Behind the bluster, bragging and insults, there is a scared Jets team, Phil Simms suspects.
And the former Giants quarterback and CBS analyst thinks that is a good thing.
“It’s a little scary,” Simms said of the Jets mentality heading into Sunday’s divisional playoff with the Patriots after their AFC East rivals beat them by 42 points in early December.
“Deep down you have to know that if this happens again, it would be crushing. . . . No matter what we hear from the Jets and I know they never lack confidence, deep down that 45-3 is still hanging there. When you get beat, it raises your level of intensity because you are afraid of getting dominated again.”
In order to avoid that fate, the Jets must figure out a way to slow down the Patriots’ new-look offense. Trading away receiver Randy Moss opened up the offense for quarterback Tom Brady and the Jets were completely unprepared to deal with that when they met in what turned into a Monday Night Massacre.
The teams are so different than they were in their Week 2 matchup Simms won’t even bother watching film of the Jets’ 28-14 win.
“Everyone on [the Patriots] is capable of catching a pass,” said Simms, who will be calling the game alongside Jim Nantz. “They’ve become more varied, versatile and difficult to play against. It’s what they wanted to do and they absolutely have accomplished it.”
Being first-hand witnesses to the crushing effectiveness is the reason Simms won’t put much stock in the film from the Dec. 6 tilt, saying that he knows this game will be different.
“Knowledge is an incredible thing in the NFL,” Simms said. “You learn from your mistakes, you really do. You don’t want to make them, but the Jets did.”
And those mistakes were not the defense’s alone. Quarterback Mark Sanchez had his
worst game of the season — throwing three interceptions.
Sanchez shook off an awful first two quarters against the Colts in the wild-card round to lead the Jets to 17 second-half points, including a game-winning drive in the final two minutes.
“Mark Sanchez is a different quarterback than the guy who played up in New England,” Simms said. “Between that game and the following game [a home loss to the Dolphins], he learned a lot physically and mentally.
“And I think the Jets coaching staff — in particular [offensive coordinator] Brian Schottenheimer — has learned and changed because of that game. In Pittsburgh, Chicago
and even in the playoff game, you can see he’s a big-time player that can make plays to win games.”
He will have to if the Jets expect to win their second straight road playoff game and pick off their second straight future Hall of Fame quarterback.
justin.terranova@nypost.com