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As part of the lead up to the AFC East clash between the New York Jets and New England Patriots on Monday night, Scoop Jackson sat down with Larry Izzo and Kevin Faulk to talk about what it means to be a Patriot.

Izzo starred on special teams for the Patriots and the Jets. Faulk is on New England's injured reserve. When the video concludes, click on the related videos to see other clips, including their predictions for Monday night.

Two of the NFL's hottest rivalries will take center stage in Week 13. Lucky for us.

The Pittsburgh Steelers will visit the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday night. The New York Jets then will visit the New England Patriots on Monday night. Combined record of the four teams: 34-10.

Millions of football fans will be tuned in to see both marquee matchups with superstars and storylines aplenty.

But which pairing represents the NFL's best divisional rivalry?

Each matchup has a history, quality quarterbacks and plenty at stake for the playoffs. A couple of feisty bloggers -- James Walker from the AFC North and Tim Graham from the AFC East -- will state a case for why his division has the better rivalry.

James Walker: Tim, I just want to apologize in advance, because I don’t think you have much of a leg to stand on comparing these two rivalries. Do you accept my apology?

Tim Graham: If that's really what you think, then the only thing to accept is your resignation. The Jets-Patriots rivalry goes back 50 years, showcases ESPN's team of the decade versus the biggest media sensation, involves espionage, features incredible player and coaching crossover and will generate significantly more attention this week than the Steelers and Ravens. Yet I don't have a leg to stand on? This should be amusing.

Walker: OK, let's get down to business. First, I'm going to tell you why the Jets-Patriots rivalry doesn't stack up to Ravens-Steelers. For starters, the Jets aren't even the Patriots’ biggest rival in the AFC. The Colts are. Indianapolis and New England have played eight straight years in much bigger games -- sometimes with the Super Bowl at stake.

Meanwhile, there is no debating the Steelers and Ravens are each other's biggest rival. Both teams have played on the biggest stages, including the AFC Championship Game in 2008, when the Steelers went on to win Super Bowl XLIII. Finally, here's another difference: Pittsburgh and Baltimore both have championships within the past decade. When both rivals are able to reach the pinnacle while beating up each other along the way, that's when a rivalry is truly special. The Ravens and Steelers have it. The Colts and Patriots have it. The Jets and Patriots? I don't think so.

Graham: Your opinion about the Colts representing a bigger rival than the Jets would be pertinent if the Patriots agreed with it. Tom Brady earlier this year declared "I hate the Jets," and he wasn't joking. The Patriots play the Jets twice a year. Division games are worth more than any other game in terms of importance. A Patriots-Colts game is more like a playoff exhibition.

You do make a good point about the Ravens and Steelers each winning a Super Bowl in the past decade. But recent titles don't necessarily make rivalries. If they did, then the Packers, Vikings and Bears don't have rivalries. Storylines and animus make rivalries. In that regard, Jets-Patriots is unsurpassed.

Walker: Brady says he hates the Jets, but a rivalry is a two-way street. How much hatred does New York really have for the Patriots? It can't be too deep-rooted. Most of New York's key people recently came from the AFC North and other teams, including head coach Rex Ryan. I'd be willing to bet Santonio Holmes hates the Ravens more than he hates the Patriots. I know Bart Scott hates the Steelers. We've talked about it several times while he was in Baltimore. Braylon Edwards? He hyped his return to Cleveland 10 times more than this week's game against New England. Do you really think key players like Edwards, LaDainian Tomlinson and Antonio Cromartie have a feel for the Jets-Patriots rivalry? I doubt it.

But there is legitimate, two-way hatred between the Steelers and Ravens. Hines Ward hates the Ravens. Ray Lewis hates the Steelers. The markets of Pittsburgh and Baltimore simply cannot drive the point home like bigger cities New York and Boston can. For example, Ravens defensive end Terrell Suggs basically told me he doesn't like the Steelers, either, which is similar to what Brady said about the Jets. Yet it didn't get any attention. The Jets-Patriots rivalry may be unsurpassed in hype. But the Ravens-Steelers rivalry is unsurpassed in substance.

Graham: Come on, James. You need to do more than take a glance at 2010 rosters to understand the Jets-Patriots rivalry. Every team has free agents who need to learn a rivalry. The point about Brady's hatred was that he never said that about the Colts, which you propose is a bigger rival for the Patriots than the Jets are.

But you want substance? How about Bill Parcells taking the Patriots to the Super Bowl and then leaving them for the Jets amid such controversial circumstances the NFL forced New York to send four draft picks to the Patriots over three years, including the first-round pick in 1999, as a penalty? How about the infamous Curtis Martin defection from the Patriots to the Jets and the infamous "poison pill" contract? How about Parcells abdicating his Jets job to Bill Belichick and then Belichick writing his resignation on a cocktail napkin moments before the Jets thought they were introducing him as their next head coach? How about the Jets blocking Belichick from joining the Patriots until he filed a federal lawsuit and then settling on the Patriots shipping five draft picks to the Jets over three years, including their 2000 first-rounder? How about Patriots defensive coordinator Eric Mangini departing to be Jets head coach and leaving the bridge in cinders? How about the Patriots filing tampering charges against the Jets on receiver Deion Branch? How about a little thing called Spygate? How about Damien Woody, Danny Woodhead, Ty Law, Vinny Testaverde, Roman Phifer, Larry Izzo, Hank Poteat and Chris Baker (among many other role players) wearing both uniforms within the past decade? Steelers-Ravens has nothing even remotely close to a third of that rundown.

Walker: Why you think playing for both teams makes it more of a rivalry is beyond me. I think it lessens your argument. I can't imagine Ed Reed or Lewis wearing a Steelers jersey. Ward would never sign a deal to play for the Ravens. Not in a million years. These two teams hate each other too much. Yet all these Jets and Patriots players simply flip-flop between teams at their leisure? That’s weak and not the sign of a hated rivalry, in my opinion.

Graham: That's rather Pollyanna to think Ravens would never go play for the Steelers or vice versa. Do you honestly believe if the Steelers had hired Ryan, then all of those players who followed him to the Jets wouldn't have gone to Pittsburgh? Please. Players pursue the best opportunity based on money, playing a system they love and a chance to win a title.

Here is how players switching teams make for a better rivalry: It thickens the plot. Fans who used to wear a player's jersey burn them. The expatriate player shares playbook secrets and other intelligence. That player has a chip on his shoulder and comes back to haunt his old team.

Walker: Moving onto quarterbacks. I think there are some similarities between the teams' four passers. Joe Flacco is the third-year upstart trying to get to the championship level of Ben Roethlisberger, who already has two rings. Much of Flacco's status eventually will be determined by how much success he has against Roethlisberger and the Steelers within his division. It seems the Ravens and Steelers are always in the way and have to go through each other to have a deep run in the playoffs and get to the Super Bowl. What dynamic do you see developing with Brady and a young Mark Sanchez?

Graham: I don't know if there's much of a quarterback comparison beyond the glamour element at this stage. Brady and Sanchez have a lot in common from an off-the-field standpoint. They sell a lot of jerseys, attract a lot of ladies, walk a lot of red carpets, appear in a lot of photo shoots and do a lot of cameos. But they're too far apart in experience to compare résumés.

I see the Jets and Patriots as more of a fan base and organizational rivalry: teams from two of the greatest sports markets, with two of the NFL's most influential owners, and two of the best defensive coaches in the game -- heck, two of the most controversial coaches of this generation. Ever since Ryan took over as Jets head coach, he has been tweaking Belichick. Some thought the rivalry would wane when the Jets fired Mangini, but Ryan -- a guy who helped build the Steelers-Ravens rivalry, by the way -- came along and made it juicier.

Walker: Now is our favorite part. It's prediction time. It's no secret the Steelers and Ravens are built and play similarly. So it's usually a close game. Baltimore is going for its first series sweep since 2006, but Roethlisberger didn't play in the first meeting because of a suspension. Now he's back and is 7-2 all-time against Baltimore. But I have a feeling this is the Ravens' week. They are healthier overall, 5-0 at home and appear to be peaking at the right time. The Steelers, on the other hand, have been up and down. Both teams usually bring out the best in each other, but I'm picking the Ravens to win, 20-17. So who are you picking between the Patriots and Jets, Tim? Don't chicken out.

Graham: I predict the loser of the Jets-Patriots game will have the same record as the team that wins the Ravens-Steelers game. Predicting a score has no bearing on our debate of which rivalry is better. But I will say the Jets and Patriots provide a rare showdown between teams with the NFL's best two records. This is only the fifth time in "Monday Night Football" history two clubs with records of 9-2 or better will play, and the first game under those circumstances that doesn't involve the Joe Montana-led San Francisco 49ers in Candlestick Park.

This is a special game befitting a special rivalry. Your game features clubs that needed overtime to beat the Buffalo Bills. I'll expect that resignation letter by kickoff.

New York Jets nose tackle Kris Jenkins beamed into the NFL Network studios and delivered some pointed remarks about Jets fans and some former teammates.

"NFL Total Access" host Rich Eisen asked Jenkins to advise nervous Jets fans how to approach a season full of expectations but also question marks because of such key departures as running backs Thomas Jones and Leon Washington, guard Alan Faneca and safety Kerry Rhodes.

"Suck it up. That's what y'all being doing so far," Jenkins said of the fans. "Look, you've got to understand that this is football, and if I could make a public-service announcement, I will say this: New York fans, we love you. This is Kris Jenkins. I am a little bit of a clown in my free time, so if I hurt your feelings I'm really not going to apologize because this is my time right now. ...

"If we win, then you get all your dreams coming true. If we lose, then you all get to do what you've been doing for a long time and talk about us until you basically run us out of the city. So you're going to get what you want either way. But we're going for a Super Bowl. So sit back, enjoy the ride. We're planning on doing it big."

Jenkins continued with a curious and disparaging comment about players who have left -- without naming names.

"We have great guys who have come in to step up, to fill in the void of some of these big losses that we have had this season," Jenkins said.

"Then in some other cases, we've had some real men come in and step in for the women that we lost. So we're going to be OK. Don't worry about it."

Jenkins probably was being that aforementioned clown, but Eisen didn't follow up with another question to clarify who Jenkins was referring to. Some players left on rougher terms than others. Many Jets weren't pleased to see guys like Jones, Faneca and kicker Jay Feely leave.

Rhodes would be a good guess as to one player Jenkins meant. But Jenkins did say "women" plural.

For the record, Jets who were on the final 2009 roster but not currently with the team (in addition to those listed above) are receiver Wallace Wright, defensive tackler Howard Green, defensive end Marques Douglas, linebackers Marques Murrell and Ryan Fowler, cornerbacks Lito Sheppard and Donald Strickland, special-teams ace Larry Izzo and long snapper James Dearth.

Douglas reportedly will re-sign with the Jets later this week.

Notable players: QB Tom Brady, RB Corey Dillon, WR Deion Branch, WR/DB Troy Brown, TE Daniel Graham, T Matt Light, DE Richard Seymour, OLB Willie McGinest, OLB Mike Vrabel, ILB Tedy Bruschi, CB Ty Law, CB Asante Samuel, S Rodney Harrison, K Adam Vinatieri, ST Larry Izzo.

Analysis: The New England Patriots are the only AFC East club with three championship seasons to consider, and one could argue with conviction their best team didn't win the Super Bowl.

But 2004 stands apart. The Patriots claimed their third Vince Lombardi Trophy in four seasons to establish themselves as one of the all-time great teams. Brady and head coach Bill Belichick ensured their place in Canton.

The Patriots picked up where they left off after winning Super Bowl XXXVIII the year before. They increased their win streak to an NFL record 21 games. They ranked fourth in scoring and second in points allowed. They lost two games all season, Week 8 at the Pittsburgh Steelers and Week 15 at the Miami Dolphins.

After beating the Indianapolis Colts for the second time and holding Peyton Manning's offense to three points in the divisional round of the playoffs, the Patriots scored 41 points to avenge their defeat in Pittsburgh.

In Super Bowl XXXIX, the Patriots beat the Philadelphia Eagles more comfortably than the 24-21 score indicates. Adam Vinatieri didn't need to drill a field goal in the closing seconds for a change.

Most impressive win: The Patriots never were more dominant than they were in Week 10 against the Buffalo Bills, a borderline playoff team that won three out of four heading into Gillette Stadium and six straight afterward. The Patriots rolled up a season-high 428 offensive yards and limited the Bills to 125 yards to win 29-6.

What can Brown do for you? Pretty much whatever you could ask of him. Brown caught only 15 passes in the regular season, but in Week 9 against the St. Louis Rams, he entered the game as an emergency defensive back when Samuel went down with an injury. Brown finished the season with three interceptions (one shy of the team lead) and broke the Super Bowl record for punt returns.

Honorable mention

2007: It's the greatest NFL team not to win the championship. Brady, Randy Moss and Wes Welker rewrote a good chunk of the offensive record book, but the Patriots fell short of finishing the season undefeated, losing in the Super Bowl to the New York Giants.

2001: New England won its first championship with an offense that ranked sixth in scoring and a defense that ranked sixth in points allowed. Belichick's controversial decision to stick with Brady when Drew Bledsoe returned to health created a superstar.

2003: New England went 14-2 to win its second title in three years. The offense was pretty mediocre, but the defense posted three shutouts, gave up six points or fewer five times and averaged 11.9 points against over the final 10 weeks of the regular season.

1976: Patriots fans thought a storybook season was unfolding in the bicentennial. Steve Grogan and Sam Cunningham led the Pats to an 11-3 record, but a controversial late-hit call helped them lose to the Oakland Raiders in the playoffs.

ORLANDO, Fla. -- The NFL has awarded a league-high four compensatory draft choices to the New England Patriots.

The Miami Dolphins received one. The Buffalo Bills and New York Jets didn't get any.

All the picks were revealed Monday night at the NFL owners meetings at the Ritz-Carlton Orlando Grande Lakes.

Compensatory picks are awarded to clubs based on a secret formula more guarded than Colonel Sanders' recipe. We know the formula involves the number of free agents gained and lost the previous offseason and how well those players performed the ensuing season. We think the formula factors in the players' salaries, playing time and awards.

New England lost five qualifying free agents (running back LaMont Jordan, fullback Heath Evans, receiver Jabar Gaffney, linebacker Larry Izzo and long-snapper Lonie Paxton) and signed only one (safety Brandon McGowan).

The NFL compensated the Patriots with one sixth-round pick and three seventh-round picks. The selections are Nos. 205, 247, 248 and 250.

Miami lost two qualifying free agents (cornerback Andre Goodman and safety Renaldo Hill) and signed two (center Jake Grove and center Joe Berger).

The Dolphins were given a seventh-round pick, No. 252.

The New England Patriots have revealed their all-decade team. The players were chosen Monday by the Patriots' Hall of Fame Nomination Committee.

Offense

Quarterback: Tom Brady

Running back: Corey Dillon

Receivers: Randy Moss, Wes Welker, Troy Brown

Tight end: Daniel Graham

Center: Dan Koppen

Guards: Logan Mankins, Joe Andruzzi

Tackles: Matt Light, Nick Kaczur

Defense

Nose tackle: Vince Wilfork

Defensive ends: Richard Seymour, Ty Warren

Outside linebackers: Willie McGinest, Mike Vrabel

Inside linebackers: Tedy Bruschi, Roman Phifer

Cornerbacks: Ty Law, Asante Samuel

Safeties: Rodney Harrison, Lawyer Milloy

Special teams

Kicker: Adam Vinatieri

Punter: Josh Miller

Kick returner: Kevin Faulk

Coverage: Larry Izzo

In the book of great NFL mysteries, it's listed on the same page as "How did the Raiders wash Fred Biletnikoff's socks?"

The unanswerable question I'm referring to: "How does the NFL determine compensatory picks?"

Nobody knows because the league refuses to provide detailed insight into the formula. We know it depends on the number of free agents gained and lost the previous offseason and how well those players performed that year. Factors include the player's salary, playing time and awards -- we think.

But there's a compensatory vigilante out there who goes by the handle AdamJT13. He seems to have darn near cracked the code and has been giving accurate forecasts for 10 years.

My personal policy is not to link to people who write anonymously, but AdamJT13 has a track record and provides a unique service. With that in mind, here are his compensatory projections for AFC East clubs. The NFL will announce the official rundown in a couple weeks.

Buffalo Bills: None. They signed two qualifying free agents (quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, center Geoff Hangartner) and lost two (cornerback Jabari Greer, linebacker Angelo Crowell). AdamJT13 adds the Bills could get a compensatory pick at the end of the seventh round based on net value of the players lost, depending on the evaluations.

Miami Dolphins: Sixth-round pick. AdamJT13 notes it might be a seventh-rounder, or depending on how the NFL views guard Joe Berger, nothing at all. They signed one definite qualifying free agent (center Jake Grove) and lost two definites (cornerback Andre' Goodman and safety Renaldo Hill).

New England Patriots: Four seventh-round picks for losing receiver Jabar Gaffney, long-snapper Lonie Paxton, fullback Heath Evans and running back LaMont Jordan, but not signing any definite qualifying free agents. Gaffney could be good enough for a sixth-rounder.

New York Jets: None. They signed at least as many qualifying free agents (linebacker Bart Scott, safety Jim Leonhard, cornerback Donald Strickland and maybe linebacker Larry Izzo) as they lost (receiver Laveranues Coles, linebacker Eric Barton, defensive end C.J. Mosley and maybe cornerback Hank Poteat).

Buffalo Bills

Potential unrestricted free agents: DE Ryan Denney, LB Chris Draft, DB Todd Johnson, G Seth McKinney, WR Terrell Owens, WR Josh Reed, S Bryan Scott, G Kendall Simmons, LB Josh Stamer.

Potential restricted free agents: LB Keith Ellison, QB Gibran Hamdan, G Richie Incognito, TE Joe Klopfenstein, TE Derek Schouman, T Jonathan Scott, S George Wilson, CB Ashton Youboty.

Franchise player: None.

What to expect: The Bills are in a rebuilding mode and shouldn't be in too much of a hurry to sign their free agents. In fact, they took the unusual step of publicly announcing they wouldn't offer Owens, Reed or Denney contracts. The most attractive players are Incognito and Wilson. Most of the rest were bit players and injury replacements.

Miami Dolphins

Potential unrestricted free agents: NT Jason Ferguson, CB Nate Jones, QB Chad Pennington, OLB Jason Taylor.

Potential restricted free agents: RB Ronnie Brown, TE Anthony Fasano, OLB Quentin Moses.

Franchise player: None.

What to expect: The Dolphins have a tough decision to make on Ferguson. He'll turn 36 during the 2010 season and is coming off a serious quadriceps injury. Without him, however, the Dolphins have a massive void in their 3-4 defense at a position that's difficult to replace. Pennington, Jones and Taylor all could be gone.

New England Patriots

Potential unrestricted free agents: OLB Tully Banta-Cain, CB Leigh Bodden, OLB Derrick Burgess, RB Kevin Faulk, DE Jarvis Green, P Chris Hanson, G Stephen Neal, ILB Junior Seau, TE Benjamin Watson.

Potential restricted free agents: K Stephen Gostkowski, G Logan Mankins, OLB Pierre Woods.

Franchise player: NT Vince Wilfork.

What to expect: Several starters are about to go up for bids, and the Patriots can't keep them all. Expect Faulk to be re-signed without much fuss. Neal, Bodden and Banta-Cain comprise a group they'd have trouble replacing. All three could fetch offers the Patriots would rather not match. Don't count on Watson coming back.

New York Jets

Potential unrestricted free agents: LS James Dearth, DE Marques Douglas, K Jay Feely, LB Ryan Fowler, TE Ben Hartsock, LB Larry Izzo, FB Tony Richardson.

Potential restricted free agents: QB Kellen Clemens, CB Drew Coleman, WR Braylon Edwards, DT Howard Green, T Wayne Hunter, WR Brad Smith, S Eric Smith, RB Leon Washington.

Franchise player: None.

What to expect: As a "final eight" team, the Jets have to window shop until one of their UFAs sign elsewhere. General manager Mike Tannenbaum is creative. Don't be surprised if the Jets use trades to upgrade. The key restricted free agent to monitor will be Washington, who received a second-round tender. His agent has been tweeting alarms the Pro Bowler could sign an offer sheet and dare the Jets to match.

Three weeks ago, Oakland Raiders superduperstar Nnamdi Asomugha stood on the 50-yard line of Sun Life Stadium after the Pro Bowl and told me he wanted to form a dynamic duo with New York Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis.

Although Asomugha insisted he was "dead serious," he later claimed he was joking.

But it turns out Asomugha's whimsy actually could be attainable for 2010.

ESPN's Adam Schefter blogs the Raiders are actively looking to dump players , including their elite defensive back:

The Oakland Raiders have had multiple discussions -- with multiple teams -- in an effort to see if they can unload any of their players, league sources said. It is similar to what the Raiders did last year, when they sought out trades with other teams, only to find few takers.

The Raiders are open to dealing multiple players on their roster, including Pro Bowl cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha. The problem is that Asomugha's contract makes him virtually untradable.

Schefter notes Asomugha is scheduled to make $16.59 million -- all guaranteed -- this year and then explains some other wild clauses in Asomugha's contract that only underscore the Raiders' ineptitude.

But let's stop and consider this for a moment.

The Jets need a cornerback. They're almost certain to release Lito Sheppard rather than pay him a $10 million roster bonus in a couple of weeks. Jets head coach Rex Ryan places a premium value on cornerbacks. I wouldn't be surprised if simply hearing "Nnamdi" caused Ryan to throw back his head reflexively and drool like Homer Simpson. Mmmmmm ... Elite shutdown defender ...

The Jets are handcuffed in free agency by the "final eight" plan that, one of the quirky uncapped year rules that essentially prevents them from signing an unrestricted player until one of their unrestricted free agents (Jay Feely, Tony Richardson, Marques Douglas, Larry Izzo, et al) signs elsewhere.

But the Jets can make all the trades they want.

If Asomugha really wants to play with Revis and experience life under defensive savant Ryan -- and get out of Oakland while he's at it -- perhaps he'd be willing to restructure his deal to play for a team that's trying to, you know, win.

The possibility of Asomugha still seems remote because of his contract, but the fact the Raiders are dangling him around the league makes you wonder how nauseous AFC East quarterbacks will get at the mere thought of him and Revis in green and white together.

A week ago, I solicited your help to select the AFC East's best players at every position for 2009.

Your votes have been counted and your comments read at ESPN.com and on my Facebook page. I believe we've come up with a rock-solid All-AFC East team.

In almost every case, the player who received the most votes made the squad. So consider this the team you selected. The only time I had to make a call was to break a tie or for a position that generated scant attention.

I also exercised my right as AFC East blog czar to revoke a ballot for stupidity and only considered the votes of people who made an honest effort to field an entire ballot -- not just throw out a name or two of a player from their team. Anybody who submitted an idiotic selection -- Buffalo Bills rookie Andy Levitre at left guard over two Pro Bowlers? -- got their entire ballot killed on account of credibility.

The biggest debate involved fullbacks Tony Richardson and Lousaka Polite, for whom passionate Dolfans made a convincing case. The vote was close enough that my influence would have allowed me to pick Richardson for the All-AFC East team, but you Polite zealots wore me down.

The biggest surprises from my perspective:

• Dolphins running backs Ricky Williams and Ronnie Brown received a combined four votes and finished third and fourth behind Thomas Jones and Fred Jackson. Based on the crush of support for Polite, you would think Williams and Brown would receive more votes through mere homerism. That's a credit to Dolfans and actually played a factor in my being won over on Polite. You voted with your heads.
• Response for Bills inside linebacker Paul Posluszny. New York Jets leading tackler David Harris had one of the spots locked up. I thought New England Patriots linebacker Jerod Mayo, the NFL's top defensive rookie in 2008, would be the other. But Posluszny received almost twice as many votes as Mayo.

Close votes where I made the final call:

• New England strong safety Brandon Meriweather over Miami's Yeremiah Bell in a tie vote.
• New England's Wes Welker, the only player to make the team at two positions, at punt returner over Jackson in a vote that had three players within two votes.
• Buffalo special-teamer John Wendling in a three-way tie with Miami's Jason Allen and New York's Larry Izzo.

INDIANAPOLIS -- There's no way to think beyond the pain when the incision still stings and the inflammation throbs.

The New York Jets weren't interested in talking about great accomplishments or exceeding logical expectations, not so soon after Peyton Manning's surgical performance drained their postseason life.

"It's too fresh of a wound to say anything to make yourself feel better," Jets safety Jim Leonhard said of any buck-up-little-camper talk.

The Jets' charmed season ended Sunday amid a blizzard of blue and white glitter fired from sideline cannons in Lucas Oil Stadium. The Indianapolis Colts came from behind to jilt the Jets 30-17 for the AFC crown.

"Everybody's disappointed that we didn't go to the Super Bowl, especially when we were this close," Jets left tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson said, almost spitting out the words. "We didn't do everything that we needed to win. But at the same rate, we did do a lot of great things.

"I can't even say we're second. Nobody wants to be third or fourth. Maybe in a week or two it will be different."

Implausible as it seemed before the game, the Jets looked like they would sabotage the coronation, giving the crowd of 67,650 a collective coronary by building an 11-point lead late in the second quarter.

Manning calmly swayed momentum before halftime and, by the third quarter, staked the Jets in the heart -- repeatedly.

"With Peyton Manning, if you can't disrupt his rhythm he's going to kill you," Jets coach Rex Ryan said, "and we couldn't disrupt it enough."

And so it ended for the Jets, their captivating run falling about 23 minutes short of the Super Bowl.

The Jets have plenty to be thrilled about for the future, but they couldn't bring themselves to consider any of it.

"It's hard to be proud right now, but we came a long way," left guard Alan Faneca mumbled with a dismissive shrug. "We fought through a lot of stuff. We came together as a team. Yeah, there's stuff to be proud of."

The Jets defied the odds over the past couple months.

They trudged onward without Pro Bowl nose tackle Kris Jenkins, Pro Bowl kick returner and running back Leon Washington and special-teams legend Larry Izzo, all lost to season-ending injuries along the way.

They helped rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez decipher the NFL in the nick of time. Even though Ryan declared them mathematically eliminated from the postseason race after Week 15, they won their final two games and received an astronomical amount of outside help to slip into the playoffs.

On the road throughout the playoffs, the Jets upset a pair of division champs to reach Indianapolis, known as the Crossroads of America.

The Jets might look back on Sunday as the crossroads of their organization.

"Maybe this football team needed to get here and have this experience in order to take the next step," Leonhard said. "We thought we were ready this year. Maybe we weren't. We have to take this experience and learn from it."

There were all sorts of reasons for Sunday's loss:

• Rookie running back Shonn Greene, their playoff MVP, suffered a rib injury in the third quarter and carried 10 times for 41 yards. The Jets' offense stalled in his absence, failing to score again.
• Inside linebacker Bart Scott's ankle injury carried into the game and rendered him "a one-legged man," Ryan said. Scott made two tackles.
• The Jets decided to use young cornerback Dwight Lowery instead of veteran Lito Sheppard, a move Manning said pleasantly surprised him. Nickel back Donald Strickland went down with a groin injury in the first quarter.
• Darrelle Revis playing like an All-Pro wasn't enough. Manning made Revis Island seem like Grenada.
• Jay Feely missed field goals from 44 yards and 52 yards, not only failing to score points, but also forfeiting prime field position.

Even so, dissecting what went into the final score of a single excruciating game is pointless when you have much broader issues to reflect upon and such a luminescent future ahead.

The Jets are an organization on the rise. As Leonhard mentioned a few times, "You never know when an opportunity like this is going to come again." But the Jets established themselves as a team to fear for years to come.

A foundation for long-term success is well in place. They're a defensive colossus and will get Jenkins back next season. The Jets might have the NFL's best offensive line, with Pro Bowlers from center to left tackle.

Perhaps even more significant, Sanchez grew up before our eyes over the final five weeks. He played with poise Sunday, completing 17 of 30 passes for 257 yards and two touchdowns with one interception that was overthrown but also tipped.

"Mark played great, and hopefully that's the thing that we're seeing from this point on," Ryan said. "You see that confidence that he has. He knows our offense. He's comfortable.

"When we come back, we'll be able to hit the ground running, which obviously is a lot different than how we entered this season."

We probably saw the baton passed from veteran running back Thomas Jones to Greene. Second-year tight end Dustin Keller emerged as a money target with a touchdown reception in each of their three playoff games.

"We're close. There is no question," Ryan said. "We accomplished a heck of a lot. We thought we could win it all. We really did. We don't need a whole lot."

Except maybe some time to heal.

While the career prognosis for New York Jets head-knocker Larry Izzo looks grim, he's not ready to make any decisions on whether he'll retire or try to play a 15th season.

The Jets last week placed Izzo on injured reserve with a herniated disc in his neck. Jets head coach Rex Ryan, special-team coordinator Mike Westhoff and defensive coordinator Mike Pettine each delivered somber reactions on Izzo's football future.

It may seem Izzo is destined to retire after a remarkable career, but he's not ready to reach a conclusion.

"There were reports related to a 'career-threatening' injury," Izzo wrote in a text message, "and as realistic as I am about what point I'm at in my career and the nature of this sort of injury, I'm reluctant to make long-term decisions at this point."

Izzo signed a one-year contract with the Jets. He would turn 36 next season.

The Jets said he'd complained of what he thought were stingers, common and generally insignificant football injuries that lead to temporary numbness in the extremities. But an MRI revealed something much more hazardous.

Ryan said the injury would require surgery if Izzo wanted to play again.

"I was surprised to learn that after playing 14 years in the NFL and possessing a vast knowledge of the capabilities and limits of the human body," Izzo wrote, "I am still not considered a doctor and not licensed to practice medicine -- at least not in this country.

"Having said that, I have to base all of my decisions for my future on what the doctors and spine specialist tell me. With the MRI showing a herniated disc in my neck, combined with the significant symptoms I was experiencing, they felt that to minimize the severity of the issue, you never want to mess around with this sort of injury to the neck with what players are required to do on the field."

Izzo has gotten amazing mileage out of a body that wasn't good enough to get drafted or start a single NFL game. Izzo went to three Pro Bowls for the Miami Dolphins and New England Patriots as a special-teamer. He was a captain every year with the Patriots, going to four Super Bowls and winning three.

He said will reevaluate his situation when he revisits his specialist at the end of the month.

"At some point, there will be a time for me to reflect back on the last 14 years," Izzo said. "But right now I'm just focused on getting this neck healthy."

New York Jets special teams coach Mike Westhoff was with the Miami Dolphins when he scouted a pair of undersized Texas college linebackers who he thought could make an impact in the NFL.

In the past month, Westhoff has had blunt conversations with both players about ending their decorated careers because of injuries.

The Jets on Wednesday put Larry Izzo on injured reserve because of a herniated disk in his neck. The Kansas City Chiefs released Zach Thomas before the season because of repeated concussions.

Izzo and Thomas were overachievers who went on to play in a combined 10 Pro Bowls. Izzo, 35, was undrafted out of Rice. Thomas, 36, was a fifth-round draft choice from Texas Tech.

"I had the same conversation a month or so ago with Zach Thomas," Westhoff said of his sitdown with Izzo. "It was the same kind of conversation. I got those two guys on the same scouting trip. They should send me out more often, or I should do a better job, but that was pretty good.

"Sometimes you get certain types of injuries and it's enough. You have to pull the plug. Whether that's what this will mean for Larry, I don’t know that. That's not my point, but it certainly could [be a career-ending injury] because you just can't continue. How far can you go?"

Izzo, whose career has been based on wicked collisions, had been experiencing what he thought were stingers in his right side, but learned the condition was much more serious than that.

"It’s a tough thing," Westhoff said. "All of a sudden you have to rebuild some areas of your neck."

Regarding whether Izzo will play again, Westhoff said that even with surgery he "would have to probably guess that that might be a long shot."

Westhoff reminisced about how Dolphins head coach Jimmy Johnson signed off on adding Izzo to the team in 1996.

"Nobody knew who he was," Westhoff said. "I went down to Houston and talked to those people [at Rice]. Before I went there, the Canadian League wouldn't work him out, and the Arena [League] said no. His college coach told me that he was the best defensive player he ever had. Before [the coach] was at Rice, he was at Arkansas and Clemson. He said 'Now there is a certain role that he has to have. He can't do everything, but in a certain role, he’s really good.'

"We took a chance. It was easy for us. Jimmy Johnson was a Southwest Conference guy himself. He liked that. We always kept a number of special-teams guys. That's all they did. That was Jimmy's philosophy. He didn't care if you could even line up anywhere else. He was going to have those guys. We had them. That was a lot of fun coaching."

The NFL on Tuesday released the leading candidates for each position in each conference, but where do various AFC East players rank?

When it comes to how they rank among the top five at a given position within the conference, the New England Patriots lead the way with 13 players. The New York Jets and Miami Dolphins have four each. No Buffalo Bills rank in the top five.

Here are the position-by-position results and how AFC East players rank within the conference:

Quarterback

2. Tom Brady, Patriots (295,477)

Comment: He has the fourth-most votes of any quarterback behind Drew Brees, Peyton Manning and Brett Favre.

Running back

4. Ronnie Brown, Dolphins (129,271)

Comment: Comeback Player of the Year candidate Cedric Benson leads everyone in the AFC with 321,552 votes.

Fullback

4. Sammy Morris, Patriots (40,118)

5. Tony Richardson, Jets (36,481)

Comment: Ravens back Le'Ron McClain is way ahead with 78,194 votes.

Wide receiver

3. Randy Moss, Patriots (232,652)

Comment: Andre Johnson leads the AFC with 279,395 votes.

Tight end

None.

Comment: No AFC East tight end deserves to be in the top five.

Center

5. Nick Mangold, Jets (55,949)

Comment: Mangold is the NFL's best center, but fan voting is a popularity contest. Colts center Jeff Saturday leads the league with 215,658 votes. I would tell Jets fans to get on the stick, but I predict Mangold will be the starter after the players and coaches weigh in.

Guard

1. Alan Faneca, Jets (122,029)

5. Logan Mankins, Patriots(51,316)

Comment: Also proving it's a popularity contest, Faneca isn't what he used to be but appears on his way to running away with it again. He has gone to eight straight Pro Bowls.

Tackle

1. Jake Long, Dolphins (107,299)

2. Matt Light, Patriots (76,977)

Comment: They're comfortably ahead of the rest of the field. Steelers tackle Max Starks is third with 69,749 votes.

Defensive end

None.

Comment: Ex-Patriots star Richard Seymour is fourth with 71,199 votes, but Colts sackmaster Dwight Freeney has over 200,000.

Defensive tackle

2. Vince Wilfork, Patriots (104,038)

Comment: In what could turn into a close race, Casey Hampton of the Steelers is about 17,000 votes ahead, and Haloti Ngata of the Ravens is 3,001 votes behind in third place.

Outside linebacker

5. Joey Porter, Dolphins (70,132)

Comment: Given his season so far, Porter might not remain in the top five for long. James Harrison of the Steelers and Elvis Dumervil of the Broncos are running away with it.

Inside linebacker

3. Bart Scott, Jets (45,200)

4. Jerod Mayo, Patriots (44,876)

Comment: Scott's old Ravens teammate, Ray Lewis, leads the pack with 148,480 votes. Scott's current teammate, David Harris, probably deserves to be on this list, too.

Cornerback

3. Darrelle Revis, Jets (86,143)

Comment: Revis will go to his second Pro Bowl, but he won't catch Broncos star Champ Bailey, the NFL's leader with 185,103 votes.

Strong safety

4. Brandon Meriweather, Patriots (34,584)

Comment: Meriweather is having the best season, but it will be tough to compete with Steelers star Troy Polamalu, who has 192,289 votes.

Free safety

5. Brandon McGowan, Patriots (14,132)

Comment: Not many people gave much thought when the Patriots signed McGowan as a free agent, but he's having a fine season. Bills rookie Jairus Byrd, with eight interceptions, isn't on the ballot because he wasn't a starter when it was compiled. Bills fans need to get cracking with the write-in votes.

Kicker

2. Stephen Gostkowski, Patriots (45,831)

Comment: The folks who stuffed the box for Dolphins kicker Dan Carpenter last year better wake up.

Punter

5. Chris Hanson, Patriots (24,663)

Comment: The least-voted-upon position always seems up for grabs. Hanson is only 24,000 votes out of first place.

Kick returner

4. Wes Welker, Patriots (31,788)

Comment: There's a big dropoff from a close race among Darren Sproles, Joshua Cribbs and Eddie Royal.

Special teamer

5. Sam Aiken, Patriots (25,495)

Comment: No Larry Izzo on the list. Doesn't look right, but it probably is.

	AP Photo/Peter Morgan
	Dolphins return man Ted Ginn gashed the Jets for 299 return yards Sunday.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- In an orange-and-aqua streak, Ted Ginn bolted up the right sideline in front of his whooping, towel-waving teammates. Not once, but twice he ran from goal line to goal line, leaving New York Jets defenders and the critics singed by his afterburners.

Ginn became the first player in NFL history to run the length of the field for touchdowns twice, darting 100 and 101 yards on back-to-back kickoff returns in the third quarter to propel the Dolphins past the Jets, 30-25.

In their locker room all week, the Miami Dolphins embraced Ginn in a show of support. The besieged receiver lost his starting job for costly drops in last week's loss to the New Orleans Saints. He called it the worst game of his career and the days to follow one of the toughest weeks of his life.

On Sunday at the Meadowlands, the Dolphins were hugging him a little tighter out of gratitude.

Out of the offensive lineup, Ginn contributed the only way the coaching staff permitted.

"He was down the last couple weeks," Dolphins outside linebacker Joey Porter said. "Then it comes down to not being in the game like he wants to be.

"Two big plays like that will bring you out of the doghouse in a hurry."

Week 8 Coverage " Walker: Ravens D is angry " Mosley: Eagles win in laugher " Williamson: Merriman finds groove " Graham: Ginn provides happy returns " Seifert: Favre sweeps Packers away " Kuharsky: Young key in Titans' win " Sando: Cards missing Fitz " Pasquarelli: Surprise TD lifts Colts " Clayton: Denver goes down " Greenberg: Cutler tough in win " Watkins: Cowboys youth shows off " MacMahon: Austin, Crayton shine " Zoom Gallery: Images from Lambeau " NFL Nation: Reactions | Wrap-ups | Live Monday Night Football HQ " Yaskinskas: Atlanta CBs facing test

Ginn helped the Dolphins steal a game they probably had no business winning. Miami is now 3-4 overall, 3-0 against AFC East opponents.

"Sometimes, things just don't make sense," Jets coach Rex Ryan said. "Statistically, this game is not going to look close."

The Jets (4-4) outgained the Dolphins in yards from scrimmage 378-104, the third-fewest yards the Dolphins have gained in team history -- win or lose.

The Dolphins received the ball to start the second half. At one point Dan Carpenter had kicked three extra points, and the Dolphins had run three offensive plays. Sandwiched in between Ginn's kickoff returns, outside linebacker Jason Taylor returned a fumble 48 yards for his ninth career defensive touchdown and Davone Bess fumbled a punt.

"They were hungry on defense," Dolphins left guard Justin Smiley said. "They talked a lot of smack and did a nice job. They backed it up.

"Thank goodness our defense came to play and Ted Ginn did his thing."

Ginn has been the source of ridicule since the moment Miami drafted him ninth overall in 2007. He's symbolic of the failed Cam Cameron era, generally viewed as a wasted opportunity. He was projected as no better than a No. 2 receiver. Who takes a return specialist with the ninth pick?

Dolfans begged the front office to draft Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn, but even if management wanted to address another position, prospects still on the board included future Pro Bowlers Patrick Willis, Marshawn Lynch and Darrelle Revis.

But Dolfans got Ginn, and they've been mostly dissatisfied ever since. He was dazzling on returns at Ohio State. It's what he did best, but he couldn't even keep that job.

Ginn occasionally flashed his thrilling play-making ability. He scorched Revis for a long touchdown in Week 5. But Ginn also elicited boos for dropping catchable passes and scurrying out of bounds to avoid contact.

Dolphins coach Tony Sparano apparently had seen enough drops and benched him in favor of a fellow Buckeye, rookie Brian Hartline.

Had original return man Patrick Cobbs not suffered a season-ending knee injury against the Jets three weeks ago, Ginn might not have been on the field much at all against the Jets. He had one pass thrown his way all afternoon.

"This was probably one of the toughest weeks I've ever experienced playing football," Ginn said. "Last week was one of the toughest games I ever had, the worst game of my career."

Ginn bobbled a pass three plays into the second half against the Saints. Darren Sharper pounced on it and returned the interception for a game-changing touchdown.

A photo in this week's Sports Illustrated showed Ginn had hustled back into the play and stripped Sharper at the 1-yard line. The ball bounced out of the end zone and should have been a touchback, giving the Dolphins the ball on their own 20. But the touchdown stood, and Ginn would have to wait a week for vindication.

Ginn conceded that losing his job to Hartline was a wakeup call.

"Me not being in that starting lineup hurt me deep down inside," Ginn said. "I just wanted to be able to make plays however I can make plays. Nobody said you have to be a starter to make plays.

"Being a big-play guy, a player that started when he was so young, to not be a starter really hurt."

Ginn's first return was pure speed. He ran up the middle for a piece and then bolted up the right sideline. He was a blur. The only contact he felt came from three diving defenders slapping in vain at his ankles.

At the end of the third quarter, after Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez cut the Dolphins' lead to four points with a brilliant fake handoff and touchdown run, the Jets made the mistake of kicking to Ginn again.

"We have a lot of faith in our coverage," Ryan said. "We're one of the best coverage teams in the league. We thought we had a good plan."

Ginn made them look foolish. He fielded the kick a yard deep and ran up the right hashmarks, then dashed to the left and came to a dead stop at the 15-yard line.

"I'm like a mouse trapped in a corner," Ginn said. "You always wonder how that mouse gets out."

He sidestepped to the left to dodge Larry Izzo, then to the left to avoid Ryan Fowler.

"I really felt like I was trapped," Ginn said. "I tried to use what I have as far as my feet, play off my blocks. My motive was to get to the outside. Once I get that opening and turn on them burners, I'm gone."

In a whoosh, he was. Ginn found an opening and exploded, untouched the rest of the way.

Ginn is the eighth player to return two kicks in the same game, but the first to go 100 yards or more on both of them. His 299 kick return yards for the entire game -- no, the Jets didn't kick away from him -- rank second all-time, five yards behind Tyrone Hughes (Saints vs. Rams) in 1994.

Ginn's return average of 49.8 yards is the highest in NFL history for players who fielded at least five kickoffs.

"You have a couple bad games, they'll throw you away in this league," Porter said. "That's just how it goes. Everybody loves a guy when he makes plays, but as soon as you have a bad week or two, then they hate you.

"It'll be exciting to see everybody get back on the bandwagon and holler about how great he is."

Porter should know. He has been there before. Porter said he wants to see Ginn build from this, not merely assume that one sensational game will be good enough to silence the critics for good.

For now, though, the Dolphins can be happy he responded.

"Some people, they rise up. Some people, they don't," Sparano said. "Teddy rose up."