Remember Terrell Suggs?

Sneering, snarling, quarterback-sacking Terrell Suggs?

The ex-Ravens linebacker who used to incite Tom Brady in a approach few may, attain into Brady’s aggressive soul and poke the best quarterback of all time? Suggs hunted quarterbacks with one of the best of them within the mid-2010s, together with Brady. He would stand and flex over his victims, a soccer villain with a message: I got here, I noticed, I sacked.

No one was protected, in his thoughts or his teammates. Not even Brady and the Patriots on the peak of their powers.

In 23-plus seasons, Suggs’ Ravens stay one in all solely three groups with a number of playoff wins over the Bill Belichick-era Patriots, becoming a member of the Giants and Broncos. Once upon a time, in a dynasty that feels far, far-off, the Ravens, Giants and Broncos had been seen as rivals. Competitive equals, the uncommon opponents who may wound the Patriots’ pleasure and undercut their standing as the category of the league.

The Jets, underneath Eric Mangini after which Rex Ryan, crossed this threshold, too, earlier than coming undone by their very own dysfunction. More just lately, the Jets have misplaced 14 straight to the Patriots, who go to them once more on Sunday.

Some would level to the Jets as a real Pats rival. Patriots captain Matthew Slater insists dangerous blood nonetheless flows between the sidelines.

“In a situation like the one this week, it goes beyond football and to rivalry of cities, right? Boston and New York,” Slater mentioned this week at his locker. “For us as gamers, I believe we take pleasure in that. (We) benefit from the alternative to symbolize our metropolis and compete towards an incredible opponent and an opponent that doesn’t like us very a lot.

“So you know, there’s something different about those games. It’s hard to really articulate what it is, but you feel it. You feel it in the buildup, you feel it in the heat of competition and it’s a special thing.”

So, about that buildup.

Here’s how defensive captain Deatrich Wise defined his historical past with the Jets on Thursday, a six-year span throughout which he’s by no means misplaced: “Really, very competitive, close games. Or, very competitive games. And that’s about it. That’s it.”

And right here’s how Bill Belichick, whose hatred of the Jets is just not solely well-known and well-documented however spans virtually three a long time, addressed a query about whether or not Pats-Jets nonetheless carries a rivalry really feel.

Patriots offensive line sees constructive information at observe forward of Jets recreation

“Well,” he began Friday. “It’s a division game.”

That’s it?

That’s all?

For a rival, with whom you’ve got shared playoff battles, head coaches and numerous wars of phrases? Asked who’re the Patriots’ present rivals, Slater once more pointed to the Jets. Not due to any particular historical past, although, however geography.

“Yeah, everybody in your division,” Slater mentioned. “I think you’ve got to consider them rivals,  teams you’re playing twice a year; especially in a division like ours. The Jets are certainly atop the list. I don’t think they like us very much.”

In personal moments, a number of Patriots admitted to the Herald they know the Jets love to speak. They boast within the media and act in a approach Belichick would by no means allow. Yet, right here had been the sound-bite highlights to come back out of northern New Jersey this week.

Second-year receiver Garrett Wilson mentioned dropping 14 straight to the Patriots was “unacceptable.”

“It’s time that things change around here,” he added.