This week has been marked on my calendar since the schedule first came out (not actually but you get the point of emphasis I’m trying to make here right, right?) and with Kerry Rhodes’ remarks from the past week, this game has the potential to replicate a playoff game. Despite playing roulette with Beli-Cat, the Jets have a good chance of winning with the Patriots defense on the weaker side but if they plan to go 2-0, the Jets must shut down the Patriots offense until the referee blows the final whistle.

Let’s hope some of that Rex Ryan magic and the screams of support from the fans will be useful and finally end the eight-year drought of losing at the Meadowlands.

Since I won’t be at the game, here is my form of “screaming support” courtesy of Jay-Z …

Quarterback: Last week in Houston, Mark Sanchez proved that he wasn’t all hype but that he is the real deal shredding Houston’s defense between a good mix up of running and passing. With the run game stifled early, the Texans forced the rookie to throw and although they had no doubt hoped for more interceptions the defense would only pick one off against the rookie. Chez was able to flash qualities that will mold him into a great quarterback but now he has to deal with the rivalry he is now a part of. Granted the Patriots defense has taken some significant hits (trading Vrabel and Seymour while Harrison and Bruschi retired and now Jerod Mayo is out for a good 6-8 weeks) but don’t be fooled. After Kerry Rhodes kindly ran his mouth, the Patriots D is gearing up for a battle and will no doubt try their best to make things difficult for the rookie. Despite this we also can’t underestimate the ability of our rookie and our receivers who have shown great poise. Overall, expect a hard day of work for Chez but don’t believe that he will allow the defense to bully him.

Running Backs: The Patriots will also be gearing up to deal with the Jets running backs (occasionally referred to as Boom Boom Pow although Pow was inactive last week). Leon Washington has already begun to see his promised increase of action and the Patriots will no doubt prepare for all those trick plays “Schott” might call but that doesn’t mean they will completely shut down Leon. As I recall, Leon took a Stephen Gostkowski kickoff to the house during the last meeting in November and with the defense on the weaker side I don’t see why Leon can’t put up respectable totals and aid the Jets in their quest for the win. Thomas Jones started quiet last week and suddenly exploded near the goal line as the Texans defense wore down and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him replicate his success this week. Behind Tony Richardson, anything is possible.

Wide Receivers: Jerricho Cotchery was overshadowed by Chansi Stuckey’s wide-open touchdown last Sunday but it is clear, that as the number one receiver Cotchery is a reliable asset to Mark Sanchez’s arsenal. When needed most Cotchery will be there and he should get a good number of looks this week as the Pats try to make things difficult for Chez. Chansi Stuckey has cemented his role beside Cotchery and will continue to be a consistent target for Sanchez and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him with a couple of touchdowns for the day. David Clowney who saw little action last week should see some looks, after all the Patriots will need to focus their attention on the main receivers but if Clowney comes in at the right time, he just might burn the defenders with his speed. Brad Smith wasn’t a factor last week but again don’t be surprised to see him thrown in for some “Schott Specials.”

Tight Ends: Another Chez-favorite target, Keller figures to get in on the action this week and with his ability to catch the ball and his improved blocking skills, Keller will be an important part of the Jets offense heading into the game. Don’t forget to look for Ben Hartsock, who will likely be doing some blocking down below (although I recommend binoculars if you want to see him, no offense Ben).

Offensive Line: As I mentioned previously, the Patriots defense will no doubt ready themselves to make life miserable for the Jets offense but with the way they looked against the Bills its hard to believe that they will perform on all cylinders. As a matter of fact the Jets line looks so good against the Patriots defense that Belichick may need to cheat in order to beat out the O-Line (SpyGate Part II is coming soon folks!).

Defensive Line: Well this is where things getting a little sticky for the Jets defense. While they are firing on all cylinders, comments from Kerry Rhodes likely haven’t helped their workload tomorrow afternoon. Kris Jenkins back has been a bother but he will play and with a rivalry such as this it isn’t hard to imagine that Jenkins will look just fine despite his injury. That being said, the defense will see an extra boost with Shaun Ellis back from his one-week suspension but without Calvin Pace will the Jets be able to put the pressure on Brady? I believe so but we’ll see where that goes (let’s hope VG can continue to grow and remedy Pace’s absence with some good hits and stops he won’t be alone though, hopefully Bryan Thomas and Jamaal Westerman will also aid in disrupting Brady’s day).

Linebackers: David Harris and Bart Scott have been terrorizing quarterbacks since week one of the preseason and I don’t see why they won’t get to Brady whether or not he has the ball. Its all well and fine to hit the guy to send a message but if they truly want to disrupt the offensive rhythm it will be important for Scott and Harris to get a few sacks or fumbles when ever possible.

Defensive Backs: I can already tell you that Darrelle Revis will be stuck to Randy Moss like glue but with that said, it is Lito Sheppard that concerns me the most. Sheppard dropped his “Sticky hands” nickname for now but it will be vital for him and the other corners (Lowery, Strickland, etc.) to shut down the receivers as best as they possibly can. We already know Welker and Faulk are big parts of the offense and it will be important for the secondary to shut them down if the Jets plan to win the game. As for the safeties don’t be surprised to see Brady target some receivers near Rhodes just to be spiteful but hopefully Rhodes will be able to back up his talk and return to Pro Bowl form. Meanwhile it was nice to Eric Smith contribute last week and I expect to see some effort from him against the Patriots.

Special Teams: Steve Weatherford hasn’t been waived yet which I assume is a good sign and after his decent performance last week I think the Jets have found their [Ray] Guy for now. Meanwhile Jay Feely didn’t seem to show any ill effects as a result of his preseason groin injury and I expect him to go out there and get those points on the board.