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Despite the Jets struggling recently, the game between the two rivals have always been close. Last year the Jets lost both games by a combined 3 points, 27-25 in New England and 17-16 in New York. For fans, it means a little more than just a victory. For fans it means success against the arguably the best head coach/quarterback combination in the history of pro football, at least momentarily.
However if you talk to Todd Bowles, a victory against the Patriots means little, "It just means we're 5-1 and we have to get ready for Oakland" Bowles confirmed without an ounce of emotion. at this early stage, leading the AFC East doesn't guarantee a thing. Beating the Patriots guarantees you spend at least a week on top, but at the end of the season, that's really not going to matter.
Jets/Patriots week has historically been filled with bravado, with headlines and sound bites. That was under Rex Ryan, and I'm tired of bashing his style as opposed to Bowles, but you can't hide from the fact that things are different now. Bowles isn't interested in saying anything derogative about the Patriots, why would he? They are reigning champs, and satisfying a small portion of the base who love some trash talk isn't going to get him anywhere.
"I don't know because I'm not up there, I just know that he wins. They run a good organization and they have a great coach, they have a great player. That's as much insight as I can give you without knowing what goes on." Bowles fired back when one reporter asked what made the Patriots so consistently good. Rex was always obsessed with the Patriots, the little brother syndrome. Bowles doesn't really have time for that. He understands that football games are won and lost on execution
"It’s just about our guys making plays or their guys making plays. It’s not so much a battle of wits. They know us pretty well. We have a lot of guys on this team that’s played them quite a bit so they know them pretty well. If their guys make plays, they’re going to win. If our guys make plays, we’re going to win"