Tom E. Curran • E-mail

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -

Nobody does dissed like the New England Patriots.

Sunday in the Meadowlands, the stars aligned for them to give the Jets a heaping plate of "Not yet, little Green Men."

They also handed the media a side order of "Shut the (bleep) up!"

The Patriots began the post-Brady portion of their 2008 season with a 19-10 win over the Jets. When it was over, New England corner Ellis Hobbs strutted toward the Patriots locker room, waited to get within earshot of the assembled media, and said, "Team on three! One, two, three TEAM!"

Then, wanting to make his point crystal, Hobbs said in a sing-song voice, "They can't do it. Tom's not there. They can't do it without Tom."

Apparently, they can. Still. Again. Same as it ever was.

"Is this the the biggest regular-season win since Brady became their quarterback?" another reporter asked me.

Actually, no. I don't know what is, but if you want one to compare it to, how about the second game of 2007 when – just days after "Spygate" began – they came out and beat the Chargers 38-14. That was, not coincidentally, another "adversity" game.

The Patriots beat the Jets on Sunday without Brady and, for the most part, without running back Laurence Maroney, who left early in the second quarter.

They beat them and beat them up: An early second-quarter stand when they stuffed the Jets on three rushing attempts from the 3; and a 20-yard sack in the fourth in which Pats linebacker Adalius Thomas rag-dolled both Brett Favre and squished Jets running back Leon Washington served as humiliating bookends for the Jets.

Special feature NFL's top shots A look at the best photos from Week 2, including a scuffle in Cincinnati. NBCSports.com

Which is a bit of a turnabout from last week. After the Colts, Chargers and Jaguars lost and the Patriots lost Brady, the balance of power seemed poised to shift in the AFC. The Jets, who beat Miami in Favre's first game with New York, logically stood to benefit from backsliding at the top.

Hosting the Brady-less Patriots in their home opener, preparing for backup Matt Cassel who Jets coach Eric Mangini knew well from his time in New England – the table was set for the Jets to make a statement.

But it didn't come out right.

New York insisted on trying to pound the ball in from the New England 3 while trailing 6-0 early in the second quarter. They ran running back Thomas Jones into the teeth of the Pats defense on first and second down, gaining 1 yard each time. Then they got thrown for a 2-yard loss on third-and-goal.

"That right there shows you what they wanted to do," said Patriots nose tackle Vince Wilfork. "They wanted to run the ball. They thought they were tougher than us. When you're on the goal line, it's basically, 'I'm tougher than you.' It was man against man out there and everybody for themselves. I think they wanted to prove a point they were tougher than us but it didn't happen that way."

"It's always an attitude when you take it upon yourself and say, 'We're gonna run the ball down your throat,'" said Patriots safety Rodney Harrison. Running the ball is a statement. It says, 'We're more physical than you. We're gonna stuff it down your throat. See what you can do to stop us.'"

Said Jets center Damien Woody: "They stopped us so you really can't dispute what they say. That's what I'm talking about by leaving stuff out there. As an offensive lineman you want to be able to punch it in. Give them credit."

Slide show   Week in Sports Pictures Flying on the hardwood, racing on the rink, getting physical on the gridiron, and much more. more photos

Favre, who was OK on this Sunday (18 for 26 for 181 yards with a touchdown and a pick), wouldn't second guess the play-calling of offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer.

"Had we run it in on the first, second or third play, then it's a great call," said Favre. "I'd like to throw every play but you're not going to win that way. We have the offensive line to do it, we have the running backs to do it ... they stopped it today."

Suggesting that a goal-line stand in the second week of the season sets the tenor for things that happen in December is foolhardy. But it is true that, on this day, the Jets got a reminder that the Patriots have won an NFL record 21 straight regular season games for a reason.

"I can only assume what Bill (Belichick) was telling those guys this week but he used Tom's injury probably as a positive for the rest of those guys – rally the troops, so to speak," said Favre.

"(The loss) is a setback because I feel this tam is capable of winning every game," he added. "What do you do in a situation like this? Hopefully we rally together and find a way to overcome it. It's one game. There are 14 left. Who knows what's going to happen. Nothing good will happen if we don't do it together."

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