Sideline Notebook: Patriots @ Jets

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THE LONELIEST KICKER

Before every Sunday Night Football game I talk with each team’s kicker on the field to get an idea of their range and how the weather might impact the kicking game.

Before New York took on the Patriots, Jets kicker Nick Folk told me his range was 53-yards in both directions. The conditions were ideal. Really no wind to speak of.

In fact, Folk told me in general, 1 PM games are pretty windy; 4 pm games are a bit better; and night games are the least windy.

So when the 5-year veteran out of Arizona missed a 24-yard attempt on New York’s opening drive Sunday night against the Patriots there was a reason to wonder…

Was this a sign of things to come?

During that opening possession Jets QB Mark Sanchez made some terrific throws, including a 16-yard completion to Santonio Holmes on his first attempt. There was also a 27-yard reception by Holmes that put the Jets in great position.

But this otherwise perfect opening drive ended with a missed “chip shot” on a windless night at MetLife Stadium. Jets fans might have seen that as a bad omen.

This is not to say the opening drive determined the outcome of the game, but you could say it was the first in a series of missed opportunities by the Jets.

SACKING SANCHEZ

Conversations with both C Nick Mangold and LT D’Brickeshaw Ferguson before Sunday night’s game indicated the Jets offensive line was healthy and ready.

Ferguson told me the line was playing with great confidence, and their objective was to keep Mark Sanchez clean.

Mangold talked about how O-Line coach Bill Callahan was working with his charges on the smallest details.

Who would have predicted Sanchez would get sacked five times — four-and-a-half by DE Andre Carter alone?

A good number of those sacks game in garbage time after the Pats had taken a 30-9 lead.

Still, the Patriots defensive front won the battle at the line of scrimmage and protected a very thin and suspect New England secondary.

AND YOU ARE…?

Unless you are a Patriots fan you’ve probably not heard of Sterling Moore. Or Jeff Tarpinian. Or Rob Ninkovich.

Gone are the days when the Pats D was headlined by Tedy Bruschi and Mike Vrabel.

On Sunday night the patchwork New England defense rose to the occasion and made some game-changing plays against the Jets.

LB Rob Ninkovich had two interceptions, one a pick-six.

Rookie CB Sterling Moore filled in for the injured Patrick Chung at safety and helped hold the Jets to 268-yards passing.

Getting a performance like that out of a banged up, young defense is Bill Belichick’s specialty.

BUT THE BEST DEFENSE IS A GREAT OFFENSE

Sunday night’s second half was a master class in quarterback play.

Tom Brady eluded pressure, made quick decisions, hit his throws and executed a near-flawless half that wore down and frustrated a very good Rex Ryan defense.

Early in the fourth quarter, Brady engineered a 13-play 84-yard drive that lasted 6:51 and resulted in an 8-yard TD pass to Deion Branch.

That drive kept the Pats defense on the bench. It was as though Brady were saying, “I got this, guys. Go get some rest and I’ll give us a lead.”

The defense returned the favor by holding the Jets to seven points in the second half.

STORIES THAT DIDN’T GET TOLD

RB Kevin Faulk is the longest-tenured member of the Patriots. The 13-year vet has been on the team one season longer than Tom Brady.

Faulk told me 2010 was supposed to be his last in the NFL. He told his family as much before last season kicked off.

But in game 2 at MetLife Stadium, Faulk tore his ACL, ending his 12th season.

His son said to him, “Dad, I know you’re not retiring after THAT.”

Faulk didn’t. He went through 13 months of rehab, which he told me was one of the hardest things he’s ever done.

***

A few weeks ago, Rex Ryan called Sanchez, Burress and Holmes into a meeting. “Are we in trouble,” wondered Sanchez?

No.

Rex wanted his young QB to get to know his two primary targets a little better. “I just wanted to bring us together,” said the coach. “I think there’s a special connection with quarterbacks and wide receivers.”

That connection got short-circuited this season with the lack of mini-camps, OTA’s and the rest.

So Ryan initiated the Thursday afternoon meetings to facilitate closer relationships between the three teammates.

Sometimes the meetings are about football, sometimes not. There is usually laughter… and often ice cream.

“Now it’s one of the things we do every week,” said Ryan.

And Sanchez said every time he walks out of one of those Thursday meetings he is excited about whatever is going to happen next.