Bill Belichick talks about the familiarity the Pats and Jets have with each other and the challenges of preparing to play the same team for the third time.
I think the most important thing is the week of preparation and how the teams prepare on Sunday. I think that's what it really comes down to. I don't think what happened last week or in some game in December or some game in September or some game in October, I don't think that's going to have too much bearing on it. I think what happens between now and kickoff and how the teams perform once the game starts, I think that's what will decide the winner.
I just think you have that extra game that you usually don't have. You might've played them once and so you know what you did in that game, there is a reason for the things that you did, [there] definitely is a reason for the things they tried to do against you. So, the second time around, you want to show it a little bit differently and do the same things or you feel like you need to alter your approach a little bit or how you want to handle it.
Now, this time you've got that second game in there, so I think it's a lot easier for your opponents to see or for you to see whichever way it's going – two games are pretty much the same thing or how different was the approach from one game to the next and then trying to anticipate what would be the next move. And of course nobody knows for sure what that's going to be, so you have to prepare for a lot of different things.
In the end, you still have to put your chips on something. You have to anticipate what you think is most likely to occur. You have to allocate some practice time and game planning to whatever you happen to think that is. You have one more game to go on than you would normally have in a normal division situation, division game.
Bill Belichick is asked, "What's the most important thing for a young player or rookie to know about the difference in football at this time of year?
If you lose, you go home.
TEAM TALK
- Erik Scalavino notes that if it was "personal" between Rex Ryan and Peyton Manning this past week, what's it going to be like on Sunday?
- Erik Scalavino recaps Bill Belichick discussing the Jets.
- Sunday Conference Call: Bill Belichick (9.28 min.) plus Transcript.
- Patriots Today - Reliving the 2010 regular season. (4.17 min. video)
- Patriots Today - Storylines from 2010: Part 3. (3.33 min. video), Part 4 (3.18 min. video) and Part 5 (2.56 min. video)
- Patriots All Access - 1/07/11 Edition (40:26 min. video)
LOCAL LINKS
- Jackie MacMullan writes an outstanding behind-the-scenes, in-depth look at Wes Welker, and what makes him the relentless focused player he is today.
- Karen Guregian reports these Jets will be coming to Foxboro flying high after their wild card win over the Colts.
- Mike Reiss offers a few quick-hit thoughts on the upcoming playoff matchup between the Patriots and the Jets.
- Mike Reiss has some scouting notes to keep in mind from the Dec. 6 matchup between the Patriots and Jets.
- Mike Reiss posts some early opinions on Pats-Jets from SportsCenter analysts Trent Dilfer and Merril Hoge.
- Christopher Price notes Belichick expects this edition of Patriots-Jets to differ from the first two.
- Mike Reiss lists us some of the notable comments from Jets players from Saturday night when talking about next Sunday's matchup against the Patriots.
- Karen Guregian notes the Jets players still have memories of the 45-3 beatdown they took in New England.
- Monique Walker reports Belichick is preparing for a different Jets team than either Week 2 or Week 13.
- Jim Litke, AP notes the Jets vow revenge against the Patriots while Bill Belichick yawns.
- Tom E. Curran notes the "Don't fuel the hype" mantra preached by Belichick, is the opposite of the Jets' "another log on the fire" mentality.
- Mike Reiss gives us some quick-hit thoughts from the Patriots and around the NFL.
- Christopher Price pulls ten Patriots-related thoughts from the wild-card weekend.
- John Powers writes that in Tom Brady, the Patriots have a coach on the field.
- Monique Walker focuses on top tackler Rob Ninkovich.
- Shalise Manza Young reports Brandon Tate's first full NFL season started with a highlight play and ended with a highlight play.
- Karen Guregian catches up with a wistful Torry Holt who recognized that even in training camp, this Patriots team had a championship feel to it.
- Mike Reiss details the football journey of Patriots CB Tony Carter. Carter was promoted to the roster on December 18th and played in the final three regular season games.
- Mike Reiss looks at the final target-percentage leaderboard. Danny Woodhead led the way at 77 percent.
- Mike Reiss takes a look at the final 2010 penalty leaderboard. The Patriots finished the regular season ranked tied for the seventh fewest accepted penalties in the NFL (83).
- Ian Rapoport Patriots Notebook: Belichick doesn't believe the two previous games against the Jets will alter Sunday's outcome; Terrell Suggs says he respects Tom Brady as a competitor; The four marquee teams in the AFC are still alive, with the Steelers-Ravens and Jets-Patriots playing this weekend, all looking at Round 3.
- Ron Borges writes about Ed Reed playing yesterday in the wake of his brother's tragedy.
NATIONAL NEWS
- Tim Graham (ESPN) Good for you, Jets: Patriots are next.
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Tim Graham (ESPN) Quick take: Jets at Patriots. Three things to know about Sunday's matchup.
- Tim Graham (ESPN) Belichick: Jets-Patriots III 'way it should be'.
- Jimmy Johnson (Fox Sports) Jets will turn up heat against Patriots.
- George Bretherton (NY Times) Underestimating the Jets, Year 2.
- Kerry J. Byrne (Cold Hard Football Facts) Jets 17, Colts 16: Ten things we learned. "Rex Ryan earns another week to Blow Hard ... with a Vengeance."
- Jason Whitlock (Fox Sports) Vick admits weakness; Peyton can't.
- Pat Kirwan (NFL.com) Wild-card weekend? Oh, it was wild, all right.
- Dan Pompei (Nat'l Football Post) Sunday Blitz: Coach of the year candidates, a look at the Patriots defense, Scout talk and more.
- Don Banks (SI) The AFC's power rematches, the Pack's breakthrough and more from Wild Card Weekend.
- Peter King (SI) MMQB: Epic wild-card weekend sets up two classic rubber matches in AFC.
- Sam Farmer (Los Angeles Times) Terrific rematches highlight next round of NFL playoffs.
- Don Banks (SI) Jets recapture last year's playoff magic, thanks to grind-it-out rally.
- Vinnie Iyer (Sporting News) NFL divisional playoffs: A first look at the second-round rematches.
- Judy Battista (NY Times) NFL playoff preview - Divisional round.
- Jason Cole (Yahoo! Sports) Ten questions to ponder for divisional round.
VIEW FROM NEW YORK
- Gary Myers (NY Daily News) Jets victory over Colts gets Jets the prize of facing the Patriots.
- Gary Myers (NY Daily News) Jets' confidence high despite Dec. 6 beating from Patriots entering Foxboro for AFC playoff game.
- Mark Cannizzaro (NY Post) Jets want revenge for 45-3 loss to Patriots.
- Mark Cannizzaro (NY Post) Jets tweet revenge.
- Steve Serby (NY Post) Getting even with Patriots no Mission Impossible for the Jets.
- Manish Mehta (NY Daily News) Braylon Edwards, Jets say blowout loss to New England is history, look forward to date with Patriots.
- Bart Hubbuch (NY Post) 'HC of NEP' relishes rematch.