The New England Patriots are battling the New York Jets on Sunday, and the winner will be on top of the AFC East. It's a rivalry that has intensified in recent years, but if you asked Patriots receiver Brandon Lloyd about its significance, he wouldn't be able to offer much. According to Boston.com, Lloyd was asked if he knew much about the rivalry between the two teams, and he replied, "No, I don't. Do you want to enlighten me?"
Lloyd followed it up by saying that the team is just approaching the game like it was any other. He also made it clear that the history doesn't matter in the here and now, referencing former Jets quarterback Joe Namath:
"I think the best thing is just approach it like a normal game," Lloyd said. "As a player, I think the build-up is more so for the fans and the history, but these are current teams, current rosters. We're not playing against Joe Namath or anything like that.
Lloyd followed it up by saying that it's an important game, but that the team is preparing for it just like any other game. It's probably a good mindset to have, though some players do thrive on the whole rivalry aspect. Lloyd clearly is not one of those players, and doesn't need things like rivalries to be totally prepared for a game.
Still, the bit about Namath is true on more than the basic level, as the Jets don't boast a strong quarterback in Mark Sanchez.