FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — This is the week you could count on, at least twice an NFL season, to hear some pretty good trash talk all the way from New York to Boston.
Yep, it’s Jets-Patriots.
Bad blood, memorable moments and players and coaches switching sides mark this AFC East rivalry.
So, with the latest showdown set for Sunday at New England with first place in the division on the line, the hype should be starting right about now, right?
“We’re not trying to catch up on anybody,” guard Willie Colon said Monday. “We’re not trying to make any statements. We just want to win, and everything will take care of itself.”
Wait.
What about the shots at Tom Brady? Or, that stuff about not kissing Bill Belichick’s rings? And, the talk of knocking the Patriots off their throne atop the AFC East?
“You know the answer to that,” Colon said. “You know why. New regime.”
Rex Ryan certainly drove the narrative during his six years with the Jets, firmly establishing an us-against-them approach. Ryan always spoke of his respect for Brady and Belichick, but also made it clear that he wanted to beat them, and in a big way.
He wasn’t very successful at it, though, going 4-9 against them with the Jets – although one of those victories came in the playoffs. That did little to stifle the chatter during the week leading up to the games against the Patriots.
Well, under Coach Todd Bowles, the buzz is gone.
“Winning this game is not going to make us,” Bowles said. “Losing this game is not going to break us.”
Whoa.
But didn’t Ryan used to say division games were worth 1½ games because of their potential effect on the standings.
“No,” Bowles said. “It’s one game for us.”
Wide receiver Quincy Enunwa was suspended four games without pay by the NFL for violating the league’s personal conduct policy.
The suspension stems from an incident last year in which Enunwa was arrested for simple assault on his girlfriend at a New Jersey hotel. Domestic violence charges were later dropped in the case.
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