Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Graham
CBS Sports color commentator Dan Dierdorf will call Sunday's game at the Meadowlands between the New York Jets and New England Patriots.
The Pro Football Hall of Famer is giddy about the juicy storylines surrounding such a big divisional matchup -- and it's only Week 2.
"For the second week of the season, this game is too good to be true," Dierdorf said. "To have this kind of emotional game this early in the season, this is more of what happens in December, not in September."
On Patriots quarterback Tom Brady:
It’s not business as usual for Tom Brady because anytime you are coming back from an injury, it takes time. It is nothing new, unexpected or eyebrow-raising that Tom didn’t automatically look like he did in 2007, when he threw 50 touchdowns. You can’t take a year off and have major knee reconstruction and not have some rust early on.
But what they didn’t operate on was his competitive spirit. That does not need any rehab. When the game is on the line, he is what he is. I think everybody around the NFL, with the exception of the Buffalo Bills and the other teams in the AFC East, were thrilled to see Tom Brady come back and do what he did on Monday night.
On Jets rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez:
The only problem with Mark Sanchez is with that performance in Week 1, he has really raised the bar. People are going to have to remember that he is a rookie and has played one game in the National Football League. Now the one game that he has played was flat-out outstanding. Certainly the reasons for optimism in New York are limitless based on how good he looked. But he’s got big shoes to fill, and they are the shoes that Mark Sanchez left after Week 1. There’s a lot to like about this kid. If I was a Jets season-ticket holder, I’d have a major reason to be fired up.
On New England's defense:
One thing is for sure, Mark Sanchez will spend the whole week being shown things by the Jets coaches about what to expect from New England and will see something defensively he has never seen before. That is Bill Belichick’s m.o. He will try to get under Sanchez’s skin and into his head early and make him uncomfortable.
Having said that, this is not the same Patriots defense that won three Super Bowls. Lots of people are gone: [Mike] Vrabel, [Tedy] Bruschi, [Richard] Seymour, [Rodney] Harrison. There are a lot of talented people that are no longer playing in New England.
On the Jets’ defense:
If you’re a defensive player, playing for a guy like Rex Ryan is a dream come true. It’s frustrating to play on a read-and-react defense. Rex Ryan turns guys loose just like his father did.
Knocking down the quarterback is almost a religious experience for them. You get a lot of latitude, a lot of freedom when you play defense for Rex Ryan. You have to play hard, but you’re going to get your shots.