Jets vs. Giants: For Better or Worse Heading into Saturday's Game

The New York Jets meet the New York Giants on Saturday afternoon at MetLife Stadium for the first time in regular-season play since 2007, when both teams were still playing at the now-departed Giants Stadium.

The trash talk between the two co-tenants and perennial preseason opponents has been flying around here all week, with the Giants saying they're not afraid of Darrelle Revis, and Jets head coach Rex Ryan having said he's not about to play second fiddle to anyone, as reported at NJ.com, among other things.

It's also the first time Jets receiver Plaxico Burress will face his former Giants teammates, although he hasn't really added any fuel to the fires this week.

The two squads appear to be somewhat evenly matched, at least on paper. The Jets average 24.7 points per game and have given up 22.5, the Giants 23.9 and 26.6 respectively. Both teams have also been penalized 86 times.

Truth be told, though, neither New York-area team really has anything to brag about or trash-talk at this point. The Jets are 8-6, the Giants 7-7, with both teams having lost games this season they should have won, and both coming off sub-par performances just a week ago.

The Jets were pasted at Philadelphia, 45-19, on Sunday while the Giants lost, 23-10, at home to Washington. The Jets should have won at Denver and perhaps even Oakland earlier this year, while the Giants should have bested Seattle and probably should have won their rematch with Philadelphia as well.

The Giants will also be without tight end Jake Ballard and defensive end Osi Umenyiora on Saturday, while running back Joe McKnight and defensive back Marquice Cole are questionable for the Jets.

This is the first time these two NFL "neighbors" are meeting so late in the regular season with so much at stake. Both the Jets and Giants are still alive for a playoff berth, but that won't be the case for whomever loses on Saturday.

The Jets can only get in as a wild card, with New England having already sewn up the AFC East, while the Giants will likely have to win the NFC East to qualify for the postseason.

We'll see who's talking after tomorrow.