Watson, Aiken, Alexander out

The Patriots downgraded tight end Benjamin Watson (right knee), wide receiver Sam Aiken (right knee), and linebacker Eric Alexander (calf) from questionable to out for today's game against the New York Jets.

Cornerback Lewis Sanders (head) and wide receiver Jabar Gaffney (knee), who were also questionable Friday, were not downgraded.

Watson and Aiken sat out last week's season opener against the Chiefs and missed the first two days of practice last week before returning Friday. Aiken, who suffered a knee injury in the first preseason game Aug. 7, said Friday he was eager to return. But it won't be this week.

"It was frustrating the first week when I wasn't able to go out there, but I've just been rehabbing getting stronger, mainly in the weight room, and watching film," said Aiken.

Alexander first popped up on the participation/injury report on Thursday. His injury could clear the way for rookie outside linebacker Shawn Crable to be active.

Unpacking it
Instead of being on opposing sides today in Giants Stadium, Patriots wide receiver Randy Moss and Jets quarterback Brett Favre could have been teammates on the Packers.

At least that's the way Moss told it last week, when he intimated that one of the reasons Favre was frustrated with Green Bay his last few seasons and decided to retire before abruptly changing his mind was the Packers' failed pursuit of Moss.

"Brett has been in the game long enough and has been in that organization long enough that he knows what they were missing," said Moss. "And just with how things happened last year, I think they were probably missing one big-play wide receiver.

"They made it to the NFC Championship without that. I think Brett had more of a feel of what the organization needed to be able to make that Super Bowl run.

"Luckily, that didn't happen. I think that's where a little bit of frustration may have set in last season. I was actually happy to be able to sign with the New England Patriots last season, and to be able to sign a three-year deal with them [this offseason]."

The Packers pursued Moss but he was turned off by their pitch, which included telling him that Donald Driver would remain the No. 1 receiver.

"I don't think that Green Bay was really what I was looking for," said Moss. "I think in all honesty they were really just entertaining that just to keep Favre happy."

Gutierrez on board
The Patriots have promoted quarterback Matt Gutierrez, re-signed last week, from the practice squad to the 53-man roster. The move gives the Patriots three quarterbacks today. To make room, wide receiver C.J. Jones was released . . . With Gaffney nursing a knee injury, Kelley Washington could see more offensive snaps.today. Washington was used almost solely as a special teams player last season and didn't record a single catch. Last week against the Chiefs, he hauled in his first grab as a Patriot, a 3-yard pass in the second quarter. "It felt good to get the first one under my belt," said Washington.

Always adjusting
One of the interesting subplots in any Patriots-Jets game is the war of wits between Bill Belichick and Eric Mangini, two of the most creative coaches in the game. Tedy Bruschi said one of the keys in these contests is making in-game adjustments. "They know us well, we know them well," said Bruschi. "It's a game where we might have to just sideline adjust because of some of the things we see, because they may be new." . . . Sanders will enjoy a homecoming of sorts today. Sanders is from Staten Island, N.Y., and had to get 16 tickets for family and friends.

Christopher Gasper can be reached at cgasper@globe.com