28 Jets, 21 Patriots

For some reason BMack and The Captain were unable to write this post.... So I guess I'll have to write it!

If you would have told me that the Patriots had 78 plays compared to 54 to the Jets, that they held the ball for about 10 more minutes, had 12 more 1st downs and came off of a bye in which Belichick never loses after, I would have assumed the Patriots killed the Jets however, the overplayed "Any Given Sunday" line came more true then any other saying on Sunday.

Rex Ryan and the Jets talked a big game coming into the game, and to everyone's surprise backed it up when the camera's were rolling. Rex Ryan must have studied the film (No, I'm not going to get all passive aggresive Wes Welker on you, BMack may suspend me for the opening posts)all week because he drew up a genious game that made Belichick look like Eric Mangini and Tom Brady very uncomfortable and indecisive.

BMack and I were talking about this game before it, and both had the weird feeling surrounding it because this game was supposed to be a lock. As soon as the kickoff was kicked, something almost felt different.

In the first offensive possession Mark Sanchez looked like the same uncomfortable QB, he was inaccurate and all over the place. So they punted it to Tom Brady and the Patriots who promptly moved the ball decently well down the field until Brady overthrew a BenJarvis Green- Ellis screen that was picked off by David Harris which looked as if it was a sure pick 6 until Alge Crumpler (who may have played his most active game as a Patriot) chased him down. It was Brady's first pick in a billion tries. However, Sanchez still looked off on the next possession and Nick Folk shanked the field goal. So no harm, no foul.

After the Patriots gained possession they threw the ball, marched the ball down the field and after a Crumpler drop in the endzone the Patriots kicked and got 3. The next Jets possession looked off as Sanchez badly overthrew Dustin Keller and punted it back, however, that was really the last mistake Sanchez made all game.

The Jets finally struck in on their next offensive possession as Sanchez hit LT for the TD pass (which was his 1st in 2 years or something). The game went back in forth as the chess match between Belichick and Ryan continued. Rex Ryan's defensive scheme was remarkable. They Doubled Welker for most of the game and had Revis take out Branch and let the linebackers handle their business against the tight ends. It was odd because Green Ellis wasn't really the featured back this game, it was Danny Woodhead. I know that everyone in New England has a wet dream over him, however, I don't really understand using him that much. He may give the Patriots more options on offense, but lets face it, he's a gimmick player, a poor mans Kevin Faulk at best.

Then the fake punt came. With 4th and 4 on the Patriots on their own 38. Bill Belichick once again, put his team in a awful position as he decided to fake the punt to Patrick Chung. Patrick Chung fumbled the ball, got it back and promptly got tackled behind the line. This move seems to be another one we can tack onto Bill's boneheaded arrogant playcalling that hurts his team. He's a great coach, however, he does make stupid and unnecessary mistakes often. That killed the Patriots as Sanchez threw a slant to Braylon Edwards who drug two pro bowlers Devin McCourty and Brandon Merriweather into the endzone. 14-3. at the end of the 1st half.

The second half was really weird from a Patriots playcalling standpoint. Their was no sense of urgency and they were being very slow and tactical from here on out. They relied heavily on Danny Woodhead for some reason and nothing really happened until 4 minutes remained in the 3rd when Brady hit Crumpler in the endzone and then they went for 2 to make it a 3 point game. At this point you were just waiting for Mark Sanchez to make the mistake, but that never happened.

For me, the turning point of the game happened in this possession when Sanchez hit Jericho Cotchery for a 58 yard pass. This eventually led to an unbelievable TD catch and throw from Sanchez to Holmes, but took the wind right out of the sails of New England. After that happened, you had the feeling that the Jets were going to win the game.

The next Patriots possession was wild as it took 8 minutes and instead of going for a 52 yard field goal they elected to go for it on 4th and 13. However, Brady threw a wide but catchable pass to Deion Branch which was dropped. The Jets had a 3 and out and then the Patriots marched the ball down the field and got a field goal to make it a 7 point game.

The onside kick was great from the Patriots, it gave them a chance and it was right there, however it squirted to Antonio Cromartie who has balls the size of beach balls who picked the ball up and ran the ball to the NE 20. From there the Shonne Greene scored a TD (even though if he kneeled it the game would have been over).

Brady scored a meaningless TD to Deion Branch, the Jets recovered the next onside kick. Game over.

There will certainly be a lot of questions surrounding the Patriots choking, Belichicks play calling, benching Wes Welker for the start of the game and the 4th and 3 but what it comes down to is that Rex Ryan out coached Belichick, Mark Sanchez won the game, and that the T-A-L-K, wins, wins wins.