Battle of the "New's": Will Tom Brady and Company Get a Win?

We all witnessed the New England Patriots have a close call last week against the Buffalo Bills that was mere minutes from leaving them with a 0-1 home start.

Tom Brady didn't exactly look like the 16-0 regular season record-breaking QB we witnessed just two seasons ago.

Buffalo harassed him and made him make mistakes and all but won until the last five minutes of the game.

Oh, and until then Brady was outperformed by Trent Edwards.

Now that Brady and the Patriots fought through that game and left with a win, they have a new challenge in the form of brazen first-year coach Rex Ryan and his New York Jets.

Rookie QB Mark Sanchez' debut against the Houston Texans last week was eye-popping good, as he went 18-31 with 272 yards passing and a TD, but one ugly interception.

Sanchez did the most damage on third down, going 12-15 and continuously converting to keep that Texans defense on the field, and All-Pro WR Andre Johnson off of it.

New York's defense also played very well, pressuring Texans QB Matt Schaub down-after-down, and he ended with a 18-33, 166 yard performance and also had an interception.

Johnson was kept in-check, with just 4 receptions for 35 yards and no TD's.

Houston, a team that some experts have finishing with a playoff berth, is no walk-over and the Jets seemingly handled them with ease.

With the Patriots coming to town this Sunday, none of what happened last week matters anymore.

You can bet that Brady and the Hoody will come into town with a gameplan that will be geared to make Sanchez and that offense make mistakes.

Costly ones.

Are Ryan and the Jets ready for the Pats?

Judging by what they've been saying in the media this week, I'd say so.

Jets DT Kris Jenkins has been quoted saying that this game is the Jets, "Super Bowl," and FS Kerry Rhodes said that the Jets wanted to, "Embarrass the Pats."

This is you guys Super Bowl? Really Jenkins? What team calls a game in week two a Super Bowl when they aren't out of possibly making the real one?

A team with Super Bowl aspirations doesn't need to make one game against a rival that serious. You don't hear Tony Romo calling the Cowboys home opener against the rival New York Giants this week a Super Bowl.

When you have to come out and pump yourself up to the media and your opponent is known for their silence in these situations, it looks as though you don't really believe you can win.

The Pats know they can win, hence the silence and lack of response.

Brady chose to be diplomatic, saying that, "talk is cheap" and that the Pats, "Feel a certain way," and "don't necessarily need to tell everyone about it."

After listening to Ryan urge all fans to do everything they can to help his ballclub, apparently the Jets do.

Nonetheless, this Sunday Giants Stadium will be on fire as the fans will be locked in to send Brady and the Pats into confusion.

What can each team do to have the higher score when the clock ticks down to zero? Here are two keys to victory for each team.

New York Jets Keys To Victory

1. Pressure Tom Brady!

It's no secret that Brady is just returning from major knee surgery and hasn't gotten his legs completely under him yet.

Buffalo pressured him often, and stymied that Patriot offensive attack for most of the game. This week the Jets will have to be pitbulls unleashed onto the Patriots offensive line to hit Brady and hit him often.

The Giants showed in their Super Bowl XLII victory that consistent pressure on Brady can throw off his rhythm and timing with his receivers.

Ryan will have to come up with blitzing schemes that get to Brady quickly, where he can't get the ball to the ever-dangerous Randy Moss or Wes Welker. If they don't get to him in time, Brady will make chopped liver out of them.

2. Establish the Run Early

The biggest asset for an inexperienced QB is a potent ground attack, and Sanchez got that last week against the Texans from Leon Washington and Thomas Jones.

Jones and Washington combined for 167 yards and 2 TD's off of 35 carries.

They will need a repeat of that performance. The Patriots have a new defense that has lost guys like Tedy Bruschi, Mike Vrabel and injured rising star LB Jerod Mayo.

Therefore, a few holes will be present for the Jets to exploit Sunday.

Jones and Washington will get their chances early, and if that offensive line of the Jets can contain Vince Wilfork and Tully Banta-Cain, the Jets will run all the way through them.

If not, watch out rookie!

New England Patriots Keys To Victory

1. Protect Tom Brady!

Just as the Jets need to pressure Brady and want to hit him much as possible, the Pats offensive line has to give him time and protect him and his reconstructed knee.

If Brady gets hit too much early, he may become slightly gun-shy and scared to follow through on his throws.

Against the Bills last week, Brady started the game squeamish on moving through his throwing motion, seemingly protecting that knee a little.

In the second half though, Brady became increasingly confident and led his team on two touchdown drives to win the game.

The Jets will be blitzing him often, and if Dan Koppen and the big guts up front can give him time with chipping help from Kevin Faulk and Laurence Maroney, Brady might light up the town in New York.

2. Force Mark Sanchez To Look Like A Rookie

Sanchez has everyone in the football world raving about his poise and great decision-making in last week's victory over Houston.

Unfortunately, that was only one game and he has to do it again.

At some point, Sanchez will look like a rookie and make some mistakes that his team will have to back him on.

If the Pats have it their way, that time will come Sunday.

Bill Belichick is historically great at forcing opposing QB's to make mistakes, especially rookies. Belichick will have some schemes ready for Mr. Sanchez Sunday that he's never saw before.

If the Pats execute and pressure Sanchez by stopping the run and forcing him to pass, the young man from USC will think twice about his decision to enter the NFL at about 4:15 Sunday afternoon.

If not, the Pats could be this week's Texans.

Prediction

Much as I like Sanchez, Ryan and the Jets, I have to go with the experienced Patriots in this one.

Sanchez will have his moments, but none solid as what we will see from the incomparable Tom Brady, as he will go over the 300-yard mark with at least two touchdowns.

The Jets will do moderately well on the ground, but not enough as Sanchez will be forced into throwing the ball over 32 times and at least one turnover.

Patriots get the win, 31-21.