New York Jets: Immediate Championship Contenders

The New York Jets bruised and bullied the New England Patriots to earn a 16-9 victory Sunday at the Meadowlands, maintaining New York's standing atop the AFC East.

The Jets (2-0), who have not surrendered an offensive touchdown to date, are slated to host the Tennessee Titans (0-2) on Sunday afternoon.

“This is where we expected to be,” wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery said after Sunday’s game. “The entire off-season we were working hard to be 2-0 at this point.”

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (23-47, 216 yards passing) struggled all afternoon against the Jets' savage and ferocious pass rush.

“Our defense is just filled with studs,” Jets rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez remarked. “I felt for Tom.”

Brady failed to complete at least half of his pass attempts for only the second time since 2006.

He also threw a critical interception that diminished New England’s chance for a come-from-behind victory.

“It’s definitely exciting when you know that you can rattle arguably the No. 1 quarterback,” nickel back Donald Strickland said. “He didn’t make the clutch throws that he usually makes.”

In stark contrast to Brady, Sanchez (14-22, 163 yards passing) was again steady and he made plays when the Jets needed them most.

“This guy’s not a rookie,” said Leon Washington, who led New York with 58 rushing yards.

Current Jets tackle, and former Patriot, Damien Woody agreed with Washington’s assessment of Sanchez, who is just 22.

Woody believes that the fifth overall selection in the 2009 NFL Draft is “more advanced” than Brady was at the same age.

“When you have a really good quarterback on the team, it gives your football team so much confidence because you know you’ve got a guy at the helm that can make things happen and always gives you a chance to win,” Woody gushed about Sanchez.

“That’s how I felt when I was in New England. We had Brady and we always had a chance to win. Sanchez is only going to get better.”

Jets fans have often thought their team “had a chance to win.”

Unfortunately, a championship celebration has evaded supporters of Gang Green ever since Joe Namath led New York to its last championship in 1969.

Just last season, the Jets were 8-3 before they crashed and burned in the Jersey swamps.

“The past is the past,” said linebacker Bart Scott, who followed Head Coach Rex Ryan to Gotham from the Baltimore Ravens. “It’s a new day. It’s a new team. It’s not the same old Jets people are used to.”

“I never came here to kiss Bill Belichick’s rings,” Ryan said about New England’s three-time Super Bowl champion coach in an off-season radio interview.

Jets fans deserve to feel optimistic about Ryan and the attitude that he has brought to town with him.

Sooner or later, Ryan’s peers will be kissing the championship rings on his hand.