LB Matt Chatham leads the Jets with 11 games of playoff experience
JETS' STORYLINES
The Jets are in the playoffs for the 12th time.
The Jets 10-win season marks the ninth time the franchise has recorded at least 10 wins in a season.
The Jets finished the regular season 6-2 after the bye week.
Jets are 6-2 on the road this season, including a 17-14 victory at Foxborough on Nov. 12.
The Jets have 27 players with playoff experience, led by Matt Chatham with 11 games and Kimo von Oelhoffen with 10 games.
JETS-PATRIOTS QUICK FACTS
Series: This marks the 95th meeting and the second playoff game between the two teams. The Patriots defeated the Jets, 26-14 in the 1985 AFC Wild Card game. The Jets lead the all-time series, 48-45-1.
This season: The teams split in 2006:
Week 2 – 9/17 –NE 24, NY 17, The Meadowlands: The Pats took a 24-0 lead and held off the Jets as Chad Pennington finished with 306 yards passing and TDs to Laveranues Coles (46) and Jerricho Cotchery (71).
Week 10 – 11/12 –NY 17, NE 14, Gillette Stadium: This time, the Jets held off NE late as Shaun Ellis strip-sacked Tom Brady on the game's last play. Kevan Barlow had 75 yards rushing and a TD while Jerricho Cotchery (6-70) caught a 22-yard TD pass from Chad Pennington.
HEADLINE NOTES
Head Coach Eric Mangini finishes tied with Sean Payton for best record among first-year head coaches at 10-6.
Jets have won their last two Wild Card playoff games: 20-17 at San Diego in OT in '04 and 41-0 over the Colts in '02.
WR Laveranues Coles (91-1,098-6) and WR Jerricho Cotchery (82-961-6) set a Jets' record with 173 combined receptions.
K Mike Nugent has kicked 18 consecutive field goals and has made 23-of-24. He finished the regular season 24-of-27 with 106 points.
S Kerry Rhodes recorded five sacks, the most by a Jets' DB in a single season since Brian Washington had six sacks in 1995.
THE WEEK 17 WIN MEANS:
The Jets closed the regular season on a three-game winning streak, their first since Nov.-Dec. 2004.
The Jets have won five of six games for the first time since 2004.
The Jets finished the 2006 regular season with a 7-5 record versus the AFC.
