After a 45-3 Patriots win, though, the Jets don't appear to be nearly in the same class as the Patriots.
Of course, with four games left to play, the Patriots have a lot of work left to do. That begins rather quickly with a Sunday afternoon trip to Chicago.
While they'll likely need to win three or four games to guarantee the AFC East crown, they have to feel confident in just about every facet of their team after Monday.
Offense
They scored 45 points on a defense that has been praised as one of the top four units in the league, and Tom Brady has continued to perform like the best player in football.
Jeff Howe: A
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Defense
They allowed the offense to build a 17-point lead before letting the Jets even crack the scoreboard, and rookie cornerback Devin McCourty is already one of the most indispensable players on the roster.
Jeff Howe: A
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Special Teams
Their major goal was to make sure Jets kick returner Brad Smith didn't change the game, and the Patriots executed that plan. Shayne Graham also deserves some credit for hitting a 41-yard field goal into a swirling wind on the initial possession of the game.
Jeff Howe: B+
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Coaching
More often than not, Bill Belichick is going to out-coach his counterpart, but he handed Rex Ryan a beating Monday night.
Jeff Howe: A
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Game Plan
Two major things had to change from the Week 2 meeting, and they did. First, the Patriots won the one-on-one battle against cornerback Antonio Cromartie, who surrendered touchdowns to Deion Branch and Brandon Tate in the first half. Cromartie, of course, shut down Randy Moss in the first meeting of the season.
Second, it really sounded all week like the Patriots wanted to contain tight end Dustin Keller, who was a monster in the passing game in Week 2. Keller was held to three catches for 27 yards Monday, and he was a complete non-factor.
Jeff Howe: A
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