NFL Week 11: New York Jets at New England Patriots, Sunday, 4:15 p.m., TV: CBS

BY SAM HITCHCOCK

NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM

Two teams headed in opposite directions. Coach Bill Belichick may have made the controversial call, but the Patriots (6-3) looked awfully good against the AFC's best team. Brady got time in the pocket, Kevin Faulk was able to find room to run and also displayed tremendous burst on screen passes. Randy Moss shredded the depleted Colts secondary, reminding fans that he is still among the game's top receivers. The Patriots had the Colts on their heels, and after losing in a heartbreaker, they will be primed to face the Jets in Foxboro this week.

The Jets (4-5) also are coming off a heartbreaking defeat, going back and forth with the Jaguars until allowing them a late field goal to win as time expired. Despite a miserable defensive effort in the first half (allowing 250 yards total and down 21-13), the Jets held the Jaguars scoreless in the second half until the last drive. They then disappointed when they were needed most.

On that drive Jaguars' Garrard shredded the secondary, as Mike Thomas made perhaps the play of the day when Garrard found him on a third and 9 for 15 yards, bringing them into Jets territory. Garrard put the nail in the coffin on the next play, with a 33-yard pass to Mercedes Lewis, bringing the Jaguars to the 14-yard line. The Jaguars proceeded to move to the one-yard line where Maurice Jones Drew fell intentionally, allowing the Jaguars to run down the clock and then kick the winning field goal as time expired.

The Jets had just gotten a touchdown from Thomas Jones, and had outscored the Jaguars 9-0 in the second half, putting them in a position to win (after not completing the two point conversion because Braylon Edwards dropped the pass from Sanchez). The Jets defense and offense have both proven to be a liability, both contributing in unique ways to their losses.

All signs point towards trouble for Gang Green this week, as Coach Rex Ryan cried as he addressed his team on Monday, feeling so overwhelmed with emotions. Staged or not, Ryan's using tears to motivate and bring his team together is the official signal that the wheels have come off.

For the Jets, the key to Sunday's game is not letting it get away from them too quickly. The Patriots will undoubtedly exert a lot of pressure on Sanchez, hoping they can force him to make costly mistakes. Nevertheless, the Patriots rush defense can be vulnerable at times, and if Ryan gives Jones and Shonn Greene 30 carries between the two of them, it will slow the game down, and possibly help the Jets keep it close.

Do not look for a repeat of Week 2, when the Jets upset the Patriots 16-9, as Brady's form is back and the Patriots offense may be the best in their division. As the Jets' always colorful Bart Scott put it, "Maybe we're not one of the best defenses in the league." While this may be new news to Scott, Jets fans have been aware of this for quite some time. If they have any shot against the Patriots, they had better bring their A game to keep this one from getting out of hand.

Prediction: Patriots 31, Jets 13