If the Jets had not won, the Patriots would be squaring off with the Baltimore Ravens, who on Sunday afternoon convincingly beat the Chiefs 30-7.
For the Patriots, this is a decided advantage.
While both teams lost to the Pats at home this season, the Ravens put up a better fight and nearly won.
On Oct. 17, the Patriots won by only three points in a 23-20 overtime victory.
When the Jets came to New England, after an impressive Week 2 win over the Pats in New York, the story was much different. On Dec. 6, the Patriots blew out the Jets 45-3.
But that’s not where the differences ended. Joe Flacco finished the Oct. 17 loss with 285 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. On the other hand, Mark Sanchez was never able to find a groove, finishing with 164 yards, no touchdowns and three interceptions.
Not saying that Flacco is far superior than Sanchez, but the Pats will likely fare better against the Jets’ quarterback rather than the Ravens’, especially after Flacco’s 265-yard, two-touchdown performance in Sunday’s win.
While both the Jets and Ravens both have strong defenses, the Patriots have had better success – at least recently – against the Jets.
In the Ravens game, Tom Brady threw for 292 yards, only one touchdown and two interceptions. In fact, the Ravens were the last team to pick off Brady, who is in the midst of a record streak without an interception. And while the Jets are responsible for Brady’s only other two interceptions – which came in Week 2 –, Brady threw for 326 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions in the Week 13 rematch.
Entering this weekend, Brady holds 28 consecutive regular-season wins as a starter at home. His last home loss, though, came last postseason, when the Ravens embarrassed him and the Pats at Gillette Stadium with a 33-14 victory, holding Brady to only 154 passing yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions.
While the Patriots may have a better matchup with the Jets than the Ravens, neither team is afraid of Bill Bellichick and crew. Both the Jets and Ravens have trash-talked the Patriots this season. Both teams have a feared and stingy defense, and neither unit seems to get along with Brady.
While Rex Ryan favors Peyton Manning over Brady, Terrell Suggs has been vocal while disapproving of Brady’s participation in the NFL Pro Bowl.
In return, both Brady and many Pats fans "hate" the Jets more than the Ravens and would love to crush the ego of the Jets and their head coach Rex Ryan.
Ryan confidently stated he "came in here [Gillette Stadium] to kick [ Belichick’s] butt." However, he experienced a completely different outcome than expected, allowing 45 points, the most he ever allowed in a single game as a head coach.
Even immediately after beating the Colts, Jets players already started to trash talk the Pats. They’ll get what they asked for on Jan. 16.
With a win this weekend by the Patriots and Ravens, the two teams can still play each other in the AFC Championship, but for now, the Patriots’ primary focus is the arch-rival Jets, rather than the tougher Ravens.
