Belichick vs. Favre: AFC East Rivals Battle for the Crown

The featured game in the NFL this week is the Jets Vs. Patriots on Thursday night in Foxboro, MA. The two teams are tied at first in the AFC East with a 6-3 record and 2-1 record in the division. The Patriots loss came at home in week three against Miami and the Jets division loss came against the Patriots at home in week two (19-10).

The Mangini vs. Belichick rivalry is hotter right now than ever as the two have never faced each other in a more crucial, even matched game than this. The two coaches were on the same team only a few years back but have separated into one of the greatest coaching rivalries in the NFL.

Although Belichick has accomplished far more than his counterpart, the Jets know who their new leader is and that's Brett Favre. Favre and Belichick represent one of the most intruiging matchups as Belichick is always miserable while Favre plays for the true passion of the game. The Mississippi gunslinger plays for one motivation and that is to win and to have fun doing it, while Belichick hates to lose more than he loves to win and appears to be upset throughout the course of the game regardless of the score.

Favre has never been afraid to take chances, as he will throw it up for grabs if he feels the need, while Belichick is more conservative and calculated with his decision making. Blue collar Americans throughout the United States identify with Brett Favre and he has captured the hearts of all football fans.

Both have perfected their craft, both are the best at what they do, and Thursday night will show which one is willing to go the extra mile to get a much needed victory for both programs. As the two run out of their respective tunnels on Thursday night, one thing is certain, these are two of the most important figures in the game over the last decade.

Last year going into week 10 the Patriots were 9-0 and the Jets were 1-8, so what gives? Well, there are two obvious reasons that the two programs are here a year later tied in the lead for the AFC East with one game to show who the better team is. First, Tom Brady is out for the season with a knee injury and starting in his place is first time starter Matt Cassel who has done a fine job, but is no Tom Brady.

The other reason is that the Jets got a new coach in the off season: Brett Favre. Favre has taken over this team on the offensive end of the ball, and there defense has made drastic improvements over the last year. Although the Patriots are a 3 point favorite, this outcome of this game is hard to predict.

Brett Favre is facing the ultimate challenge, can he take the Jets from the bottom of the AFC to the top? Can Bill Belichick win without his stud quarterback that brought him 3 Superbowl rings? These story lines will be played out on Thursday night in one of the most epic NFL battles of the season.

QB Matchup:

Brett Favre  Vs.  Matt Cassel

Favre is a hall-of-fame quarterback who is posting a 89.8 QB passer rating, with an impressive 16 TD's and a 68% completion percentage for nearly 2,000 yards. The only real weakness in Favre's game is his tendency to force throws as he has already recorded 12 interceptions this season. Matt Cassel has proven to be a reliable back up for the Patriots, completing 67% of his passes for 1800 yards. The reserve on Cassel is if he can play in the "big game" as he struggled against their western rival San Diego Chargers. This game holds a lot more importance than their previous meeting. I do not think anyone will disagree that the advantage here goes to the Jets.   Advantage Jets

RB Matchup:

Thomas Jones  Vs.  BenJarvus Green-Ellis

Thomas Jones has had a great season thus far with the Jets heading into this game as the fifth highest in rushing yards in the NFL with 750. He is averaging 4.7 yards per carry and recorded 8 rushing touchdowns. For a running back in the Jets pass-heavy offense these are excellent great numbers. BenJarvus Green-Ellis, also known as "The Firm" is an explosive back but lacks experience and although he has rushed for 243 yards on 63 carries for an average of 3.7 yards per carry. Watching "the firm" play last week, I would say he is a good back, but no match for Jones.   Advantage: Jets

WR Matchup:

Jericho Cotchery & Laveranues Coles  Vs. Randy Moss & Wes Welker

Jericho Cotchery and Laveranues Coles have very similar numbers are Cotchery has 43 grabs for a total of 510 yards (11.9 yards per catch) and 3 touchdowns as Laveranues Coles has 41 catches for 487 yards (11.9 yards per catch) and 5 touchdowns.  Coles is the veteran and Cotchery is the younger talent, but both have been Favre's top targets. Randy Moss is one of the premier wide receivers in the NFL and his numbers this season do not do him justice. He has caught 43 passes for 589 yards (13.7 yards per catch) and 4 touchdowns, while Wes Welker has caught 66 passes for a total of 610 yards (9.2 per catch) and 1 touchdown.

The numbers here show that both teams have a good receiving core, but I would give the advantage here to the Patriots because Randy Moss has the size and speed to be dominating on long passes, short routes, and anywhere in the red zone.           Advantage: Patriots

Offensive Line Matchup:

The Jets offensive line has become one of the best in league this season but the New England Patriots have been the leagues very best year after year for the last 6 seasons. It is much harder to evaluate this category because their are less statistics here. Both teams have rushed for over 1,100 yards this season, and the sacks are skewed because many of the Patriots sacks are a result of a young quarterback holding onto the ball too long and not necessarily the offensive lines fault. Therefore, as a result of the Jets not giving up a sack in their last two games, and the Patriots having a heralded offensive line for years I will give this matchup a tie.     Advantage:  Tied

Defense Matchup:

The New York Jets are second in the NFL in sacks with 31 as the New England Patriots are 22nd in the league with 16 sacks. However, the Jets on average give up 21 points per game, where the Patriots give up only 17 points per game on average. Although the Jets have shown drastic improvement in this category, as a whole the Patriots have them beat on the defensive side of the ball but by a closer margin then most expect.

Jarod Mayo, rookie linebacker for the Patriots, has proven to be a great choice in the draft as he leads the team in tackles with 65. Along with Mayo both Seymour and Thomas have 5 sacks on the year. Matt Cassel would be smart to keep track of the Jets Shaun Ellis who has recorded 7 sacks this season and Darrelle Revis who has 4 interceptions.  Advantage: Patriots 

Intangibles:

The Patriots are playing at home where they are 4-1 oppose to the Jets who are playing on the road with a visitor record of 2-2. However, due to the Patriots previous success the Jets approach this game with more urgency as they know winning this game will make them a serious contender for the AFC East. If they lose they know that all they can do is sit back and hope the Patriots blow the end of their season, which with Belichick as Head Coach is highly unlikely. Point is the Jets need this game more than the Patriots because the Pats are currently winning the tie breaker as they beat the Jets on the road 19-10 in Week two.

Prediction:  The only thing I am certain of is that this could shape up to be one of the best games to watch this season. A rivalry that has sparked the interest of fans across the country as two coaches who once worked in the same building are now the most severe enemies. If I was a gambling man I would bet on the Jets only because the Patriots will be favored and there will be more money to be won, but as for who I think will win, I have not the slightest idea.