Curtis Martin is tied for second in the NFL with 746 rushing yards.

The Jets are just not getting consistent quarterback play. Rick Mirer, now benched again in favor of Ray Lucas, was inaccurate and not in sync with the receiving corps. He had his only solid game against Denver, but was never consistent. While New York's quarterbacks have struggled, coach Bill Parcells has further emphasized the running game behind Curtis Martin. But with talent like Keyshawn Johnson and Wayne Chrebet on the outside, the Jets have players besides Martin with an ability to make plays.

Last week, the Jets hung around against Arizona. Late in the game Mirer found Johnson in the seam for what proved to be the game-winning touchdown. They will take the same approach against the Patriots. They will pound with Martin, try to keep the game close going into the fourth quarter, and then try to steal a win with a big play to Johnson or Chrebet.

Having Lucas at quarterback won't change the Jets' approach. He is more mobile and versatile than Mirer, but the Jets' game plan revolves around the running of Martin. He is averaging around 30, so he is the guy who will get the football.

The Patriots, who had a bye last week, are playing outstanding football. Offensively, Bledsoe is the catalyst. He is playing as well as anyone in the game right now. People this year want to talk about Peyton Manning and Kurt Warner and the way Jeff George has played recently in Minnesota. But in terms of consistency, no one is playing better than Bledsoe.

He is really in sync with offensive coordinator Ernie Zampese's offense, which is built on timing and rhythm. He is planting his feet and delivering the ball. Bledsoe has always had a great arm, but his accuracy seems to be improved. He is using all his weapons. Shawn Jefferson is an outstanding complementary receiver to Terry Glenn.

The Patriots offense is hitting on all cylinders. I've been impressed with Terry Allen. Every game, the veteran running back is getting better and gaining more understanding of Zampese's scheme. Once the Patriots offense achieves balance, it will be nearly impossible to stop.

Meanwhile, the New England defense is quietly getting better. A lot of people thought Andy Katzenmoyer wouldn't make a big contribution his rookie season. But from Week 1 to Week 9, he has been the most improved player in the NFL. He has gotten better every week -- reading his keys, attacking the line of scrimmage, blowing things up in the backfield, blitzing, playing pass coverage. They had hoped Katzenmoyer would play well, and clearly he has. Eventually, Ted Johnson will be back, so their overall linebacking corps will be much improved.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

Quite a combo: Drew Bledsoe has thrown 45 touchdown passes to tight end Ben Coates. That makes the Patriots' combo the second-most prolific active passing duo behind Steve Young and Jerry Rice. Terrific Terry: Terry Glenn has had 10 career games with at least 100 yards receiving since being drafted seventh overall in 1996. Keyshawn Johnson, the top pick in the 1996 draft, has reached the century mark just six times. Special performer: Jets quarterback Ray Lucas played on special teams for the New England Patriots in their Super Bowl XXXII loss to Green Bay.

In addition, Willie McGinest and Chris Slade are solid pass rushers off the edge. Their secondary is solid, led by cornerback Ty Law, one of the best in the game. Steve Israel has stepped in at the other corner and been consistent. Lawyer Milloy will rip people apart as well as any strong safety. He is an outstanding run defender and very solid in pass coverage. Chris Carter has filled in at free safety and done a good job with the loss of Willie "Big Play" Clay. The offense tends to overshadow the defense, but coordinator Steve Sidwell has done a nice job bringing the defensive unit together.

Along with the Jaguars and Dolphins, the Patriots must be considered contenders to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl. The team that is playing the best offense late in the season will be the team that goes to the Super Bowl. In Jacksonville, Mark Brunell hasn't found his rhythm yet. In Miami, with Damon Huard at quarterback and some other youngsters on offense, the Dolphins haven't hit their stride yet either. Offensively, New England is well above both the Jaguars and the Dolphins right now.

Here are the keys to Monday's game for each team:

New York Jets
1. Radar defense: In Week 1, the Jets did some things to try to break down Bledsoe. They played what I call the "radar defense." They had six linebackers in the game, no defensive linemen, and five defensive backs. And they all stand up; no one is in a three-point stance. It did cause some protection problems, because the Jets defenders are always moving. They will try to use that defense to pressure Bledsoe. The book on Bledsoe is that if you get someone in his face, he might get rattled, although he has been rock solid in the pocket this year. It's a defense Bill Belichick might show more in this game because the Jets did get good pressure on Bledsoe with that look. The Jets will also mix in some 3-4 and 4-3 alignments. New England's one weakness has been an inconsistent offensive line. The Pats have shown some flaws and a tendency to get confused. Belichick will try to confuse them with different fronts.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Jets QB Ray Lucas: The third-year pro will make his second NFL start against the Pats. He will be looking for his first win since he was a senior at Rutgers in 1995. Jets WR Keyshawn Johnson: Despite the Jets' QB woes, Johnson is on a pace to set career highs in receptions and receiving yards. Jets SS Victor Green: The safety is having a stellar season, leading the team in tackles and interceptions. He had his best game of the season against Jacksonville on Monday Night Football, recording a game-high 12 tackles. Patriots TE Ben Coates: The big tight end has averaged 71 catches per season over the last six years. This season, he is on pace to catch only 32, and Ben is not feeling "Gentle" about it. Patriots C Damien Woody: The Pats' top draft pick from Boston College (the 17th choice overall) has started every game at center and should anchor New England's offensive line into the next century. Patriots LB Andy Katzenmoyer: The "Big Kat" would be a senior at Ohio State. Instead, he is starting for the injured Ted Johnson and has already totaled 76 tackles this season.

2. Secondary is primary: The Jets secondary must play well. New England will attack with an outstanding receiving corps. Besides Glenn and Jefferson, there is also Troy Brown, Tony Simmons and Vincent Brisby. They come after you with some quality receivers. When the Patriots use their multiple-receiver sets, they will pressure the Jet defense. Coaches around the league believe that their third and fourth receivers are always better than the opposing team's third and fourth cornerbacks. In the first matchup, the Patriots were able to get Jefferson singled up a number of times on a third or fourth cornerback. That was the key. Jefferson was absolutely outstanding. The Jets will bring in Omar Stoutmire, a player the Patriots will try to expose.

3. Establish the run: The Jets can't expect Lucas to throw 40 times. They absolutely have to establish Martin on the ground. Knowing Parcells, however, he will probably start winging it, because you would expect New England to play eight men in the box and stop the run by loading up the line of scrimmage. Parcells might try to back the Patriots off early to get the running game going. It might not be the first or second series, but a commitment to the run must be there for the Jets. They have been going more with the bunch formation, where they line up a tight end and two receivers on one side, then bring Fred Baxter across in the motion. Out of that alignment, they like to run the pitch play, a good perimeter play that Martin runs well. They also run the counter trey back away from the bunch formation to take advantage of an overpursuing defense. The Jets have had success with that approach.

New England Patriots
1. Spread out and attack: This is New England's style: coming out and scoring early. The Patriots will throw the ball early in the game, and then pound with Allen on the ground. Allen has been positive for the Patriots because he is a north-south runner and understands that positive plays are needed to sustain offense. Kevin Faulk is more of a dancer, who looks to make plays on the perimeter. Against nickel packages, the Patriots have used Lamont Warren nicely as a receiver against a linebacker. No matter what the score, the Patriots won't deviate from their game plan because throwing the ball is what they do best.

2. Cheating Lawyer: Milloy will play up near the line of scrimmage to become involved in the run defense. The Patriots have great confidence in their corners to play man-to-man coverage. They will play the run using the blitz, but they will leave Carter in center field. They won't come with a total blitz package. They will always keep someone back as a free safety to prevent big plays down the field.

3. Stay disciplined: Martin is a slashing, cutback runner. If the defensive discipline breaks down, he will find the seam or crack and make the Patriots pay for their mistake. It's critical that the front seven maintains its gap responsibilities.

Former NFL quarterback Ron Jaworski appears each week on ESPN's Monday Night Countdown and Edge NFL Matchup. He breaks down the Monday Night Football matchup each week on ESPN.com.