The Jets make the trip north to Foxboro as the Patriots (off last week), playing host to the Jets on Monday Night Football for the second straight season, are in position to sweep this intense AFC East rivalry for the first time since 1996.

Back on opening day at East Rutherford (Week 1), a see-saw affair saw Patriots QB Drew Bledsoe finish the afternoon with 340 yards and a score, as well as a fourth-quarter interception returned 27 yards for a touchdown by Jets LB Bryan Cox that gave New York a 28-27 lead with 9:34 remaining. But Jets QB Rick Mirer (New York's third different quarterback of the game as QB Vinny Testaverde was lost for the season to an Achilles' injury in the second quarter) was intercepted for the second time on the afternoon with only 3:30 to play, eventually setting up Patriots PK Adam Vinatieri's 23-yard field goal with just 0:03 remaining as Pete Carroll's club escaped with a 30-28 win.

Despite this year's loss, the Jets still own a 42-36-1 overall advantage in the series standings (including playoffs), holding a one-game advantage (10-9) in the teams' 19 meetings in the 1990s.

As for New York's last appearance in Foxboro (Week 7 of '98), Testaverde threw for 294 yards and 3 touchdowns, two of those scores in the fourth quarter, and RB Curtis Martin chipped in with 107 yards rushing as Bill Parcells' club posted an impressive 24-14 triumph on Monday Night Football.

Despite last year's victory, the Jets are just 2-5 in their last seven visits to Foxboro dating back to 1992.

Numbers: Patriots QB Drew Bledsoe owns a 7-5 lifetime record vs. the Jets (1993-99), throwing for 2,671 yards, 13 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. In his last nine games vs. New York, Bledsoe is 7-2, throwing for 12 scores and 10 interceptions.

Including playoffs, during the Bill Parcells Era with the Jets (1997-99), QB Vinny Testaverde has thrown 31 touchdown passes and just 11 interceptions while being sacked only 21 times in 17 games with the team. However, 5 other Jets' quarterbacks (since-departed Neil O'Donnell and Glenn Foley, as well as Ray Lucas, Tom Tupa and Rick Mirer) have combined to throw 28 TD passes and 19 interceptions while being sacked 74 times. Including playoffs, the Jets have allowed just 196 points in 15 wins (17 or fewer points in 12 of those contests) while giving up 267 points in 11 losses in their last 26 games dating back to '98. Including playoffs, the Jets have committed just 18 turnovers in 15 wins, 28 turnovers in 11 losses dating back to '98. They have allowed 26 sacks in eight games in '99, this after allowing just 25 sacks in 16 games in '98.

The Patriots have committed five turnovers in six wins, six turnovers in two losses in '99. The Patriots have totaled three or more sacks in three straight games.

Things to look for: Back on opening day, the Jets were hoping to embark on a season that would get them to the Super Bowl, while the Patriots entered 1999 full of question marks and led by an embattled head coach. But that all changed when Vinny Testaverde went down with an injury, and New England managed to win the kind of game they've been known to lose in recent years. This should be another down-to-the-wire affair.

Etc.: The Patriots are 6-2 for the first time since 1980, when they finished 10-6 but missed the playoffs under since-departed head coach Ron Erhardt. The Jets are making their second of three Monday night appearances this season (0-1 in '99) and are 10-17 lifetime on Monday Night Football, including just 4-12 on the road. The Patriots are just 7-16 lifetime on Monday Night Football, including just 4-6 at home. This marks the 4th Monday night meeting between the Jets and Bills, with New York owning a 2-1 lead in the previous 3 MNF encounters. The Jets are just 9-22 in their last 31 games vs. divisional competition dating back to 1995, but are 7-4 vs. AFC East rivals dating back to '98. Including playoffs, the Patriots are 20-6 in their last 26 games vs. divisional competition (1-0 in playoffs) dating back to Week 8 of 1996, 3 of those losses to the Jets.