ESPN

Notes and observations on the Jets and the NFL:

1. MARKED MAN: This notion that the Jets are setting up Mark Sanchez to fail because they want Tim Tebow to be the starting quarterback is total bunk. (One talking head actually suggested "the fix is in.") To paraphrase Wes Welker, the Jets have 20 million reasons to root for Sanchez -- the $20.5 million he's guaranteed in 2012 and 2013. Like they say in the old mob movies, just follow the money. That's how it works in professional sports. Why would the Jets want Sanchez, the handpicked QB of Rex Ryan and Mike Tannenbaum, to crash and burn? Yeah, the coaches and players are talking up Tebow (Darrelle Revis was in full gush), but it's just hot air in May. Here's the thing about players: They'll back whichever QB gives them the best chance to win. Right now, that's Sanchez. The organization hopes it stays that way.

2. DECISIONS, DECISIONS: QBs coach Matt Cavanaugh, in an interview with the New York Daily News, said most of Sanchez's 18 interceptions last season resulted from poor decisions. No kidding. Check out this stat: Over the last three seasons, Sanchez has thrown 38 interceptions when facing four or fewer rushers, according to ESPN Stats & Information. The bloated total, tied with Drew Brees for most in the league, suggests that, yes, he makes bad decisions when opponents use a standard rush and drop at least seven into coverage. By the way, Brees has 62 more TD passes than Sanchez against such pressure.

3. RINGING THE BELL: The Jets envision newly-signed safety Yeremiah Bell as a starter, meaning a Bell-LaRon Landry safety tandem. Here's the concern with that pairing: Both players are new to Ryan's defensive system, which is mentally challenging for the safeties. You need a cerebral player back there to make calls, and you could have the blind leading the blind with Bell and Landry. That's why Jim Leonhard was always so valuable; he knew how to get everybody lined up.

4. RUN, JOEY, RUN: Joey Clinkscales decided to leave his post as the head of college scouting, in part, because he was frustrated he wasn't given a bigger say on draft picks, according to a league source. He let his contract expire and took a job as the Raiders' director of player personnel -- maybe not a lateral move, but not a significant advancement, either. I hear the Jets, perhaps trying to convince him to stay, gave him a bigger say in the recent draft. Obviously, that didn't do the trick.

5. THE NEW GUY: The Jets hired Midwest scout Jeff Bauer to replace Clinkscales. Interesting background: He was a high-school coach in the Kansas City area and his backup QB was Mike Bradway, son of then-Chiefs executive Terry Bradway, according to the Des Moines Register. Bauer and the elder Bradway became friendly. A short time later, in 2001, Bradway was hired as the Jets' GM and he wound up hiring Bauer as the Midwest scout. Bradway remains with the Jets as a senior personnel executive. Bauer's glowing scouting report on RB Shonn Greene was one of the reasons why they drafted him in 2009.

6. MY TURN: I see that former Jets punter Steve Weatherford called me out on Twitter, claiming it was out of context to say he "ripped" Sanchez. I like Weatherford -- I wrote a glowing profile of him a few days before the Giants' Super Bowl win -- but this is a classic case of an athlete making a stink about the headline instead of owning up to his quotes below the headline. There's no doubt that Weatherford was critical of Sanchez's maturity level. That's the real story, not the headline.

7. MARSHALL PLAN: Because of Tony Sparano's background with the Dolphins, the Jets have been watching some Miami tape in an effort to learn his system. Rookie wide receiver Stephen Hill has spent a lot of time studying ex-Dolphin Brandon Marshall, another big-bodied wideout. Hopefully, Hill doesn't try to emulate Marshall's lack of balance along the sideline.

8. ROGER THAT: I'm dating myself here, but offensive line coach Dave DeGuglielmo's effusive defense of right tackle Wayne Hunter reminded of a long-ago quote from a long-forgotten Jets assistant. If you didn't catch it, DeGuglielmo said of Hunter, "Until they tell me otherwise, until they ship him out of this building or until they shoot me dead in my office, that sonofagun is going to be the starting right tackle." Back in '87 or '88, running backs coach Bobby Hammond was peppered with questions about the struggling Roger Vick, a No. 1 pick in '87. Hammond got fired up and said he'd "go to my grave" believing Vick would be a top back. That was a swing and a big miss; we're talking a Dave Kingman miss.

9. THE POWER OF BILL: Welker wouldn't make a good agent. He told reporters his contract negotiations have "actually gotten worse," and suddenly there's a story in the Boston Globe saying those comments weren't well-received in the Belichick bunker. So Welker backtracked, saying it was "probably a bad choice of words" and insisting he's happy with his franchise tag. At least he didn't say they were taken out of context; give him credit for that.

10. TALL TALE: 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh told a radio program that Michael Crabtree has "the best hands I've ever seen on a wide receiver." Wow, and they say Rex Ryan is prone to hyperbole.

Notes and observations on the Jets and the NFL:

1. IN TONY WE TRUST: The Jets are taking an enormous gamble, opting to stand pat at the right-tackle position. If Vladimir Ducasse doesn't step up, they'll go with the embattled Wayne Hunter, much to the chagrin of Jets fans. Suddenly, we're starting to hear stuff from Rex Ryan about Tony Sparano's system, how it will suit Hunter better than the previous system. In a radio interview last week, Ryan said Hunter was "isolated, one-on-one, for the majority of the time (last season) and I don’t know how many tackles hold up down after down that way." Two thoughts: If Sparano's system can protect suspect right tackles, how come Marco Columbo was a turnstile for the Dolphins? Didn't Ryan always praise Bill Callahan as the best OL coach in the league?

2. SLIM PICKINGS: One well-respected scout told me there were only two legitimate defensive ends in the draft -- Quinton Coples (Jets, 16th pick) and Chandler Jones (Patriots, 21st). The scout said highly-publicized 'tweeners Melvin Ingram (18th, Chargers) and Courtney Upshaw (35th, Ravens) were too short and too short-armed to be effecive pass rushers, and that they were overvalued because of the paucity of true DEs. Obviously, the Jets felt the same way.



3. LUCKY BREAK: Contrary to a report, the Jets had no interest in taking West Virginia DE/OLB Bruce Irvin with the 16th pick -- so they claim. You'd like to believe them because, despite tremendous speed-rushing ability, Irvin is a bit of a head case. An opposing scout, pulling information from his team's report on Irvin, said the player refused an opportunity to become a full-time starter (he started six games last season). According to the scout, Irvin basically told his coach, "I don't want to start, I just want to rush the passer." The Seahawks took him with the 15th pick. Said the scout: "Pete Carroll may have done the Jets a favor."

4. BOY AMONG MEN: Coples discovered at an early age what it's like to play against the big boys. He attended Hargrave Military School in Chatham, Va., and played on their post-graduate football team -- at the age of 17. "He was playing against 21-year-old men," said Hargrave coach Troy Davis, who served as Coples' defensive coordinator. "He grew up real fast and it fueled his confidence." Coples and current teammate Muhammad Wilkerson were the starting DEs for Hargrave in 2007, but they didn't go undefeated. They lost to the University of Tennessee jayvee team.

5. NEW-AGE JETS: Defensive coordinator Mike Pettine, discussing why the Jets placed an emphasis on speed in the draft, made an interesting point. To build a defense in today's pass-happy NFL, he said, "You have to work backward," starting with your third-down package. In other words, get pass rushers and coverage people. It makes perfect sense, except for this quirky stat: Opponents threw against the Jets a lot less last season than 2010. The percentage of pass plays was 54.6, down from 58.3.

6. MORE MAYHEM: OLB Aaron Maybin said he's up to 240, having gained eight pounds in the offseason. He'd like to put on a few more pounds, with the hope of increasing his role on defense. He'd like to find a niche in the base package. The Jets could use him because they're awfully thin at OLB.

7. FREE-AGENT SIGNING OF THE YEAR: Kudos to Greg Schiano and the Bucs for signing former Rutgers DL Eric LeGrand. They did it right, even distributing a press release that included his college stats. How can that not put a lump in your throat?

8. SPYGATE: Former Jets coach Eric Mangini, now an ESPN analyst, said on the air last week that he regrets blowing the whistle on the Patriots for their illegal videotaping in 2007. "If there's a decision I could take back, it's easily that decision," he said. "Never in a million years I wanted it to go this way." It ruined his relationship with Bill Belichick. If that hadn't occurred, he'd probably be the Patriots' defensive coordinator.

9. BOUNTY GATE: I think NFL commissioner Roger Goodell came down too hard on Jonathan Vilma. He penalized the soldier as harshly as the generals.

10. SNL REVIEW: I'm sorry, but Eli Manning is just not funny.

The Jets wanted DE Quinton Coples with the 16th pick, not OLB Bruce Irvin. So says Rex Ryan.

Ryan, speaking Tuesday night at a charity event in Eatontown, N.J., said the team had no plans to select Irvin, who was selected 15th by the Seahawks. On Sunday night, the Pro Sports Xchange reported that a Jets official called the Seahawks' draft room and jokingly cursed out a Seattle honcho for taking the player they wanted.

Ryan hinted that Coples and second-round WR Stephen Hill were rated higher than Irvin on their draft board.

"Not at 16, I can tell you that much," Ryan said, when asked if they wanted the talented, but troubled pass rusher from West Virginia. "He's a guy we did a lot of stuff on. We liked Bruce Irvin as a player, but not ahead of the first two guys we took."

Defensive coordinator Mike Pettine said Coples was the top name among a group of players they targeted with the 16th pick. Pettine said he did a "mental backflip" when they landed Coples, whom he envisions as a versatile player in their scheme.

Coples will play left end in the base defense, but he also has the ability to slide inside in passing downs, even play over the center in certain situations. Pettine said the goal in the draft was to add explosive players on defense. He admitted what we all knew last season: The defense was slow.

"You need to be fast and athletic," he said. "The league is evolving that way. It's a pass-first league and we felt we became -- for lack of a better word -- a little dinosaur-ish inside. We needed to improve the athleticism and team speed."

The "rallying cry" this spring is "One Step Faster." The Jets believe they got faster by drafting Coples, third-round LB Demario Davis, sixth-round CB/S Josh Bush and seventh-round S Antonio Allen. The plan, Pettine said, was to formulate a plan to neutralize the Patriots' big-play TEs, Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez.

"We have to defend them," Pettine said. "New England set the trend for it and we have to respond to it."

A GREAT CAUSE: Pettine spearheaded a fundraising effort at hotel in Eatontown, N.J., trying to raise awareness for bone-marrow donation and, specifically, looking for a bone-marrow match for a Jets fan named Michael Manganiello.

Manganiello, married with three children, was recently diagnosed with Acute Myelofibrosis. AMF is a rare condition where progressive scarring or fibrosis of the bone marrow impairs its ability to make blood cells. His only chance for survival is a bone marrow transplant.

Pettine was introduced to Manganiello through a mutual friend, and he sprang into action, organizing a huge benefit. Ryan, QB Mark Sanchez, NT Sione Pouha and LB Aaron Maybin showed up to support Pettine and lend their celebrity to the cause, signing autographs for fans.

"It was a no-brainer to step in and help," Pettine said. "We don't get a lot of opportunities to do something like this, when you have a chance to have an impact on a life."

The ever-perceptive Pouha noted the appropriateness of the address of the hotel -- Hope Road.

For more information, check out matchformichael.com.

MARK IS MUM: Ryan, Pettine, Pouha and Maybin all spoke to reporters at the event. Sanchez agreed to answer questions as long as they weren't football-related. He spoke about his involvement in the event, but that was it. No football. If it seems silly, it's because it was.

Notes and observations on the Jets and the NFL:

1. The Gholston factor. The Jets say they learned a hard lesson from the Vernon Gholston debacle in 2008, one they will apply to the evaluation of DE/OLB hybrids in the upcoming draft. They drafted Gholston, a DE at Ohio State, to play OLB in their 3-4 system. They knew his football instincts were suspect, but they figured he'd be able to overcome the deficiency with his size and speed. They were wrong, as wrong as you can be about a player. This year, the scouting department placed a much greater emphasis on instinct during the grading process. Joey Clinkscales, VP of college scouting, claimed they won't be "gun shy" about picking a DE/OLB projection.

2. Drive a hybrid. The draftboard is filled with DE/OLB 'tweeners. In fact, seven of the eight OLBs on the Jets' board were DEs in college, the exception probably being Courtney Upshaw (Alabama). The Jets had better be confident in their grading system, because there are several hybrids that will be considered in the first and second round -- Melvin Ingram (South Carolina), Whitney Mercilus (Illinois), Andre Branch (Clemson), Chandler Jones (Syracuse) and Nick Perry (USC). When making the DE/OLB projection, athleticism, arm length and intelligence also are weighed heavily, according to Clinkscales.

3. Round 1 game plan. Here's what I expect the Jets to do Thursday night in the first round: A. Explore the possibility of trading way up for Alabama RB Trent Richardson; B. Explore the possibility of trading up a few spots for Ingram; C. Remain at No. 16 and take the best available player. They prefer a pass-rushing OLB, but could settle for a S (Alabama's Mark Barron), a DLM (Memphis' Dontari Poe) or a WR (Notre Dame's Michael Floyd).

4. Tony's Time. When a team installs a new offensive or defensive system, it has to tweak its player-evaluation system. You don't want to draft a square-peg player for a round-hole system. Soon after hiring O.C. Tony Sparano, the scouting department asked him to list what he considers the four critical factors at each position on offense. Armed with that info, the scouts did their thing, trying to find players that fit Sparano's system.

5. Strange, but true. During his pre-draft news conference, and later during a Q&A teleconference with season-ticket holders, Tannenbaum mentioned backup LG Caleb Schlauderaff no fewer than seven times. He got more mentions than that Tebow guy. What's up with that? Maybe Tannenbaum just likes the sound of Schlauderaff. I mean, who doesn't? Or maybe he's blowing smoke and is planning to take Stanford G David DeCastro.

6. Jets vs. Revis, III. The Darrelle Revis contract situation bears watching after the draft. It's sure to produce some sharply divided opinions. Pro-Revis: He's the best corner in football, maybe the best defensive player, and is underpaid with a combined $13.5 million over the next two seasons. Anti-Revis: He already has made $47.5 million in five years, exceeding his rookie contract by $11.5 million. He received a six-year, $36 million rookie deal, but the two sides re-negotiated two years ago, with Revis getting a $25 million sweetener on a one-year extension.

7. Oh, brother. If the Jets don't draft Chandler Jones, maybe they should look into signing his brother. Jon (Bones) Jones, 24, is the UFC light-heavyweight champion. He's 6-foot-4, 205 pounds. They could make him an OLB and have him cover former rugby star-turned-TE Hayden Smith.

8. Buzzzz. How can any self-respecting Steelers fan look at their team's new throwback jerseys and not laugh? Or cringe? They remind me of the "Bad News Bees" sketch on the old Saturday Night Live.

9. Go ahead, mock me. My current half-mock (and I reserve the right to change my mind): 1. Colts -- Andrew Luck, 2. Redskins -- Robert Griffin III, 3. Vikings -- Morris Claiborne, 4. Browns -- Trent Richardson, 5. Bucs -- Matt Kalil, 6. Rams -- Fletcher Cox, 7. Jaguars -- Justin Blackmon, 8. Dolphins -- Ryan Tannehill, 9. Panthers -- Stephon Gilmore, 10. Bills -- Michael Floyd, 11. Chiefs -- Luke Kuechly, 12. Seahawks -- Quinton Coples, 13. Cards -- David DeCastro, 14. Cowboys -- Mark Barron, 15. Eagles -- Dontari Poe, 16. Jets -- Melvin Ingram.

10. Different strokes. On Saturday, I wrote a piece on the Jets' draft room -- specifically, the people in the room (a total of 13) and how they make decisions. GM Mike Tannenbaum appreciates input from everyone. Not surprisingly, the Patriots have a different approach. The NFL Network's Mike Lombardi, who used to work with Bill Belichick, described the Belichick way (quote courtesy of ESPNBoston.com): "The draft room will be very small. ... It will only be four people. Belichick's big thing is that he's not looking for more opinions, he's looking for right opinions. The scouts do their job, which is prepare him for the draft, then ... there is only one decision-maker in New England. He doesn't want any confusion on draft day."

Bill Belichick has been called worse.

But it certainly caught Rob Gronkowski off guard on SportsCenter on Wednesday when Darrelle Revis called the Patriots coach "a jerk" during a word-association segment.

"Wow. I wasn't expecting that one," a flustered Gronkowski said.

Revis quickly explained his reasoning.

"Just some of the comments he says about the Jets," Revis said.

Gronkowski called Jets coach Rex Ryan an "entertainer."

Even though Revis got in the first punch, Gronkowski came back with a counter.

After Revis called Tim Tebow "a competitor," Gronkowski said, "starting quarterback for the Jets."

"That's a good one," Revis said.

Wonder if Mark Sanchez was watching.

At the end of what felt like an awkward segment, Revis called Gronkowski "a beast," while the Patriots tight end called Revis "the best corner in the NFL."

Rex Ryan can laugh about it now -- a Giants-Patriots Super Bowl -- but he wasn't feeling too good about it before the game. He had to make a couple of appearances in Indianapolis during the run-up to Super Bowl XLVI, a matchup he called "a cruel joke." He decided to avoid the crowds and stay in his hotel room.

"One thing everybody had in common: Nobody liked me," he said Wednesday in Woodbury, L.I., where he, Boomer Esiason and Phil Simms addressed several hundred members of the business community at a luncheon.

Ryan, speaking publicly for the first time since the Giants' fourth Super Bowl title, gave the large lunch crowd a dose of Rex. In a rountable-style discussion with the two former quarterbacks, Ryan was funny, entertaining and, for the most part, fairly reserved -- the New Rex. But once or twice, his trademark bravado came out.

"I'm the only one (in my family) with only one Super Bowl ring," he said, alluding to the ring he won as an assistant on the 2000 Ravens. "But I'm planning on getting another one, and I'm planning on getting it quickly."

Ryan was asked by the moderator about his famous, Day 1 prediction, how the Jets would be visiting President Obama in the White House as Super Bowl champs. After joking that they're "running out of years," Ryan choked down a slice of humble pie.

"I thought we'd do it overnight," he said. "I always believed we had the best team. I've been convinced otherwise the last three years."

Speaking to reporters before the luncheon, Ryan claimed the Giants' Super Bowl title provides no additional motivation. Do you believe him?

"Nah, you can’t be more motivated than we are," Ryan said. "A goal of ours was to host a playoff game. Well, to do that, you have to get in front of New England; that’s hard to do. I drove around [MetLife Stadium] for self-motivation. Like, ‘Ooh, gosh.' I want to be playing a playoff game at our stadium next year and obviously that’s something that you try to do.

"But to be more motivated as an organization because this team won or that team won, no, absolutely not. You can’t get be more motivated than we are."

Later, during the roundtable, Ryan expressed disappointment over the 8-8 season (sounding like a broken record), but he vowed to learn hard lessons from their mistakes.

"Anybody that's successful, you have scars," he told the audience. "We got some scars this year from this. Anybody who doesn't have scars is either lying to you or never dared. One thing about us: We dare. We put it out there -- I put it out there -- that we want to be great."

Other notes from the day:

• Ryan confirmed that, as expected, he had a post-Super Bowl dinner with owner Woody Johnson to discuss the state of the team. "It was great," he said. "We all know, we’ve identified things we think we have to get better at as an organization, and we’re excited about moving forward."

• Ryan reiterated (for the umpteenth time) that Mark Sanchez will be the starting quarterback. He called Sanchez an "ascending player" with a "bright future." He added: "He does a lot of good things, but are we where we want to be? No. We want to be putting that ring on our finger as world champions."

• Ryan dodged a question about potential interest in Peyton Manning, citing the NFL tampering rule. He joked that he's already paid enough in fine money. Ryan could put a stop to the Manning speculation by declaring, "Mark's our guy and we have absolutely no interest in adding any big-name quarterback that might become available" -- but he hasn't done that. I wonder why.

Tough day for the Jets. New York City is picking up confetti from the Giants’ victory parade. The Jets? Well, they're still picking up the pieces from a shattered season.

But, hey, life is a learning experience, and the Jets can learn plenty from Super Bowl XLVI. Six things they can take away from it:

1. You need a franchise quarterback. There are rare exceptions, of course, but the reality is you need an elite quarterback to win a Super Bowl. Unless they’re lying through their teeth, the Jets believe they have that guy in Mark Sanchez. We’ll find out the truth in about a month, when Peyton Manning is expected to become available.

2. Pass rush is important. Because it's a passing league, you need to have the ability to put the quarterback on the ground. Once again, the Giants proved that it’s vital to have pressure players. Instead of trying to manufacture a pass rush with scheme, the Jets need to bring in some horses. They've ignored this for too long.

3. Chemistry is key. The prevailing theme in the Giants’ locker room late Sunday night was team unity, how their belief in one another helped them navigate a turbulent season. The Giants were 7-7, and everybody wanted Tom Coughlin’s head on a platter, but the team never succumbed to the adversity. The Jets, who did, have a lot of work to do in this area.

4. Depth isn’t a luxury, it’s a must. Both the Giants and Patriots suffered a number of injuries throughout the season, but they kept it together, in many cases with no-name players. The Jets, now paying for having traded away so many draft choices over the years, have depth issues at quarterback, offensive line, wide receiver, defensive line, linebacker and safety.

5. Continuity is big. Eli Manning has been in the same offensive system his entire career. For the most part, so has Tom Brady. Both teams have a system that works, and they know how to find players to fit the system. The Jets have that on defense, but not on offense – and they won’t anytime soon. They’re starting over with a new coordinator, Tony Sparano, and a new system.

6. Strong leadership is essential. You may not like their styles, but Coughlin and Bill Belichick have a style, an unwavering philosophy on how to lead their respective teams. Rex Ryan still is finding himself, conceding he needs to tweak his approach. Ryan deserves some slack because he’s a lot less experienced than Coughlin and Belichick, both of whom are in their second head-coaching job, but it’s time for Ryan to settle in and chart a course for the Jets.

INDIANAPOLIS -- Thoughts and observations, the Super Bowl XLVI edition:

1. Santonio Holmes tweeted this Saturday night: "@Mark_Sanchez @Pouha91 Hope your getting as antsy as me for the 2012-13 season to start. One more day til we start to make that journey." This came one day after Rex Ryan told me Sanchez and Holmes are planning some sort of extended sit-down, maybe a weekend retreat. (Why do I keep having images of Vince Vaughn?) These are certainly positive developments for the Jets' fractured locker room. But I wonder: Holmes' tweet wouldn't have anything to do with the fact that his $7.75 million guarantee jumps to $15 million if he's still on the roster after Wednesday, would it?

2. Ryan told reporters Saturday night he will take a more active role in the defense. In other words, he'll be calling plays again.

3. Curiously, the Jets haven't made any official announcements regarding the holdovers from the previous offensive staff -- i.e. QBs coach Matt Cavanaugh, who's still under contract. They expressed interest in former Dolphins O.C. Brian Daboll (see: Tony Sparano connection), but Daboll just landed the same gig with the Chiefs. I'm hearing Karl Dorrell is a possibility for the QBs coach job, another Sparano guy. Sources say Sparano wants to bring in his own guy, which is understandable, but Ryan prefers to keep Cavanaugh. The coaches return Monday from vacation. The Jets need to firm this up because it's unfair to keep Cavanaugh floating in limbo -- if, in fact, he hasn't been informed of his status.

4. Interesting that former Jets P Steve Weatherford, now with the Giants, wears ear plugs when he punts. I know what you're thinking: He started doing that so he wouldn't have to hear Mike Westhoff barking at him. Not true. Weatherford's close friend, K John Carney, introduced him to the idea.

5. Congratulations to Curtis Martin on his election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. My favorite Martin memory: Dec. 14, 2003 at Giants Stadium. In a driving snowstorm, Martin rushed 30 times for 174 yards. Everybody else was slipping and sliding, but Martin seemed to be on air, gliding. GM Mike Tannenbaum has a picture of Martin, parting the snowflakes, hanging in his office.

6. The life of a quarterback: After the season, Sanchez underwent precautionary MRIs on his ankles, knees and shoulders. Everything apparently checked out OK.

7. The Giants were very Jets-like during the run-up to the Super Bowl, with a handful of rather bold statements. I asked the King of Bold, Rex Ryan, if he had a comment on the Giants' bravado. He laughed and said he wasn't aware of the comments because he was in Hawaii at the Pro Bowl.

8. On Friday, I wrote a story about how the Giants discovered Victor Cruz at UMass, noting how college scout Chris Pettit did most of the leg work. Whitey Walsh, the longtime Giants scout now retired, also was involved. He used to run the Giants' local Pro Day at Giants Stadium. Walsh is in Indianapolis for the game, which is fitting.

9. Here's my opinion of Plaxico Burress: He did what he did for 12 games ... and disappeared.

10. Prediction: I'll stick with my initital feeling about the game -- a Giants victory, 31-27. I must admit, though, I'd be concerned about the vibe around the Giants. Too chatty. Bill Belichick is a master at using slights -- or perceived slights -- to his advantage.

Years ago, before the Patriots-Eagles Super Bowl, there was a report about how the city of Philadelphia already had planned a victory parade. Belichick read the exact parade route to his players, according to former Patriot-turned-ESPN analyst Tedy Bruschi. Belichick once told me that, during the run-up to the Giants-Bills Super Bowl in 1991, they took a newspaper photo of Bruce Smith, getting fitted for a ring at a jewelry store, and posted it in their meeting room.

You can bet copies of the Giants' website faux pas -- the "Congratulations, Super Bowl Champions!" page that appeared briefly Saturday night -- will be displayed prominently in the Patriots' inner sanctum.

But I'll stick with the Giants.

To paraphrase Rex Ryan, Shaun Ellis and James Ihedigbo are Same Old ex-Jets -- back in the AFC Championship Game.

Except this time, they're playing for the enemy Patriots, who face the Ravens on Sunday in the title game. For Ellis, 34, who could retire after the season, this might be his last shot for that elusive Super Bowl appearance.

Ellis wants it "badly, badly," he said after Saturday night's win over the Broncos, according to The Star-Ledger of Newark. "I'm 12 years in. I've worked hard all my years. Been able to get another opportunity, and hopefully close that window and be able to get there. And win it."

Obviously, Ellis is happy with his decision to leave the Jets as a free agent. He got more money (about $3 million more than the Jets offered) and he avoided the Florham Park Zoo.

"It worked out," said Ellis, who had a sack of Tim Tebow. "I came in, really didn't know what to expect. I came in, great teammates, they accepted me. It was like, 'Man, just keep your head up, your time will come.' They do things a little different around here, so I just stayed a pro and just waited on my opportunities, and just have been able to take advantage of them.

"I wanted to get back here [the AFC title game], and that's why I came here."

Ellis has been a role player (only 358 defensive snaps in the regular season, according to the website Pro Football Focus), but Ihedigbo -- primarily a special teams player with the Jets -- started 12 games at safety. The Jets never saw him as an every-down defensive player, and now he has a chance to be one for a Super Bowl team.

"I'm playing in an AFC Championship [Game], and they're home watching," Ihedigbo said.

The Jets didn't practice on Monday. But if they did, Brodney Pool wouldn't have been out there. The safety is still feeling the effects of a sprained left knee that kept him out of Sunday night's loss to New England.

Pool is making improvement but is unsure about his availability for Thursday's game against Denver. He ran "a little bit" last week but has to check with team doctors before getting back on the practice field.

"It depends on how my leg feels tomorrow and what I do and what the trainers, how they feel about it," Pool said when asked about playing against Denver.

The Jets missed Pool's presence on Sunday night. The secondary was stretched thin with having to cover Rob Gronkowski, Wes Welker, Aaron Hernandez and Deion Branch.

Reserve Donald Strickland was burned a few times by Gronkowski, who finished with two touchdowns. No one's saying Pool would have shut Gronkowski down, but he could have helped.

For most of his career, Shaun Ellis watched from the opposing sideline while Tom Brady worked his magic.

So it was a relief for Ellis to see it from the other side on Sunday night.

"It’s just amazing," said Ellis, who spent 11 seasons with the Jets before signing with New England. "That’s the only word I can say. Just to sit there and watch him go to work; I'm glad he’s my quarterback."

Fifty-one other Patriots would likely say the same thing.

Brady completed 26 of 39 passes for 329 yards and three touchdowns to help the Patriots snap a two-game losing streak on Sunday and take over first place in the AFC East.

The three-time Super Bowl winner seemed a bit off in the first half, but carved up the Jets in the second half, connecting on 12 of 14 passes of ten yards or fewer, including two TDs, in the final two frames. He also went no-huddle in spurts, completing all five of his attempts for 65 yards in such situations, wearing the Jets' defense down.

"We took advantage of some opportunities there," Brady said. "We went fast and made some pretty easy plays with the Jets not being lined up .... You are just trying to get an edge and take advantage of them. We did a pretty good job of that."

ELLIS REUNION: Ellis on returning to MetLife Stadium: "It felt good, it felt good to be back. It was a little weird. A lot of fans gave me a lot of prainse [but] there were a couple hecklers out there. But for the most part a lot of them received me pretty well. They were kind of upset about the situation [of Ellis' departure for New England]."

Rob Gronkowski's 6-6, weighs 265-pounds and is deceptively fast. In other words, he's way too much for the Jets to handle.

The kid they call “Gronk” hauled in eight passes for a game-high 113 yards and two touchdowns in the Pats’ Sunday night rout.

“He was outstanding,” Darrelle Revis said. “Him and Tom [Brady], they were connecting every chance they got.”

And they had plenty of chances.

The Jets threw Revis, Eric Smith, Donald Strickland and others at Gronkowski. They even tried a zone. But nothing could slow the big fella down.

“They have a lot of weapons,” Rex Ryan said. “We tried to match them up in different zones, we tried to bracket them sometimes, but the young man did a nice job of catching the football.”

Gronkowski first burned the Jets late in the first half, hauling in passes of 12 and 23 yards to help the Pats get inside the Jet 20 with under 30 seconds to play.

He then capped off the drive with an 18-yard touchdown reception, beating Smith, to give New England a 13-9 lead at the half.

Gronkowski's third-quarter TD catch was nullified because he’d stepped out of bounds, but he didn't miss a beat. A little over five minutes later, the second-year tight end hauled in a five-yard touchdown catch, easily beating Donald Strickland on the play.

His only mistake of the night was spiking the ball in close proximity to a Jets defender, which drew an unsportsmanlike conduct flag.

Other than that, Gronkowski was flawless.

“He’s a great player and we depend on him,” Brady said. “…. We have to keep on finding ways to get him the ball.”

Jim Leonhard has been one of the most up-front players in the Jets' locker room and, after a 37-16 loss at home to the Patriots, the safety didn't shy away from the full implications of the game.

"We win this game, we got kind of a stranglehold on the division -- and you let it slide," Leonhard said. "So obviously there's a lot of frustration.

"It was a big goal of ours to go ahead and win this division, and we put ourselves in a hole again. Not saying it can't happen, but it's unlikely to happen at this point."

Coming in tied with the Patriots (6-3) and Bills (5-4) for the No. 1 spot, the Jets (5-4) are now a game back in the AFC East -- and have lost twice to New England. So for the third straight year, the Jets are unlikely to have a home game in the playoffs -- if they can get there.

"We just wish we had a chance to make it different by winning this game," said cornerback Darrelle Revis, "and obviously that's not the case anymore because we lost."

To add insult on Sunday night, the Jets gave up more points to the Patriots than they have to any opponent in the Rex Ryan era. The defense gave up a touchdown pass to Rob Gronkowski in the final seconds of the first half, and was gashed when Patriots quarterback Tom Brady went to a no-huddle offense in the third quarter.

"It's frustrating," Jets linebacker Aaron Maybin said, "being out there and having drives like that where you know you have to get the stop, and they're out there moving the ball."

The no-huddle kept the Jets from being able to substitute players, and Brady kept exploiting the mismatches. Brady got the ball to within five yards of the end zone, then found Gronkowski for another touchdown and a 23-9 lead with 4:44 left in the third quarter.

Brady had a 118.4 passer rating, with 26 completions on 39 attempts for 329 yards with no interceptions.

Jets safety Brodney Pool was inactive for the game, but was in the locker room afterward. He said he didn't know if he would be able to play against Denver on Thursday night.

"I'm gradually getting better," Pool said. "I'm just going to take it one day at a time try to get back out there. I don't like watching, so I'll try to get back as fast as I can."

Jets linebacker David Harris said he left the game briefly after re-tweaking his ankle, but said he didn't think it was anything serious.

The Jets will need all available pieces with a short week of preparation ahead and then a trip to Denver. It's not an unfamiliar spot for the Jets to be in, but it's not comfortable either.

"Obviously our backs are up against the wall. We gotta punch our way out," Leonhard said. "We've been here before. For some reason we feel very comfortable putting ourselves in this position. ... But we just got to fight. We've got to fight all the way through Week 17."

The only thing missing was the hat.

Moments after he burned Kyle Wilson for a fourth-quarter touchdown, Pats receiver Deion Branch openly mocked Fireman Ed, standing in the corner of the end zone and imploring Jets fans to cheer, the same way Ed does.

Branch played coy when asked about it after the game.

"I don't know, is that what it was?" he said after the Pats' 37-16 win.

Yes, that's exactly what it was.

The difference was, no one was cheered after Branch's "Fireman Ed."

"I don't know, I just saw a lot of weird looks at me," Branch said with a laugh.

"It's all fun. I truly enjoy playing here, I love it. I love the way those guys support their fans," he added.

Branch finished with five catches for 58 yards. His 8-yard TD in the fourth quarter gave the Patriots a 30-16 lead with 8:04 to play.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- In arguably the biggest regular-season game of the Rex Ryan era, the Jets self-destructed in the second half and fell hard Sunday night to the Patriots, 37-16, at MetLife Stadium. The difference in the two quarterbacks never looked more pronounced, as Tom Brady outplayed Mark Sanchez.

What it means: It was devastating blow for the Jets (5-4), who essentially fell two games behind the Patriots in the AFC East. The Jets put everything into the game, hyping it as their opportunity to overtake the Patriots. They seemed intimidated by the big stage and let Brady walk all over them. It was the most points allowed at home by a Ryan-coached team. Hello, wild-card race.

Gassed: Save for a couple of blown coverages, the Jets handled Brady reasonably well for two quarters, but they ran out of answers -- and energy -- in the second half when the Patriots went to their hurry-up attack. They reeled off TD drives of 57 and 84 yards to take a two-touchdown lead.

The Jets were schooled by the master, as Brady picked apart the secondary with relative ease, going 26-for-39 for 329 yards and three TDs. With the division lead on the line, Brady snapped out of his recent funk and did what great players are supposed to do -- he carried his team on his back.

It was a hard lesson for the Jets, especially their defense.

No Marksman: Let's face it, Sanchez (20-for-39, 306 yards, one TD) came up tiny. He was intercepted twice by LB Rob Ninkovich, who did his best Tedy Bruschi impersonation, returning the latter for a game-clinching touchdown.

Remember, the Jets faced the 32nd-ranked defense in the league, and they managed only two touchdown drives. A lot of that goes on Sanchez, who also made a critical mental error with 1:24 left in the second quarter.

He called a timeout with the ball at the Patriots' 2 and, even though he scored on a 2-yard run, he should've been in clock-management mode. By stopping the clock, he gave the Patriots enough time to orchestrate another drive -- and they did just that, with Brady taking them 80 yards in 71 seconds to make it 13-9 at halftime.

At halftime, a livid Ryan told NBC's Michele Tafoya that the timeout was "the stupidest play in NFL history." That was an exaggeration, of course, but it was a dumb play.

Gift points, Part I: The Jets gave away 10 points in the third quarter, just bad mistakes on simple plays. First, Joe McKnight muffed a punt at his 13-yard line and, somehow, Donald Strickland failed to recover it even though he was the first to the ball and pounced on it. He gave it the wet-bar-of-soap treatment. The Patriots converted that into a field goal to take a 16-9 lead.

Curiously, McKnight was the punt returner. The regular punt returner, Jeremy Kerley, was hurt early in the game, but he returned. Presumably, he was available. They also had the sure-handed Jim Leonhard, who had returned a previous punt. So why McKnight, who came into the game with only four punt returns? Bad decision, bad execution, bad everything.

Gift point, Part II: Sanchez and RB Shonn Greene failed to execute a simple check-down pass. Sanchez's pass hit Greene in the face and ricocheted to Ninkovich, whose return set up another New England touchdown.

No answer for Gronk: For the most part, the Jets shut down the Patriots' wide receivers (Darrelle Revis made Wes Welker disappear), but they couldn't cover big TE Rob Gronkowski. He beat the Jets' safeties and "sub" personnel, victimizing S Eric Smith on an 18-yard TD and burning dime back Strickland on a 5-yard TD.

What's ahead: The Jets have a quick turnaround. On Thursday night, they will have their first encounter with the Tim Tebow phenomenon, facing the suddenly revived Broncos (4-5) in Denver. It won't be easy because of the travel and altitude.