Showing you this picture of Jim Leonhard, from his Ravens days, to explain why he's so important to the Jets defense. Rex Ryan trusts him to run the show in the secondary, and really -- since he's got the radio in his helmet -- the whole defense, because of his experience in the scheme.

And as my buddy Rich Cimini explained in the New York Daily News last week, Leonhard's presence in the first New England game was immense for the Jets. Eric Smith, the club's third safety, came in and blitzed a lot, and part of that was the team feeling so comfortable with Kerry Rhodes and Leonhard on the back end.

Leonhard underwent surgery on a broken thumb this week, prompting coach Rex Ryan to doubt, in midweek, that he'd play, but also say that "I've been with this guy. He's one tough kid. If there's anyway possible of him playing, I wouldn't be shocked. But right now, with him in a sling or a cast or three screws in his thumb or whatever, it wouldn't look good for the common person."

So Leonhard's obviously uncommon. On the Patriots' side, not having Sammy Morris hurts, because if the Jets are susceptible anywhere defensively, it's been in the running game with Kris Jenkins out. It's essential to win the early-down battle with the Jets and stay out of the long-yardage situations that open the door for Ryan to play a tactical game with an offense's protection.

Matt Light's out, which eliminates any argument regarding he and Sebastian Vollmer. So is Stephen Neal, and his replacement, Dan Connolly, struggled some in late action last week against Raheem Brock of the Colts. And Rob Ninkovich's and Jarvis Green's absences could hurt a defensive front seven that will need to be stout in the middle against the vaunted Jets running game.