place to play. But the defending champs know how to win on the road. And they should win easily. The Saints have looked shaky at times, but this is the playoffs. They are the champs. The only question should be is it a high or low scoring game? That will all depend on the weather. The forecast looks decent -- for the Northwest. Saints 45, Seahawks 27.


Green Bay (10-6) at Philadephia (10-6): Michael Vick and the Eagles were all the rage a few weeks ago when they made that improbably rally against the Giants. That was a couple of weeks ago. Since then Mad Dog Vick has looked mortal-ish. As have the Eagles. But a team with Vick, DeSean, and LeSean are a potent offensive force. The Eagles will need all three against a ferocious Packers' D. Aaron Rodgers brings his own passing attack. These two teams are about as evenly matched as you can get. Tie goes to the home team. Eagles 21, Packers 20.

Final review

What was a great NFL regular season came to a curious end this past Sunday. The Seahawks and Rams closed out the day with a winner-take-all NFC West clash. Normally you would think that would be a great game. However, the Rams were 7-8 and the Pete Carroll-led Seahawks were 6-9. Yes, 6-9 and playing for a division title. Which Seattle won in a really poor exhibition of football. The Seahawks may be one of the 12 teams in the playoffs, but they are not close to one of the 12 best teams. However, the other 11 that did make the playoffs are all very good teams. As usual, the tournament is wide open.

1. New England Patriots (14-2): I optimistically thought the Pats would be 13-3. They were really only a handful of big-plays-not-made away from a much better year last year. I just figured that a Belichick-coached team would start to make more plays. But not this many. From Woodhead to Gronk, McCourty to Chung, young players have stepped up week after week to make life that much easier for Brady and Wilfork. Like every playoff team, the Pats have issues. But to this point they have been able to overcome them.

2. Atlanta Falcons (13-3): The NFC's version of the Patriots? Pretty much. The Falcons' D is -- statistically at least -- a little better than New England's but the Pats offense is a little better. The Falcons have a balanced attack. Matt Ryan, Roddy White, and Michael Turner are as good a trio as there is. Atlanta is playoff ready, having played in and won a tough division with both New Orleans and Tampa. Like the Pats, the Falcons rarely beat themselves. The Saints are the defending champs, but Atlanta has to be the NFC favorite.

3. Pittsburgh Steelers (12-4): Tom Brady is clearly the MVP of the league. Most people put Michael Vick right behind him. Not me. I'd put Troy Polamalu and his curls in that spot. The Steelers are a good team without him (which for Steeler fans is probably too often). They are a great team with him. He is a difference maker. It seemed that every time I watched a Pittsburgh game he would be making a game-winning play. On the other side of the ball, Big Ben is as tough as they come and a proven champ. I'm just glad if the Pats and Steelers meet that it will be in Foxborough.

4. New Orleans Saints (11-5): The defending champs sure took some knocks this year. Losses to Cleveland and Arizona were partly due to injuries and partly due to just how difficult it is to repeat. Each year that goes by makes me appreciate more the back-to-back 14-2 seasons the Pats put up. Like the Patriots, New Orleans has a great coach and QB. Unlike the Pats, the Saints D has played well this year. It looked like they were getting healthy again, only to lose a few key players in the season finale. Can the Saints get back to the Super Bowl? I wouldn't bet against them.

5. Baltimore Ravens (12-4): Fortunately the Ravens won't be coming to Gillette in the first round. They are headed west to play KC. I would think they would be favored. They are that good. Baltimore plays a perfect style for the playoffs. Tough, hard-nosed on offense and defense. Ray Lewis will be screaming while Ed Reed makes plays. I'll be rooting for the Chiefs to get the Ravens out of the playoffs. If it doesn't happen, Baltimore is capable of going into Pittsburgh or New England (or both) and winning.

6. Chicago Bears (11-5): I'm just not a Bears believer. The coach often looks clueless. The QB often looks brainless. Yet they earned a bye. Reason? Julius Peppers and the defense. Chicago finished fourth in the league in points allowed. With Peppers causing havoc on the line, the Bears were second in the league against the run. Surprisingly, with Peppers also leading a solid pass rush, they were only 20th against the pass. The Bears might make it to the NFL title game, but if it is in Atlanta I think their season ends there. Although I would love them to get to the Super Bowl against the Patriots. '85 avenged!

7. Philadelphia Eagles (10-6): Philly was riding high after their comeback against the Giants in Week 15. Sitting at 10-4, the Eagles had a good shot at a bye. They proceeded to lose their last two games, to Minnesota and Dallas. Two teams out of the playoff race. So much for being the team to beat. Michael Vick is always dangerous. He can win a game by himself. The Eagles will be tough to beat at home in the Wild Card round. After that I'm not so sure.

8. New York Jets (11-5): Huh. I thought Rex Ryan had said something at the start of the season about the Jets finishing with the best record in the league. Maybe I was mistaken. Gang Green hasn't recovered from the Monday night beating at Gillette. Actually, they haven't recovered from the loss of safety and defensive captain Jim Leonard. An old school guy like that is hard to replace. QB Sanchez showed last year that he can handle the playoff pressure. That is key. Playing on the road is not a problem for the Jets. That makes them very dangerous.

9. Indianapolis Colts (10-6): Peyton Manning makes it to the tourney again. This one wasn't easy. Even though the Colts were in the Super Bowl last year, they won a lot of games in miraculous fashion to get there. They were good. And they were lucky. They haven't been as lucky this year. Nor as good. The thinking is that any team with #18 at QB will be tough to beat. True. The Colts aren't as well coached as the Pats, Steelers, or Ravens and they won't have the comfort of their dome when it really counts. The Super Bowl-loser hangover has been a real killer.

10. Kansas City Chiefs (10-6): My favorite team other than the Pats (Len Dawson, Hank Stram, 65 Toss Power Trap) has gotten back on track thanks to several ex Pats. The Chiefs held off the overrated Chargers to win the AFC West and are tough to beat at home. They only lost to one playoff team all year (Indy). Problem is they only played one playoff team all year. Not the way to get playoff ready. But coaches Charlie Weiss and Romeo Crennel have lots of playoff experience. That should help an inexperienced Matt Cassell.

11. Green Bay Packers (10-6): The Pack may have underachieved more than any other playoff team. Then again, if you look at the key injuries the team had maybe they actually overachieved. Either way, they are a very dangerous 10-6 wild card team. Aaron Rodgers and the offense (even without a running game) can put up points in a hurry. But like division rival Chicago, the key to the Pack's success is the defense. Green Bay, led by linebackers Clay Matthews and A.J. Hawk, gave up only 15 points a game. If they can maintain that in the playoffs they should be in the NFC title game.

12. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10-6): The only non-playoff team on the list. Raheem Morris went 3-13 in his rookie year in '09. His team made huge strides this year. Without a lot of top shelf talent. That's the sign of a good coach. Mike Singletary should watch and learn. No-name players Josh Freeman (QB) and LeGarrette Blount (RB) gave the offense some life. The defense, led by Ronde Barber and Aqib Talib, was ninth in the league in points allowed. The Bucs are worthy of being a playoff team even if they won't be there.

Dishonorable mention: The entire NFC West. Come on. Not one of these teams could muster a winning record? How's that possible? I thought the Niners would take advantage of an easy division and win 11 games. They won 6. Then I thought the Cardinals -- division winners the last few years -- could step up. Five wins. That left the "rebuilding" Seahawks and Rams to stage an epic battle for the division. Seattle, at 7-9, took the division crown. Hey, somebody had to win it.

Why are we here?

WEEK 17
Patriots 38, Dolphins 7: Why am I here? That's what the Globe's Shaughnessy said I'd be asking myself as I stood with my friends in the parking lot of Gillette yesterday as a light rain fell on the top our tent.

A game that meant nothing in the standings for either team was deemed meaningless. So why not just stay home? The sun started breaking through the clouds as Shep took the chicken off the grill. The group next to us started up a roaring fire pit (somewhat uncomfortably close to their large propane tank) and rolled out a flatscreen TV on the back of their pickup. Someone was blasting Zeppelin in the distance.

WEEK 17: A happy home.

"Why are we here?" me, Shep, Matt, and Bergs all said laughing as we raised our drinks to what we hoped would be a great ending to a ridiculously fun regular season. There were so many reasons. The food, the drinks, the football talk, the scene, the friends ... oh, and the game. Why were we there? Easy. We're football fans and our team plays the game of football about as entertainingly as it can be played. As they did yesterday in the regular season finale to finish at 14-2, best in the AFC.

We got to our seats with cocktails in hand and quickly shed our rain layers. It was sweatshirt weather on January 2. A great treat considering a week ago the area was getting buried in almost two feet of snow. I put my jacket on my seat and thought that come the playoff game in two weeks I most likely would be adding layers instead of shedding them. At least I hoped so.

There was little doubt that many of the starters would play in the game. That's Belichick's way. But I was glad to hear Welker would not be one of them. In last year's final game -- also with nothing at stake -- he blew out his knee when he tried to avoid a tackle. It was a freak injury. One that he is still recovering from. Belichick wisely had him sit this one out (along with Branch and Hernandez). But Brady was playing.

I watched highlights of some of the meaningful games played yesterday and saw teams, that had to win, play some very sloppy, mediocre football. In contrast, the Pats, who could have taken the day off, came out looking as sharp as they had been all season. In the first five minutes players who have come up big all year combined to put the Pats up quickly. Rookie corner Devin McCourty -- Pro Bowler -- made a great pick at midfield and set Brady and the offense up. Woodhead took a direct snap and ran for 19 yards down to the Dolphin 21. Brady then hit Gronk -- another impact rookie -- for a 12-yard touchdown pass. The weather was great, the drinks were cold, and the Pats were on their game -- again. Why are we here?

Early in the second quarter -- with the Pats D on the field and the team ahead by two touchdowns -- Brady and his backup Brian Hoyer sat side-by-side on the bench going over some notes. Clearly Hoyer was coming in. "Brady's telling him he better not screw up," Matt said. "or Belichick will make him go back in." How right he was. Brady came off the field after a first-down play and Hoyer came in. Hoyer looked really bad on his first two passes and Brady put his helmet back on as the coach waved him back in. Belichick sent Hoyer -- and the whole team -- yet another message. Always be ready. Hoyer wasn't.

Brady went on to play the rest of the half and started the third quarter. When he came out of the game for good the Pats were ahead 31-0 and the soon-to-be league MVP finished the year with 36 touchdown passes and only four picks. Since the loss in Cleveland, Brady has played the best football of his career. It's fun to watch. BenJarvis broke 1,000 yards rushing. Julian Edelman made some big plays -- including a great punt return for a touchdown. Even Hoyer got a second chance and looked much better. It was a convincing way to head into the playoffs.

The victory completed the second straight 8-0 regular season at Gillette. We've been fortunate to enjoy some great seasons of tailgating since getting our tickets 17 years ago. But 2010 ranks at the top. Maybe that's because of the way the Pats were crushed at home in the playoffs last year. The team could have gone in either direction after that game. Even the most optimistic of people (me) didn't see it turning this far in the positive direction. But Belichick, Brady, and Wilfork (he's now as irreplaceable as the other two) led the way through great roads wins at Pittsburgh, Miami, San Diego, and Chicago and home wins against Minnesota, Baltimore, Indy, and the Jets. As we packed up the post-game tailgate, we started making plans for another home playoff game. Hopefully with a second one to follow.

"Why are we here?" we shouted as we got in our cars for the ride home.

Bowling team

The NFL named its AFC and NFC Pro Bowl teams this week. The Patriots had six players honored. The game -- usually played after the Super Bowl in Hawaii -- will be played on the Sunday between the conference championship games and the Super Bowl this year. Not sure why. Just another bad idea by Commissioner Goodell motivated by what he thinks the fans want. The players on the Super Bowl teams will not take part in the game. Here's hoping the Pats players named to the team don't get to see Diamond Head this year.

The obvious pick was Tom Brady. This is the first in what will be a long line of honors regardless of how the team does in the playoffs. He has had a historic year. It's as if he took that ranking in the NFL's 100 Greatest Players personally. I know I did.

Rookie Devin McCourty was a somewhat surprising pick -- not because he doesn't deserve it -- but because the Pro Bowl selections are often made on reputation and he doesn't have one yet. Well, now he does. The first-round pick out of Rutgers has played as well at the hardest position in football as I've seen in a long time. Third-year linebacker Jerod Mayo and safety Brandon Meriweather also made the team. Mayo is completely back from the injury that slowed him last year. He may not make the flashy plays like Bruschi did, but he's around the ball all the time. Meriweather is also around the ball all the time and he delivers some of the hardest hits in the game -- legal and not. Unfortunately he sometimes delivers those hits to teammates.

Offensive lineman and recluse Logan Mankins was one of those reputation selections. He was picked for the third time in his career even though he missed the first half of the season because he didn't like the new contract the Pats offered him. When this season is over, re-signing Mankins has to be priority #1.

During the last offseason, priority #1 was re-signing the Big Man. Vince Wilfork. The deal got done, making him one of the highest paid players in the league. It was the moment that set the tone for the success that has followed this year. Giving athletes their big pay day -- deserved or not -- often leads to the beginning of the end for that player. The history of sports is littered with guys who got the cash and hit the beach -- or the buffet. But not Big Vince. He has had his best season ever. Defensive linemen have been going down all around him and Wilfork hasn't missed a beat. He's still an immovable object in the middle but has switched more to play end this year than ever in his career. He is the foundation that this whole team rests on.

The team was in need of someone to take the "Patriot Way" leadership mantle from Tedy Bruschi.

The Big Man is that guy. This won't be his last Pro Bowl season.

Bringing it home

WEEK 16
The day after Christmas is usually one of relaxing, returning gifts, digesting the holiday meal, and -- in my case -- working. The newspaper comes out every day. You know. Newspapers. Remember?

WEEK 16: Finishing strong.

I knew I would be driving my way through a blizzard to and from work but that was OK because there would be lots of great sports radio to listen to because the Patriots had gone into usually snowy Buffalo and thumped the Bills 34-3 to wrap up the AFC East and homefield throughout the playoffs.

Each year Mark and I say there are three goals for the regular season: 1. Win your division. 2. Earn a first-round bye. 3. Get homefield advantage. Check. Check. Check. Rex Ryan always skips those goals and goes right to winning the Super Bowl. Which explains why the Jets are runners-up in the division yet again.

The Patriots jumped all over the Bills early, putting up 27 points in the first half. Brady threw three more TDs while BenJarvis broke 100 yards rushing. Woody came close too, putting up 93 yards. It was a solid offensive performance. But it was the defense that was the story, forcing seven turnovers. Since starting the season giving up points and yards in healthy doses, the youngest defense in the league has started to cut down on both. Since the first half of the Thanksgiving game in Detroit, the D has given up very few big plays and even fewer points. It's key to the team's playoff hopes. The offense will be able to make plays when the games get even tougher. The question all year has been will the defense be able to? As of the moment, the answer is looking like yes.

There's one more home game to go in the regular season -- the day after New Year's against Miami. It should be fun, although probably frigid. It will be good practice for the playoffs at Gillete, where the Patriots will play all their games for as long as they are alive.

Pack it up

WEEK 15
I took my first DNP of the year for last night's Pats' victory. A sore throat and a Christmas tree that needed decorating with my daughters kept me on the couch for what was expected to be an easy win against the Packers. Anyone who doesn't know by now just hasn't been paying attention... there are no easy wins in the NFL.

Matt Flynn (no relation, because apparently he can throw a spiral) played the role of a young Tom Brady against the real -- if a little older -- thing. And he almost pulled it out the win. But the Patriots rallied from nine down in the fourth quarter to claim a key victory that moves them one step closer to the AFC's top seed.

WEEK 15: Season's greetings.

Shep texted me as he entered the stadium "No traffic. Great tailgate. Great weather. Should be a great game." That seems to be the only kind the Patriots are playing this year.

The Packers -- without starting QB Aaron Rodgers -- were not being given a chance to give the Pats a game. But Green Bay is an NFC playoff contender with one of the best defenses in the league. It was going to be a battle. The Pack started with an onside kick and continued to put the pressure on the whole game. After a few blowouts, a battle was a good challenge for the Patriots. Once again, they met the challenge and won.

Brady continued his streak of great games, throwing two more touchdowns and making very few mistakes. Bennie and Woody averaged more than six yards a carry. The offensive line kept the QB alive against a fierce Packer pass rush. And the defense did just enough against Flynn. (One benefit of not going to the game was not having to sit with 60-plus thousand yelling "Flynn. You suck!") My namesake put up 250 yards but gave up a key interception that Kyle Arrington took back 36 yards for a touchdown. Arrington's pick was just another example of a Patriot stepping up and making a big play. It's the difference between this year's team and 2009.

Maybe the biggest big play of the year was made by one of the biggest men.

Flynn led the Pack on an impressive six-minute touchdown drive to take a 17-7 lead late in the first half. The Patriots needed someone to step up again. Right guard Dan Connolly turned out to be that guy -- by making a 71-yard kickoff return.  A kickoff return! All the way down to the Green Bay 4-yard line. It was the longest return by an offensive lineman in the history of the league. I'm guessing by quite a few yards, too.

The Pack's kicker squibbed the ball down the middle of the field and it bounced into the hands of the big blocker. As Connolly wrapped the ball in a bear hug and started to run, my daughter Amy and I started shouting "Go down! Go down!" for fear that he would fumble. Suddenly Connolly got near midfield and realized that everyone was waiting for him to go down -- including the Packers. So he tucked the ball under his right arm and started rumbling down the field. "Run! Run!" we started yelling. He stiff-armed a would-be tackler at the Pack 30 and then made a move -- that's right a move -- inside the 15 before being taken down just short of the goal line.

My phone buzzed with a text from Mark. "That has got to one of the ten best plays in the team's history. Right?" I replied yes. If he had scored it would be top five. Flynn tried to lead a game-winning drive and made it all the way down to the Pats 15, but it ended with Tully Banta-Cain knocking the ball loose and Big Vince recovering the fumble to put the Pack away.

As I flipped through the post-game highlights and "analysis," I came upon Felger asking Tweedledum and Tweedledum (Curren and Borges) if the loss was a reminder to all those who thought the Patriots were going to waltz their way to Dallas. Of course Borges couldn't wait to pounce on that, once again offering caution to all those kool-aid guzzling fans that the 11-2 Pats are very beatable. Problem is that I don't know of any fans who were under the delusion that the Pats had already earned a ticket to the Super Bowl. That's -- as usual -- total media hype. Have they looked good the last month? Hell ya. But there are lots of tough games still ahead.

Starting Sunday in the iceland that is Buffalo.