Sports Report 360 NFL Playoff Breakdown: Jets vs. Patriots

The trash talk all week leading up to the game has been great.  Rex Ryan and Antonio Cromartie have let the Patriots know the Jets can and will win the game. Bill Belichick and Tom Brady have stuck to their traditional trash talk game plan of humble pie.  The Jets come into the game fresh off of an upset victory over the Indianapolis Colts. The Jets play good playoff football.  Veteran players like Jason Taylor and LaDainian Tomlinson will play well for the Jets in this game desperately trying to reach the Superbowl for the first time.  The Patriots come into the game rested after finishing the regular season with the best record in the NFL at 14-2.  The Patriots want to keep playing great football.

January 16, 2011
New York Jets (6) vs. New England Patriots (1) at Gillete Stadium 4:30 pm EST

Offense: Tom Brady leads the number one offense in the NFL into this playoff game. Expect Wes Welker, Deion Branch and Aaron Hernandez to catch plenty of passes from Tom Brady.  The Patriots spread the ball all over the field.

Defense: The Jets have one of the strongest defenses in the NFL. Antonio Cromartie and Darrelle Revis will have to have one of their best coverage games of the season. The Jets will stop the Patriots’ run game.  The Jets must get pressure on Tom Brady.

Special Teams: Brad Smith is going to be the best special teams returner in the ball game. Smith must have a good game so that Mark Sanchez and the Jets’ offense will have excellent field position all game.  The Jets should score consistently against the Patriots.

Coaching:  Coach Rex Ryan has rubbed many people wrong in the NFL. But Ryan’s teams often respond well to his challenges and trash talk. Last week, Ryan was able to get over the Peyton Manning hurdle. This week he is squarely focused on beating Belichick and Brady.  Since Spygate the Patriots have not been the same team. Belichick has not been Belichick in the playoffs. Brady has not been Brady in the playoffs. Notably last season the Ravens knocked the Patriots out of the playoffs at Gillette Stadium 33-14. Coach Belichick comes into this game somewhat scared by the way his team has recently performed in the playoffs.  In what will be another playoff flop for the Patriots, the Jets will surprise the Patriots like the Ravens did last year. In the biggest upset in the playoffs so far, Rex Ryan survives another week and the Jets will beat the Patriots.