EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Chances are, wondering whether the Patriots will have to travel in the playoffs will wind up being a meaningless exercise.
All they have to do is beat Buffalo (which is beyond bad at the moment) on Saturday and they finish 14-2, get a first-round bye and play all AFC playoff games at home.
Indianapolis' loss last night means the Patriots are already the No. 2 seed and have a bye in the first week. The only way they can be shut out of home field throughout the AFC playoffs is if KC wins next week and the Patriots lose to Buffalo.
Sharing the wealth
Antowain Smith ran exceptionally well Saturday night, finishing with 120 yards on 18 carries.
"The credit goes to the offensive line and receivers and tight ends," said Smith. "Those are the guys who open things up, and once I get a full head of stream going, it's going to be hard to stop me from getting positive yards."
Seeing is believing
Jets coach Herman Edwards was asked after Saturday night's game if finishing with a losing record for the first time since 1996 was devastating.
"It's disappointing, but not fatal," he said. "It won't be fatal with me. It's just one of those things you deal with as a football team, and we will grow from it and we will come back from it."
Asked about the Pats, Edwards said: "We played against a pretty good football team. I shouldn't say pretty good. That's a very, very good football team. And you just can't overcome that against a good football team. We knew that going in that they were plus-10 in turnovers. Now they are probably plus-14. That is what makes them a pretty good team."
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David Givens on his late-game pick on the wide receiver reverse.
"It was a cover-2 look and I didn't see the safety coming across," he said. ("Tyrone Carter ) came across late and made a play on the ball. I definitely could have thrown a better ball, but I'm kind of mad at myself for not completing that."
Ty Law once more on being a Pro Bowl selection while a few other Pats were passed over. "Disappointing. Guys like Rodney Harrison ? He's got the best numbers in the league and we got the best record. That's a shame. I'll go there to represent the Patriots to the best of my ability so hopefully people think we should have more over there. But our goal is the ultimate bowl and that's the Super Bowl."
