Patriots at Jets, 1:05 p.m.
Line: Patriots by 1
The setup: With a win, New England (12-2) will earn a first-round playoff bye. New York (10-4) needs a win or losses or ties by other teams for playoff qualification. The Patriots have won five of their last six meetings with the Jets, including a 13-7 triumph on Oct. 24. It will be interesting to see how New England shakes off last Monday's shocking loss to Miami. In that game Patriots QB Tom Brady matched his career-high with four INTs. New York is second in the NFL in turnover differential (plus-17). New England sits at plus-7. At home the Jets have a 6-1 record, with the only loss coming in overtime vs. Baltimore.
On the spot: Given each team's success, it's not surprising that both are effective in running the ball and stopping the run. New York has Curtis Martin, who leads the NFL in rushing (1,511 yards). The Patriots counter with Corey Dillon, who is fourth in the league in rushing (1,430 yards). Dillon has eight 100-yard games this season, one behind the franchise mark Martin set in 1995. Martin, who played for New England from 1995 until 1997, has six 100-yard rushing games against his former team.
Know this: Patriots kicker Adam Vinatieri leads the NFL in points (127) and is 28-for-29 on FGs.
