In the latest installment of the NFL’s new version of the Hatfields and McCoys, the New York Jets beat the New England Patriots 28-14 yesterday at Meadowlands Stadium.  So ends the first installment in the cold war between the two AFC East rivals.  Here’s a quick rundown of how some of the key players in this on and off-the-field rivalry fared: 

• Pats QB Tom Brady: He told WEEI radio during training camp, “I hate the Jets.” When asked if he watched HBO’s “Hard Knocks.”  After blowing a 14-10 halftime lead and, getting shutout in the second half and being picked off twice, Brady’s post-game response was, “We just sucked.”  Perhaps that awful Justin Bieber-type hairdo doesn’t help your vision, Tom.
• No-longer disgruntled Jets CB Darrelle Revis, who has referred to Parts WR Randy Moss as a “slouch,” was torched by Moss for a fantastic one-handed touchdown catch just before the end of the first half.  Revis later left the game with a hamstring injury.  Let’s see if Revis keeps his mouth shut come December.
• The teams’ two head coaches, Bill Belichick and Rex Ryan have traded verbal jabs the past two seasons.  However, the two shook hands and talked before the game, and did so after the game as well.  Makes you feel better about humanity, doesn’t it?
• The biggest winner was Jets QB Mark Sanchez (a.k.a. “The Sanchize”), who threw for 220 yards, 3 touchdowns and no interceptions as he led his team to a second-half comeback.  This comes on the heels of an awful performance last Monday night in a 10-9 loss to the Ravens, in which he threw for just 74 yards and checked down more often that Matt Leinart.  But all is forgotten and Sanchez is once again the savior and tabloid darling.  That must mean it’s Eli Manning’s turn to be run out of town by the New York media.

The two teams face off again in Week 13 on Monday Night Football in Foxboro on December 6.  Here’s hoping that the war of words heats up again right after Thanksgiving and that both teams are still in the playoff hunt.  Otherwise, there’s no point in enduring Mike Tirico’s voice…

Used with permission of the author.

Chris Lardieri covers the Los Angeles Dodgers for Examiner.com and has written about Major League Baseball for Inside Edge, a scouting company that provides content to ESPN Insider and Yahoo Sports. He previously wrote for 1766, the Rutgers Alumni Magazine, and popular blog, ‘The Outer Loop’.  Be sure to follow Chris on Twitter for more MLB and sports observations.

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