Though Dilfer's team won that year, he said the style of Brian Billick — which is now being mimicked by Rex Ryan — is not the quarterback's personal preference. He said the Jets' trash talk, and particularly the words uttered by Antonio Cromartie, will inspire the Patriots to come out with a vengeance on Sunday.
"I think he's gonna unleash hell on 'em," Dilfer, now an analyst on ESPN, said Thursday on a conference call with reporters, adding that the Patriots are "just smarter than everyone else."
While the Patriots rarely respond to opponents' trash talk, Dilfer said it is definitely used as motivation and that no team does that better than New England.
"[The Patriots] have the ability to use all that stuff, hold it inside, and use it to their advantage during game time."
Dilfer also noted that Brady's response was "enlightening," in that the quarterback heaped praise on Darrelle Revis while showing hesitance to put Cromartie on that same level. Dilfer also said that Cromartie will be a "go-to spot" for Brady and the Patriots on in-breaking routes, as the tall cornerback struggles to make quick cuts on elusive receivers.
Trash talk aside, Dilfer said he broke down the tape of the last Patriots-Jets matchup and determined that the Jets really don't stand much of a chance come Sunday.
"If Jets have any chance, [tight end Dustin] Keller has to have a big game," Dilfer said, adding that the Jets need to be "nearly perfect" and would need three touchdown drives of eight plays or more in order to have a chance to win.
